Islam and cats
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The cat is considered "the quintessential pet" by many
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
, and is admired for its cleanliness. Unlike many other animals, such as dogs,
Islamic Law Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, intan ...
considers cats ritually pure and that cats possess barakah (blessings), and allows cats to freely enter homes and even
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s. Cats are believed to be the most common pet in Muslim countries.


History

The American poet and travel author Bayard Taylor (1825–1878) was astonished when he discovered a
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
n 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 Cat food is food specifically formulated and designed for consumption by cats. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, cats in London were often fed horse meat sold by traders known as Cats’ Meat Men or Women, who traveled designated routes ...
. Edward William Lane (1801–1876), a British Orientalist who resided in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, described a cat garden originally endowed by the 13th-century Egyptian sultan Baibars. 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 were even fed. 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.


Hygiene and neutering

In Islamic tradition, cats are admired for their cleanliness. They are considered to be ritually clean, and are thus allowed to enter homes and even mosques, including
Masjid al-Haram Masjid al-Haram (), also known as the Sacred Mosque or the Great Mosque of Mecca, is considered to be the most significant mosque in Islam. It encloses the vicinity of the Kaaba in Mecca, in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia. It is among the ...
. Food sampled by cats is considered
halal ''Halal'' (; ) is an Arabic word that translates to in English. Although the term ''halal'' is often associated with Islamic dietary laws, particularly meat that is slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines, it also governs ethical practices ...
, 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 (the ablution that is done by Muslims). Muslim scholars are divided on the issue of
neutering Neutering, from the Latin ('of neither sex'), is the removal of a non-human animal's sex organ, reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female ...
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". Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen, a 20th-century Saudi Arabian Wahhabi
imam Imam (; , '; : , ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, ...
, preached:


Muezza

According to one story, Muhammad had a cat named Muezza (or ; ). While preparing for prayer, Muhammad discovered Muezza on his prayer robe, so he cut the sleeve off as to not disturb the cat. However, there is no mention of any such cat or story in any
hadith Hadith is the Arabic word for a 'report' or an 'account f an event and refers to the Islamic oral tradition of anecdotes containing the purported words, actions, and the silent approvals of the Islamic prophet Muhammad or his immediate circle ...
, which has led many Muslims to consider this story untrue. Assim Al-Hakeem, a Sunni cleric, comments on a question made about Muezza: Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, a Shia cleric, also comments on a question about Muezza, in which he says: Whether the story of Muezza is true or fabricated, Muhammad is known to have criticized abusers of cats.


See also

* Cultural depictions of cats * Feral cats in Istanbul * Human interaction with cats * Moral status of animals in the ancient world


References


External links


History of the Cat in Islam
{{Cat nav Cats as pets Animals in Islam Cat folklore Felines in religion