Fatwa #1704421 August 2008United States of America
I heard it is Sunnah to keep a cat
Question
over the years i often heard, that keeping a cat as a pet is sunat. is this true? my question is. .
Is keeping a cat as a pet sunat? did Prophet Mohammed *may peace be upon him* had any pets or had a cat as a pet?
Answer
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radiallahu anhu) is a famous Sahabi. His name Hurairah is derived from the Arabic word “Hirrah” which means cat. He was known as the “the kitten man,” literally “the father of a kitten” because he was fond of cats and since his childhood often had a cat to play with.
It is permissible to keep a cat as a pet, but this should not be considered a sunnat.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ebrahim Desai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa