Importance of Cats in Islam
'A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being'
Prophet Muhammad's fondness for cats is conveyed in his hadith: "Affection for cats is part of faith" (Maqasid al-Hasanah, al-Sakhawi). 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.
So, loving a cat is a sign that someone is a believer. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was tender and kind towards cats. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) appreciated cats. When Prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu alayhay wasallam) came across a black-and-white 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."
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was so attached to his cat that when he gave sermons he let Muezza rest on his lap and he also drank from water previously drunk by his cat. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also did his ablutions from the same water that was drunk by a cat. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) seemed to treat his cat in the same way as cat lovers do today but even cat lovers might think twice about drinking the same water that had been drunk by a cat for fear of transmission of disease from the cat’s saliva.
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Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was a close Companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and has narrated more hadiths, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), than any other Sahabi. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for being very sympathetic and loving towards animals so much so that although his name was `Abdur-Rahman, he was known as Abu Hurayrah, meaning “father of the kitten.” He (may Allah be pleased with her) was called so because of a small cat that he used to feed and care for and carry with him everywhere he went.
("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.)
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. I
An example as to how Muslims are punished for mistreating cats can be found in the `ahadith (oral traditions telling the story of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and which have been recorded in writing). When a woman kept a cat locked up and failed to feed the cat until the cat died, the woman was tortured and "put to hell.”
Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“A woman was tormented because of a cat which she had confined until it died and she had to get into Hell. She did not allow it either to eat or drink as it was confined, nor did she free it so that it might eat the insects of the earth”. (Sahih Muslim)
The moniker of Pir Asad, one of Rumi's caliphs, prestigious for his affection for felines, was nicknamed "Pisili Sultan" (Sultan with Kitties). At the point when his adored feline passed on, he had it covered right close to his foot. They state that while Ahmed Rufah, one of the older folks, was sitting, his feline came and nodded off on the sleeve of his robe. At the point when the ideal opportunity for Friday prayer showed up he would not like to upset the sleeping cat, so he cut his sleeve off as opposed to waking it.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)said: "Cats do not invalidate the prayer, because they are one of the things that are useful in the house." (Sunan Ibn Majah)
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 `ahadith, 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 Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhay Wasallam) said this was alright as the cat is not unclean and is "one of those who go around amongst us".
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