Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Asalamualaikum, so are we allowed to keep cats, fish and birds in the house, islamically. I thought we were not allowed to keep any pets at all.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Keeping of Pets

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Islam does not prohibit the keeping of pure animals and birds as pets, if one wishes to do so…..but Islam strictly guides that if one chooses to keep animals as pets, they should honor them and provide sufficiently for them. If one is unable to take care of their pets, then it would be best to let them free so that they may search for their own sustenance; but if perchance one were to keep pets but does not provide sufficiently for them, that indeed would be considered a sin in the Sight of the Lord.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.553 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6638A Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘A woman was thrown into Hell-Fire because of a cat whom she had tied and did not provide it with food, nor did she set it free to eat insects of the earth until it died inch by inch.’

Your Question: …..are we allowed to keep cats, fish and birds in the house,

There is absolutely no restriction if one wishes to keep lawful animals as pets in their homes like cats, fish, birds, etc……but to keep unlawful or impure animals like swine, or dogs, etc. as pets would not be permissible.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan