English
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The cat is among the predatory animals.” 1 [Narrated by al-Tahawi in “Mushkil al-Athar”]
Al-Bayhaqi narrated in “Al-Sunan al-Kubra” from Ata’ who said: “There is no harm in the price of a cat.” 2
Al-Khattabi said: Among those who permitted the sale of cats are Ibn Abbas, al-Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Sirin, al-Hakam, Hammad, Malik ibn Anas, Sufyan al-Thawri, Abu Hanifah, al-Shafi’i, and Ahmad.
Commentary and footnotes (4)
Note 1
(1) The statement: “The cat is among the predatory animals”: This means the cat is included among predators because it has fangs and fights with them, so its meat is not eaten, like that of a wolf or similar animals.
Note 2
(2) The statement: “There is no harm in the price of a cat”: This means the sale of predatory animals of all kinds, including cats, is permissible, as benefit can be derived from them in repelling household pests and from their hides. It is permissible to sell fanged predators like lions, leopards, hyenas, and wolves, and clawed birds, as they can be used lawfully, except for pigs, which are inherently impure, so neither their use nor sale is permissible. The sale of vermin of the land, like beetles, or sea vermin, like crabs, and all sea creatures except fish, is not permissible, even if not harmful. Selling animals with value, like lizards, is permissible. Selling snakes is allowed if used for medicine; otherwise, it is not. This is the summary from “Al-Kanz” and its commentaries.
Note 1
(١) قوله: السنور من السبع: يعني يدخل في السبع الهرة؛ لأن لها نابا، تقاتل بنابها، فلا يؤكل لحمها كالذئب وغيره.
Note 2
(٢) قوله: لا بأس بثمن السنور: يعني صحّ بيع السباع من البهائم بسائر أنوعها حتى الهرة، فبيع الهرة جائز؛ لأنها ينتفعبها في دفع مؤذيات البيت وبجلدها، ويجوز بيع كل ذي ناب من السباع كالأسد والفهد والضبع والذئب وذي مخلبمن الطيور لجواز الانتفاع بها شرعا إلا الخنزير؛ فإنه نجس العين، ولا يجوز الانتفاع به فكذا لا يجوز بيعه، ولا يجوز بيعهوام الأرض كالخنافس ولا هوام البحر كالسرطان وكل ما عدا السمك، وإن لم تكن مؤذية، ويجوز بيع ماله ثمنكالسَّقَنْقور، ويجوز بيع الحيات إن انتفع بها في الأدوية وإلا لا، هذا حاصل ما في (الكنز) وشروحها.