Sorcha, the pit bull is the American variety of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The American is heavier and larger than the English standard. At Ft. Riley, Kansas, they were used in fights. I was given one of the pups from there when I was a child. It protected me against all comers, including a relative with a switch. It was strong and heavy, when I would get too rough in play with it, it would grab me by the arm, pull me down and lie on top of me. This ended with both of us going to sleep. The breed IS is recognized by the AKC. To quote from the Simon & Shuster Book of Dogs, "Combative but steady, obedient, tolerant of children, devoted to the point of giving its life for its master." By the way, there is an excellent book about a pet wolverine (sorry, can't remember the name).
I dislike comparisons between animals and humans, they are generally false. This thread seems to have wandered from Muslim beliefs to human behavior, which has been irrational from the beginning.