Plus: “It doesn’t seem to have occurred to Marshall that as dogs are haram, this should put to rest the Muslim rumors.”
UPDATE: Reader Aaron Moore objects: “Dogs haram? According to what? I’ve got a degree in Middle Eastern Studies, I speak Arabic, and am pretty familiar with the rites and beliefs of Islam. I’ve never heard of a prohibition against dog.” He sends this list, which doesn’t include dogs. So maybe those rumors aren’t dead yet! But the subject seems to be one of some discussion.