Why Selling Cats is Not Haram in Islam with 4 Sound Hadiths
C.J Ahmed-26.04.2023
Cats are adorable pets and it is one of the most popular pets in the world. Buying or selling cats is not haram in Islam because there is not even one evidence from the Quran or authentic hadith stating that selling cats is haram. Islam is silent on this issue and according to on authentic hadith, silence is from the mercyof Allah (awt).
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 () forbade payment for cat”
(Abu-Dawud Graded Sahih by Albani)
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
“The Prophet () 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 () disapproved of that. (Sahih Muslim 1569)
Conclusion
Buying or selling cats or dogs is not haram in Islam and the hadiths narrated of the prohibition of its price does not mention buyingor selling cats and there is a dispute of its authenticity.
Cats are adorable pets and it is one of the most popular pets in the world. Buying or selling cats is not haram in Islam because there is not even one evidence from the Quran or authentic hadith stating that selling cats is haram. Islam is silent on this issue and according to on authentic hadith, silence is from the mercyof Allah (awt).
- 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)
- The prophet (sal) said,
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 () forbade payment for cat”
(Abu-Dawud Graded Sahih by Albani)
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
“The Prophet () 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 () disapproved of that. (Sahih Muslim 1569)
Conclusion
Buying or selling cats or dogs is not haram in Islam and the hadiths narrated of the prohibition of its price does not mention buyingor selling cats and there is a dispute of its authenticity.