She is blind and she has no one to protect her and help her. Can she keep a dog that is trained for that purpose?
Question

                There is a sister of yours in Islam who is American and became Muslim more than a year ago, after she suffered beatings from her husband which caused her to lose some movement and to lose her sight. Allaah made this incident the cause of this woman entering Islam. The problem is that this woman needs care and help 24 hours a day. She got in touch with the imam of the nearest mosque and he helped her, by sending one of the sisters to look after her. But this sister cannot carry on because of personal reasons. Hence she has asked for help from the state social services.  They told her that they cannot give her a person to look after her, but they can give her a dog that is trained to help the handicapped and blind. 

This woman is asking and says: I know that having a dog in the house is forbidden in Islam, but you do not know how much help it can give me. It could take me out to the supermarket and help me with my needs inside the house, etc. 

The question now is: 

This woman is in need of this kind of dog. It is permissible for her to keep it in the house because of necessity?.
Praise be to Allah.We ask 
    Allaah to make our sister steadfast in Islam, and to heal her and decree 
    reward for her for her patience. 
Keeping dogs 
    is basically haraam – as is well known – but the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) granted a concession with regard to keeping 
    dogs if it is for guarding the fields, herding livestock or hunting. 
It was 
    narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 
    “Whoever keeps a dog, a qiraat will be deducted from his reward every day, 
    except a dog for guarding the fields or herding livestock.” Narrated by 
    al-Bukhaari (2197) and Muslim (1575). 
It was also 
    narrated from him (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet  
    (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever keeps a dog, 
    except a dog for herding livestock, hunting or guarding the fields, a qiraat 
    will be deducted from his reward every day.” Narrated by Muslim (1575). 
Is it 
    permissible to keep a dog for purposes other than those mentioned above? 
The answer 
    is: yes. 
Imam 
    al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
There was a 
    difference of opinion with regard to whether it is permissible to keep dogs 
    for purposes other than these three, such as guarding houses and roads. The 
    most correct view is that it is permissible, by analogy with these three, 
    based on the reason that is to be understood from the hadeeth, which is 
    necessity. End quote. 
Sharh 
    Muslim (10/236) 
Ibn ‘Abd 
    al-Barr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 
In my view, 
    the meaning of this hadeeth also includes keeping dogs if there is a purpose 
    in doing so and for warding off harm, if a person needs that. End quote.
Al-Tamheed 
    (14/219) 
For this 
    woman to keep a trained dog – when there is no one who can help her, take 
    care of her and protect her – is more essential than guarding fields and 
    livestock. 
Shaykh 
    Yoosuf ibn ‘Abd al-Haadi said, quoting from one of the scholars: 
There is no 
    doubt that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave 
    permission for keeping hunting dogs, according to numerous ahaadeeth, and he 
    said that the reward of the one who keeps a dog for hunting is not reduced. 
    In other ahaadeeth he gave permission for keeping dogs for herding 
    livestock, dogs for herding sheep and dogs for guarding the fields. Thus it 
    is known that the reason for allowing this is people’s interests, and the 
    ruling is based on the reasons for and against. If there is an interest to 
    be served, then it is permissible (to keep a dog). Some interests may be 
    more important and greater than that of farming, and some interests may be 
    equal to those mentioned by the Lawgiver. There is no doubt that fruits are 
    equivalent to crops in the fields, and cattle are equivalent to sheep, and 
    chickens and geese – (as a dog is needed) in order to keep the fox away from 
    them – are equivalent to sheep too. Undoubtedly the fear of thieves 
    attacking a person, and keeping a dog to warn against them and wake one up 
    is even more important than that. Islam seeks to protect interests and ward 
    off harm. End quote. 

    Al-Ighraab fi Ahkaam al-Kilaab (p. 106, 107). 
Based on 
    this, there is nothing wrong with this woman keeping this trained dog until 
    Allaah provides her with a way out, such as her living with a Muslim family 
    who can take care of her for the sake of Allaah, or her marrying a Muslim 
    man who may seek reward with Allaah for looking after her. 
And Allaah knows 
    best.