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:

ASLAMOALIKUM

DEAR SIR,

WE HAVE A CAT AT OUR HOME AND SOMEBODY TOLD TO MY FATHER THAT YOU CAN NOT PERFORM THE PYAR AND YOUR WIDHO BREAKS AND YOUR CLOTHS BECOME DIRTY IF A CAT TOUHES HIS BODY WITH YOUR CLOTH. AND THAT MAN ALSO SAID TO MY FATHER IF CAT SLEEPS ON YOUR BED THE BED BECOME DIRTY.

WHAT ISLAM SAYS ON THIS MATTER AND WHAT OUR HOLY PROPHET(SAW) SAID.

WAITING FOR YOUR QUICK REPLY.

(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:

Cats as 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.

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.6

Water left in a pot after a cat has drunk from it

Such water is also considered pure. This is proven by the hadith of Kabshah bint Ka'b who, when she was under the care of Abu Qatadah, entered the room to pour some water for him. A cat came, drank some of the water, and Abu Qatadah proceeded to tilt the container so the cat could drink more. Kabshah said, "He noticed that I was watching him." He asked, "Are you surprised, O niece?" I answered, "Yes." He said, "The Messenger of Allah (saws) peace, said, 'It (the cat) is not impure. They intermingle with you."'

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 76 Narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin

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

The cat is not considered an impure or unclean animal in Islam, and it is absolutely permissible for a believer to keep cats as pets in their homes, if they wish to do so. The touching of a cat does not render one’s body or clothes impure in the least, nor is one’s wudu or prayer invalidated because of the touching of a cat, nor does one’s bed become impure or unclean by the presence of a cat.

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