ATS IN ISLAM: THE SUNNAH & BLESSINGS OF THESE FURRY FELINES

NADHIRA PUTRI JULY 5, 2019

two cats

In Islam, some refer to cats as “the quintessential pet”. We might like to keep them for their
companionship, their gentleness or just for how adorable they are. But did you know Islam is also crazy
about cats? Islam teaches us to love all living things – humans and animals alike, but cats especially. In
Islamic history, cats have always been revered.

Why are cats so common amongst Muslims?

Prophet Muhammad PBUH taught Muslims to have mercy on all of Allah’s creations – he not only
preached this but modelled the way. He was observed as always being kind towards cats, leading many
Muslims during his time to embrace and accept these animals into their homes.

The Prophet and His Favourite Cat

cat sleeping on carpet

Like many of us, the Prophet had a favourite feline. She was called Muezza, and there’s one well-known
story of both of them. One time, when the call to prayers was heard, Muezza was asleep on one of the
Prophet’s robes. Rather than disrupt Muezza’s slumber, the Prophet cut off part of his sleeve to leave
him in peace. Throughout his life, the Prophet was seen to always practise immense care for Muezza.

Are cats clean?

two cats drinking

The cat is such a clean and pure animal that they are “one of those that go around amongst us” (Prophet
Muhammad PBUH). According to authentic narrations, one may make ablution for prayer with the same
water that a cat drank from. However, this is provided there are no visible impurities seen in the cat’s
mouth.

What are some things Islam teaches cat owners?

While Muslims are completely free to live with cats, they must treat the cats well. Cats should be
provided with enough food, water and given roaming time. They are required to be granted freedom of
movement.

Due to how cherished and loved cats are in Islam, the mistreatment of this animal is considered a serious
sin. Al-Bukhari reported a hadith of a woman who locked up her cat, refusing to feed it. The Prophet said
that “her punishment on the Day of Judgement will be torture and Hell.”

“VERILY, THERE IS HEAVENLY REWARD FOR

EVERY ACT OF KINDNESS DONE TO A LIVING ANIMAL.”

– PROPHET MUHAMMAD

Ultimately, cats bring lots of blessings and sunnah into the home. Many modern Muslims recognise this
and take cues from the Prophet. However, it’s no secret that mistreatment of pets is common nowadays,
but let’s all remember the actions of the Prophet and emulate them.

Islam and cats

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Feral cat in the courtyard of Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The domestic cat is a revered animal in Islam.[1] Admired for its cleanliness as well as for being loved by
the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the cat is considered "the quintessential pet" by Muslims.[2]

Contents

1 Origins of reverence

2 History

3 Hygiene and neutering

4 Muezza
5 See also

6 References

7 External links

Origins of reverence

Cats have been venerated in the Near East since antiquity, a tradition adopted by Islam, albeit in a much
modified form.[3] According to many hadiths, Muhammad prohibited the persecution and killing of cats.
[2]

Cat resting on a pillow next to an imam in Cairo, by John Frederick Lewis

One of Muhammad's companions was known as Abu Hurairah (literally: "Father of the Kitten") for his
attachment to cats.[1] Abu Hurairah claimed that he had heard Muhammad declare that a woman went
to Hell for starving a female kitten and not providing her with any water.[4] According to legend, Abu
Hurairah's cat saved Muhammad from a snake.[2].

History

The American poet and travel author Bayard Taylor (1825–1878) was astonished when he discovered a
Syrian hospital where cats roamed freely. The institution, in which domestic felines were sheltered and
nourished, was funded by a waqf, along with caretakers' wages, veterinary care and cat food. Edward
William Lane (1801–1876), a British Orientalist who resided in Cairo, described a cat garden originally
endowed by the 13th-century Egyptian sultan Baibars, whose European contemporaries held a very
different attitude towards cats, eating them or killing them under papal decrees.[2] Wilfred Thesiger, in
his book The Marsh Arabs, notes that cats were allowed free entry to community buildings in villages in
the Mesopotamian Marshes, and even fed, though dogs and other animals were driven out.[5] Aside
from protecting granaries and food stores from pests, cats were valued by the paper-based Arab-Islamic
cultures for preying on mice that destroyed books. For that reason, cats are often depicted in paintings
alongside Islamic scholars and bibliophiles. The medieval Egyptian zoologist Al-Damiri (1344–1405)
wrote that the first cat was created when God caused a lion to sneeze, after animals on Noah's Ark
complained of mice.[2]

Hygiene and neutering

A cat on the doorstep of a mosque in Şirince, Turkey

In Islamic tradition, cats are admired for their cleanliness. They are thought to be ritually clean, unlike
dogs, and are thus allowed to enter homes[2] and even mosques, including Masjid al-Haram. Food
sampled by cats is considered halal in the sense that their consumption of the food does not make it
impermissible for Muslims to eat and water from which cats have drunk is permitted for wudu.[2]
Furthermore, there is a belief among some Muslims that cats seek out people who are praying.[1]

Muslim scholars are divided on the issue of neutering animals. Most, however, maintain that neutering
cats is allowed "if there is some benefit in neutering the cat and if that will not cause its death".[6]
Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen, a 20th-century Saudi Arabian Sunni imam, preached:

If there are too many cats and they are a nuisance, and if the operation will not harm them, then there is
nothing wrong with it, because this is better than killing them after they have been created. But if the
cats are ordinary cats and are not causing a nuisance, perhaps it is better to leave them alone to
reproduce.[6]

File:Muslim playing with kitten and praying beads in Al Azhar mosque in Cairo.webm

A man teasing a cat with misbaha in Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo

A UK-based pet food company, Halal Pet Products Ltd, produces what they claim to be a completely halal
cat food, which they named Muezza Pure.[7] The company justifies their development of the product by
asserting that, while there are no laws in Islam prohibiting animals from eating haram foods, Muslims
are forbidden to handle or feed haram foods, such as pork and carrion, to animals.[7]

Muezza

According to Islamic tradition, Muezza (or Muʿizza; Arabic: ‫ )معزة‬was Muhammad's favorite cat.[8][9]
Muhammad awoke one day to the sounds of the adhan. Preparing to attend prayer, he began to dress
himself; however, he soon discovered his cat Muezza sleeping on the sleeve of his prayer robe. Rather
than wake her, he used a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off, leaving the cat undisturbed. Another story
is, upon returning from the mosque, Muhammad received a bow from Muezza. He then smiled and
gently stroked his beloved cat three times.[8][9]

Cats and humans

Prophet Muhammad's fondness for cats is conveyed in his hadith: "Affection for cats is part of faith"
(Maqasid al-Hasanah, al-Sakhawi). So, loving a cat is a sign that someone is a believer. When Prophet
Muhammad came across a black-and-white Abyssinian cat breastfeeding her kitten during the Uhud
campaign, he changed the course of his soldiers. On his way back he adopted this cat and gave her the
name "Muezza." One day, he slightly tipped his cup so that a cat passing by could drink some water.

A companion of Prophet Muhammad was given the name Abu Hurairah, which means "father of cats."
Abu Hurairah was given this name because wherever he went, he always had a cat with him. It is even
said among the people that Prophet Muhammad stroked the back of a cat for strangling a snake that was
about to harm someone and that is why cats land on four feet and not on their backs.

The nickname of Pir Asad, one of Rumi's caliphs, renowned for his love of cats, was nicknamed "Pisili
Sultan" (Sultan with Kitties). When his beloved cat died, he had it buried right near his foot. They say that
while Ahmed Rufah, one of the elders, was sitting, his cat came and fell asleep on the sleeve of his robe.
When the time for Friday prayer arrived he did not want to disturb the cat, so he cut his sleeve off
instead of waking it.

The prophet's hadith, "Have mercy on the creatures of Allah so that Allah may have mercy on you," was
the motto of the elderly. The prophet also said that a woman who kept a cat locked up and failed to feed
it until it died, would be sent to hell, while a prostitute, who gave water to a dog that was dying from
thirst, would be forgiven.

Master's cat

There is a mosque in Damascus called Masjid al-Qitat. "Qitat" means "cats" in Arabic. It is also a
foundation that was established to protect the cat thrown out in the street. The caretaker of the mosque
purchases liver with the some of the foundation's income and feeds hundreds of cats every day.

İsmail Saib Sencer, the director of the Bayezid Library in Istanbul, fed hundreds of cats. For this reason,
Bayezid Library was called "The Cat Library."

There are too many kinds of cats. They are from the same species as lions and tigers. Some of them are
incredibly beautiful, and for some stroking their hair is the greatest pleasure. İsmet Sungurbey, a teacher
of law in Istanbul, fed hundreds of cats in his school's garden. Later he wrote a book called "Hayvan
Hakları" (Animal Rights). Arndt, a chemistry professor at Istanbul University, taught lessons with his cat
on his shoulder. The cats that were allowed to roam freely and go in and out and fall asleep wherever
they want with

out being bothered we called the "Master's cats."

There were also those who were not too fond of cats. Sultan Abdülmecid was allergic to cats, and he did
not want to be in the same room with one. The story goes that one morning, while reciting the Quran,
he went out for a while, and when he came back, he saw that a cat had scratched and stained the pages.
That was the last time he came near cats again. As a matter of fact, when he and his men stepped into
Beykoz Palace one time, a cat came out to meet them and he immediately ordered his men to "turn
back." But his son Sultan Abdülhamid adored cats. This sultan had a white long-haired cat named "Agha
Effendi."

Requiem for cats

As apartment life began, the glorious days of cats came to an end. Current houses are not suitable for
feeding cats. Cats are clean animals, but they want a house with a garden. Now that cats serve as a toy,
they are in a state of numbness and forgetfulness of their true nature. Moreover, even if Islam does not
allow people and animals to be sterilized, they forced to endure this operation so that the owners are
comfortable.

There is also a place for cats in oriental literature. A poet called Maali, who lived in the time of the Sultan
Süleyman the Magnificent, wrote a requiem for cats. Namık Kemal, one of the 19th century poets, wrote
a poem similar to this, which describes the merits and superiorities of cats with humorous language.

Stories, jokes and sagas feature cats as well. The story goes that Nasreddin Hodja's wife cooked and then
devoured 3 kilos of liver that he brought. In the evening when he came home, she blamed a cat. He then
weighed the cat which tipped the scale at 3 kilos. "Lady, if this is the cat then where is the meat, if this is
the meat then where is the cat?" he famously asked his wife. Though cats are famous for theft, the poor
animals are blamed for almost everything that is lost.
Keeping cats

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Aa

Question

Is it permissible to have a CAT in the house according to Islam and its teachings ?.

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

It is permissible to keep cats in the house, and there is nothing wrong with that because cats are not
harmful or naajis (impure).

With regard to cats not being harmful, no one disputes that, rather they are useful because they eat
snakes, rats bugs and other things that may be in the house or yard.

With regard to cats not being naajis, this is known from the hadeeth of Kabshah bint Ka’b ibn Maalik,
who said that Abu Qutaadah – her husband's father – entered upon her and she poured water for him to
do wudoo’, and a cat came to drink from it, so he tipped the vessel for it to drink. Kabshah said: “He saw
me looking at him and said, “Do you find it strange, O daughter of my brother?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “They (cats) are not naajis, rather
they are of those who go around amongst you.”’”
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 92; al-Nasaa’i, 68; Abu Dawood, 75; Ibn Maajah, 367. classed as saheeh by al-
Albaani. Ibn Hajar narrated in al-Talkhees that al-Bukhaari classed it as saheeh).

Secondly:

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A woman entered Hell because of a cat which she tied up and
did not feed, nor did she let it loose to feed upon the vermin of the earth.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
3140; Muslim, 2242).

The vermin of the earth means insects and mice, etc.

This hadeeth does not denounce the woman for keeping a cat, but it demonstrates that the woman’s sin
was in not feeding it or leaving it to eat from the vermin of the earth.

Thirdly:

The great Sahaabi Abu Hurayrah (literally “Father of the Kitten”) was so called because he used to love
cats and keep them. He became well known by this name and people forgot his real name, until the
scholars disputed concerning his real name and there were nearly thirty different opinions as to what it
was. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said in al-Istee’aab: “The most correct view is that his name was ‘Abd al-Rahmaan
ibn Sakhr but none of them disputed that he was Abu Hurayrah.”

Fourthly:

Note: It is permissible to keep cats but it is not permissible to buy or sell them; they may be given as gifts
or given away. That is because of the hadeeth of Abu’l-Zubayr who said: “I asked Jaabir about the price
of dogs and cats. He said, ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade that.’”
(Narrated by Muslim, 1569).
And Allaah knows best.

The Sunnah and Blessings in Healing effects of Cats - Abu Hurayrah -The father of kittens

Article Index

The Sunnah and Blessings in Healing effects of Cats

The story of the cat

Abu Hurayrah -The father of kittens

All Pages

Page 3 of 3

Abu Hurayrah -The father of kittens

Abu Hurayrah, famous as a companion of the Prophet (saw) and a major narrator of his sayings. Was
given the nickname Abu Hurayrah (literally father of Kittens) by the Prophet because he used to care for
a small male cat. ("Cat" word comes from the Arabic word qit/Hirra but a tiny male cat is called hurayrah,
or thus In Arabic, hirra means cat and hurayra means a kitten.)

Also Legend has it that the reason Sayyiduna Muhammad (saw) loved cats so much was that his life had
been saved by one. A snake had crawled into his sleeve and refused to leave. A cat was called and asked
the snake to show its head, in order to discuss its departure. When the snake finally appeared, the cat
pounced on it and carried it off.

There is also a legend about this in which a cat saved the Prophet's life from a deadly snake. The story is
narrated by Annemarie Schimmel as follows: "There are variants of the story of how Abu Huraryra's cat,
which he always carried in his bag, saved the Prophet from an obnoxious snake, whereupon the Prophet
petted her so that the mark of his fingers is still visible in the four dark lines on most cats' foreheads,
and, because the Prophet's hand had stroked her back, cats never fall on their backs" (A. Schimmel,
Deciphering the Signs of God, Albany, NY, 1994).

The cat is such a clean animal that according to authentic narrations one may make ablution for Prayer
with the same water that a cat drank from. Yet, it is known that some people nowadays have opposed
the traditions of the Prophet by taking up the evil practices of torturing and poisoning cats.

In Islam, the punishment for such actions is severe. Islam holds a special place for cats as lovable and
cherished creatures, and mistreating a cat is seen as a serious sin. Al-Bukhari reported a hadith regarding
a woman who locked up a cat, refusing to feed it and not releasing it so that it could feed itself. The
Prophet Muhammad said that her punishment on the Day of Judgment will be torture and Hell.

There are many records of the Prophet's love for cats and his relationship with them. "The prophet's
fondness for cats is often referred to, and whether or not the hadith that ‘Love of cats is part of the faith'
is genuine, it reflects the general feeling for the little feline."

There are also many testimonials regarding many other animals in Islam such as horses, camels, bees,
ants and even flies. Fundamentally the life of the Prophet Mohammed is the understanding of the Quran
itself. There are some verses associated with animals and references regarding the responsibility of the
human domain in the world and its contents which include balance, justice, mercy and much more moral
content. To show mercy to animals is the part of the faith of Islam. Prophet Mohammed taught mercy to
all of God's creation.

It is believed that you will suffer no harm if you drink from the cat’s water provided no impurities are
seen in the cat’s mouth. In another story from the hadith, it is stated that a when a cat ate a pudding put
down during prayers, the person who was in charge of the pudding ate from the same place as the cat
and Prophet (s) said this was alright as the cat is not unclean and is "one of those who go around
amongst us".

The Prophet of Islam was once performing ablution (Wudhu) for prayers from a pot of water. A cat
passed there and turned its eyes at the pot of water with a thirsty look. The Prophet realised at once
that the cat was very thirsty, so he stopped the ablution (Wudhu) and placed the pot before the cat. Only
after the cat had fully quenched its thirst, did the Prophet resume the ablution (Wudhu).

Some Hadith

Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade tying up animals
so that they could be shot at and killed."

[Agreed upon]Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous)

"Those who are kind and considerate to Allah's creatures, Allah bestows His kindness and affection on
them. Show kindness to the creatures on the earth so that Allah may be kind to you." Hadith - Abu
Dawud and Tirmidhi

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept
locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, "(Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman),
'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the
earth.' " Hadith - Bukhari 3:553, Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar [Also in Muslim, Narrated Abu Huraira]

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha from Humayda bint Abi Ubayda ibn
Farwa that her maternal aunt Kabsha bint Kab ibn Malik, who was the wife of the son of Abu Qatada al-
Ansari, told her that once Abu Qatada was visiting her and she poured out some water for him to do
wudu with. Just then a cat came to drink from it, so he tilted the vessel towards it to let it drink. Kabsha
continued, "He saw me looking at him and said, 'Are you surprised, daughter of my brother?' I said, 'Yes.'
He replied that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,cats are not
impure. They intermingle with you .' "

Yahya said that Malik said, "There is no harm in that unless one sees impurities on the cat's mouth."

Dawud ibn Salih ibn Dinar at-Tammar quoted his mother as saying that her mistress sent her with some
pudding (harisah) to Aisha who was offering prayer. She made a sign to me to place it down. A cat came
and ate some of it, but when Aisha finished her prayer, she ate from the place where the cat had eaten.
She stated: The Messenger of Allah said: It is not unclean: it is one of those who go round among you.
She added: I saw the Messenger of Allah performing ablution from the water left over by the cat.

Hadith - Dawud, Narrated Jabir ibn AbdullahThe Prophet forbade payment for cat.

Islam teaches Muslims that, in relation to a cat:

the cat should not be sold for money or other traded goods

cats saliva is harmless unless the cat has "visible impurities" in the mouth

that Muslims are free to live with cats but they must treat cats well, providing the cat with enough water
and food and giving "roaming time" (a degree of freedom of movement)
Islam teaches Muslims to treat cats well and that the cat is a creature to be cherished and loved.
Mistreating a cat is regarded as a severe sin in Islam and can lead to punishment as the story of the
women who mistreated a cat and she went to hell for punishment.

Article collected by Muhammad Sajad Ali - 20th March 2010

See also

Buying and Selling Cats

Answered according to Shafi'i Fiqh by Shafiifiqh.com

Question:

Assallam Alaikum Wa Rahmat Allah, Is it halal or haram to keep and buy and sell cats? I am wondering
what is our Madhhab’s view on cats.

Country: USA

Answer:

Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatuLlahi wa barakatuHu,

In his Fatawa v. 4, p. 240, Ibn Hajar al-Haytami discussed some details which pertain to owning and
buying or selling a cat. Firstly, it is recommended to raise and breed them. And secondly, he mentioned
that it is permissible to buy or sell a domesticated cat, but not a wild one.

Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.

Is It Permissible to Buy and Sell Cats in the Maliki School?

Answered according to Maliki Fiqh by Seekersguidance.org

Answered by Shaykh Rami Nsour

Question: Upon discussing the issue with some non-madhab following brothers, there appears to be an
opinion within this group saying that the purchasing of cats is haram. They cite an opinion of the Maliki
school and say that it should not be done.

Is there any prohibition in purchasing cats as pets? And is this ‘Maliki’ position reliable?

Answer: According to the Maliki madhab, it is permissible to sell and buy cats. In the Mukhtasar of Khalil
in the first section on the rules of Transactions he says, “It is permissible to purchase a cat or a predatory
animal for its skin.” (‫)وجاز هر وسبع للجلد‬. In the commentary (Hashiya) of Dusuqi, he mentions the words
of al-Banani who said, “As for a cat, it is permissible to purchase it to derive benefit from it living or dead
according to the apparent understanding of the Mudawanna, and this is what al-Mawwaq explained it
as. This is in contrast to the apparent meaning of the author.” By “author” he means Khalil as in the
Mukhtasar it says that you can purchase a cat to use its hide and it would leave someone to think that if
there was a purchase for other than the hide it would not be permissible. But, as al-Banani clarified,
purchasing a cat is permissible.

Rami Nsour