CATS IN ISLAM
Question:
As Salaamu Alaikum,
Where cats mention in Quran? I would like to know everything about cats in Islam. What’s the punishment for throwing away cats female/male from a home to a strange place.
Answer:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam,
Bismillahi Wa Billahi At Tawfeeq
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh
We are not aware of cats being specifically mentioned in the Quran; however mention is made of them in the blessed traditions of the Prophet peace be upon him, and in the statements of his blessed companions.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A woman was punished because of a cat which she kept locked up until it died, and she entered Hell because of it. She did not feed it or give it water to drink when she kept it locked up. Neither did she let it eat from the vermin of the earth.”
(Saheeh Muslim 2242)
Kabshah, daughter of Ka’b ibn Malik and wife of Ibn Abu Qatadah, reported: Abu Qatadah visited (me) and I poured out water for him for ablution. A cat came and drank some of it and he tilted the vessel for it until it drank some of it. Kabshah said: He saw me looking at him; he asked me: Are you surprised my niece? I said: Yes. He then reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: It is not unclean; it is one of those (male and female cats) who go round among you.
(Sunan Abi Dawood 75)
Dawud ibn Salih ibn Dinar at-Tammar quoted his mother as saying that her mistress sent her with some porridge (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 (ﷺ) said: It is not unclean: it is one of those who go round among you. She added: I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performing ablution from the water left over by the cat.
(Sunan Abi Dawood 76)
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin Rafi’ who said: “I said to Abu Hurairah: ‘Why were you given the Kunyah Abu Hurairah?’ He said: ‘Do you not fear me?'” He said: “Indeed, I am in awe of you.’ He said: ‘I used to tend the sheep of my people, and I had a small kitten; so I used to place it in a tree at night, and during the day I would take it with me and play with it. So they named me Abu Hurairah.'”(which literally means father of a small kitten).
(Tirmizi 3840)
From these traditions, we learn that cats were in considerable numbers during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him). As such, the companions interacted with cats regularly, and treated them with kindness and affection. They also allowed them to enter into their homes.
Here are some Islamic rulings regarding cats:
- Cat hair is considered to be clean and pure.
- Cat saliva is also considered to be clean.
- Cat feces and urine are impure (najis), and they are considered major filth.
- It is permissible to buy and sell cats.
- It is permissible to keep cats as pets provided that they are looked after properly.
- If a cat licks one’s hand, it is slightly disliked (makruh tanzihi) to pray without washing one’s hand first.
- If cat saliva gets on one’s garment, it is slightly disliked (makruh tanzihi) to pray with it.
- If a cat eats solid food, it is slightly disliked to eat from the same place it put its mouth, if one is capable of eating something else. If one is not financially able, then it is not disliked out of necessity.
(Tahtawi pg 31), (Al Mawsooah 42/264-266)
If someone has a cat that is becoming a nuisance to them or they do not feel that they would be able to look after it properly, then they may sell it or give it away to someone who would be better able to look after it.
If you require any further information feel free to contact us at the Darul Uloom.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waheeb Saiyed
14/01/2022