Judicial Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the City of Detroit to compel the release of animal euthanasia records from the period when Abdul El-Sayed served as the city's health director.
As part of the public discussion surrounding the lawsuit, critics have noted that Abdul El-Sayed is Muslim, raising arguments regarding Islamic traditions and dogs.
In Islamic jurisprudence, opinions on dogs vary, though a dominant view across several major schools of thought considers a dog's saliva to be ritually impure, which affects the cleanliness required for daily prayers.
Consequently, many traditional Muslims avoid keeping dogs inside their homes as pets.