4 Hadiths Why Buying a Cat is Not Haram in Islam
C.J Ahmed-20.05.2023
Cats are cute animals just like dogs but the main difference from dogs is that they are very independent animals. There is no proof in Islam stating that buying cats are haram. Islam is silent on this issue and according to on authentic hadith, silence is from the mercy of Allah (awt).
1. The prophet (sal) said:
"The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Hasan sahih-Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122 a nd also graded Sahih by Sheikh Albani)
Selling cats comes as the same ruling s selling animals and selling animals is not haram in Islam.
2. The prophet (sal) said,
“Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale, and whoever buys such an animal has the option of returning it, after milking it, along with a Sa of dates or keeping it. it has been kept unmilked for a long period by the seller” (Bukhari)
In this hadith, it is clear that the shaba sold animals and the prophet (sal) did not forbid it.
3. Habal-al Habalah
Habal al Habala has nothing to do with buying or sellig cats and Ibn Umar said,
that the people of pre-Islamic days used to sell the meat of the slaughtered camel up to Habal al-habala. And Habal al-habala implies that a she-camel should give birth and then the (born one should grow young) and become pregnant. Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade them that (this transaction). (Muslim)
Below are ome of the opinions of the scholars with regards to buying and selling cats,
Ibn al-Mundhir said: The scholars are unanimously agreed that keeping cats is permissible (al-Awsat (10/27)
Imam Nawawi said the following in selling cats,
“Selling pet cats is permissible, and there is no difference of opinion among us concerning that… This is the view of the majority of scholars… The concession to sell cats was given by Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Sireen, al-Hakam, Hammaad, Maalik, ath-Thawri, ash-Shaafa‘i, Ahmad, Ishaaq, Abu Haneefah and all the ashaab ar-ra’y." (Al-Majmoo‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 9/229)
4. Did The Prophet (sal) Forbid the Price of a Cat?
There is a view among some Muslims that selling cats and dogs is haram and the argument is based on the following hadiths,
Narrated Jabir:
“The Prophet (sal) forbade payment for cat”
(Abu-Dawud Graded Sahih by Albani)
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
“The Prophet (sal) forbade payment for dog and cat.” (Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
It is not clear what was meant by the price of a cat or buying a cat and eating it.
Jabir said the Prophet forbade eating cats or what is paid for them. “This might be either what was paid in kind, or what was bought with money paid for them.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 4128)
Altough Sheikh Albani graded the above hadiths authentic, some scholars said that these hadith s are weak. Abu ‘Awaanah said:
“Regarding the reports which say that the sale of cats is not permissible, there is some doubt about their soundness and they are weak." (Al-Mustakhraj 12/336)
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: Regarding anything that it is permissible to keep and benefit from, and it is useful, in principle it is permissible to buy and sell it, unless there is something (that is, a report) to disallow that, which we must accept if there is no report to the contrary regarding that issue. There is no sound report regarding the sale of cats, so the matter remains permissible." (At-Tamheed 8/403)
Even for the sake of argument we agree that it is haram to buy or sell cats or dogs, stillit is only makruh (disliked) because when we understand these hadiths, what the prophet (sal) meant was he disliked it. It is proven from the following authenic hadith,
Abu Zubair said:
“I asked Jabir about the price of a dog and a cat; he said: Allah's Messenger (sal) disapproved of that. (Sahih Muslim 1569)
Buying a cat is not haram in Islam.
Cats are cute animals just like dogs but the main difference from dogs is that they are very independent animals. There is no proof in Islam stating that buying cats are haram. Islam is silent on this issue and according to on authentic hadith, silence is from the mercy of Allah (awt).
1. The prophet (sal) said:
"The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Hasan sahih-Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122 a nd also graded Sahih by Sheikh Albani)
Selling cats comes as the same ruling s selling animals and selling animals is not haram in Islam.
2. The prophet (sal) said,
“Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale, and whoever buys such an animal has the option of returning it, after milking it, along with a Sa of dates or keeping it. it has been kept unmilked for a long period by the seller” (Bukhari)
In this hadith, it is clear that the shaba sold animals and the prophet (sal) did not forbid it.
3. Habal-al Habalah
Habal al Habala has nothing to do with buying or sellig cats and Ibn Umar said,
that the people of pre-Islamic days used to sell the meat of the slaughtered camel up to Habal al-habala. And Habal al-habala implies that a she-camel should give birth and then the (born one should grow young) and become pregnant. Allah's Messenger (sal) forbade them that (this transaction). (Muslim)
Below are ome of the opinions of the scholars with regards to buying and selling cats,
Ibn al-Mundhir said: The scholars are unanimously agreed that keeping cats is permissible (al-Awsat (10/27)
Imam Nawawi said the following in selling cats,
“Selling pet cats is permissible, and there is no difference of opinion among us concerning that… This is the view of the majority of scholars… The concession to sell cats was given by Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Sireen, al-Hakam, Hammaad, Maalik, ath-Thawri, ash-Shaafa‘i, Ahmad, Ishaaq, Abu Haneefah and all the ashaab ar-ra’y." (Al-Majmoo‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 9/229)
4. Did The Prophet (sal) Forbid the Price of a Cat?
There is a view among some Muslims that selling cats and dogs is haram and the argument is based on the following hadiths,
Narrated Jabir:
“The Prophet (sal) forbade payment for cat”
(Abu-Dawud Graded Sahih by Albani)
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
“The Prophet (sal) forbade payment for dog and cat.” (Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
It is not clear what was meant by the price of a cat or buying a cat and eating it.
Jabir said the Prophet forbade eating cats or what is paid for them. “This might be either what was paid in kind, or what was bought with money paid for them.” (Mishkat al-Masabih 4128)
Altough Sheikh Albani graded the above hadiths authentic, some scholars said that these hadith s are weak. Abu ‘Awaanah said:
“Regarding the reports which say that the sale of cats is not permissible, there is some doubt about their soundness and they are weak." (Al-Mustakhraj 12/336)
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: Regarding anything that it is permissible to keep and benefit from, and it is useful, in principle it is permissible to buy and sell it, unless there is something (that is, a report) to disallow that, which we must accept if there is no report to the contrary regarding that issue. There is no sound report regarding the sale of cats, so the matter remains permissible." (At-Tamheed 8/403)
Even for the sake of argument we agree that it is haram to buy or sell cats or dogs, stillit is only makruh (disliked) because when we understand these hadiths, what the prophet (sal) meant was he disliked it. It is proven from the following authenic hadith,
Abu Zubair said:
“I asked Jabir about the price of a dog and a cat; he said: Allah's Messenger (sal) disapproved of that. (Sahih Muslim 1569)
Buying a cat is not haram in Islam.