['Aalim Network QR] Cats as Pets

[Mustafa Rawji <mrawji@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>]

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|       In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the All-Merciful       |\
|  Greeting of Allah be upon Muhammad and the pure members of his House |\
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Salaamun alaykum,

	The reply to the following question was kindly provided by 
Moulana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi.

Wasalaam,

Mustafa Rawji
Moderator, 'Aalim Network

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QUESTION:

	"According to sharia are we allowed to keep cats as pets?"

	Believed Answer:  "Yes we are allowed to keep them as pets, but we
have to be carefull that we do not pray with the cat hairs on our body or
cloths of prayer". 

	I believe that this is the answer but need clarification.  If
someone knows the correct answer and the reference, could they please
forward me the answer and the reference, as it is very important). 


ANSWER:

	The answer written above is correct.

	As for the reference, there is no evidence in the Shari'ah which 
prohibits having cats as pets.

	With regards to the cat's hair, see the mas'ala on "dress for
prayer" in the risalahs of the maraji`. Ayatullah Khu`i, for example,
says: The dress for prayer should "not be from the parts of the animal
whose meat is not halal...this would also apply to the hair found on the
cloths, etc." (Minhaju 's-Salihiyn, vol. 1, p. 138) Cat is surely an
animal whose meat is not halal, and, therefore, its hair should not be on
the dress of one who wants to do salat. 

 Sayyid M. Rizvi


NOTE:  For the benefit of new members, a previous reply on Animal Hair 
(including dog's) and Salaat is reposted here.  The reply was kindly 
provided by Shaykh Mustafa Jaffer:

-----------Forwarded Message --------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 1995 17:08:19 -0500 (EST)
From: "Akil M. Karim" <amk@io.org>
To: ABDG-A <abdg-a@lists.Stanford.EDU>
Subject: Re: ['Aalim Network QR] Animal Hair & Salaat (fwd)


Salamun 'Alaykum

The following question was kindly answered by Br. Mustafa Jaffer.

Khuda Hafiz,

Akil Karim
Acting Moderator for ABDG-A

---------- Forwarded message ----------

QUESTION:

Asalaam Alaaykum.

I have a question about animal hair invalidating prayer, specifically dog
and cat hair.  Do these animals' hair invalidate prayer?  I have heard many
different things ranging from only dog hair and only if it is wet to all
animal hair except wool even if it is dry. 

Thank you for any help you can give, inshallah.

ANSWER:

In The name of the Almighty,

All scholars are unanimous in this issue and the fatwa is that any part
(skin, leather, hide, hair, wool, etc..) of animals that are haram to eat
can not be on our dresses during prayers. If these parts are from animals
that we are allowed to eat and the same animals have been slaughtered
according to sharia, then and only then would the prayers be acceptable.
Otherwise, in all conditions, the prayers are not valid.

Wallahu A'alam,

Fi Amanillah,

Mustafa