Abu Dawud

1:
This narration establishes that the leftover water (liquid) from a cat is not impure, provided that there is no impurity on its mouth. In this hadith, the cat is likened to a household servant, because, like servants, it frequently comes and goes within homes. If it were to be declared impure and unclean, it would cause great difficulty for the household members.

Commentary:
(1)
Serving elders and showing kindness and nurturing to youngsters is necessary.

(2)
One should have mercy upon speechless animals.

(3)
The leftover (licked) food of a cat is not impure.

(4)
Islam is a religion of ease and facilitation.
Since it is not possible to prevent cats from entering homes, the ruling regarding them has been made lenient.

341. Commentary: See the benefits and issues of Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith: 68.

68. Commentary: The cat is included among predatory animals, and the leftovers (liquid or food) of predatory animals are impure. However, since the cat is a domestic and tame animal, and it frequently comes and goes in homes, it cannot be prevented, and it generally puts its mouth into utensils. In view of this necessity, its leftovers have not been declared impure. Moreover, it is an animal that keeps itself clean, especially keeping its mouth clean. However, if there is visible impurity on its mouth and it puts its mouth into a utensil, then certainly that utensil will become impure. But one should not fall into unnecessary doubts and suspicions; the general rule is as has already been mentioned.

Benefit:

.... Just as slaves and maidservants, servants and maids, and small children come and go and move about in the house, so is the case with cats. Therefore, to save the Ummah from hardship, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has declared the cat to be pure, meaning it is not impure (najis). The Hanafis are unique in considering the leftover (liquid/food) from a cat as disliked (makruh).... It should be remembered that being pure or impure and being lawful (halal) or unlawful (haram) are two separate matters. The cat being pure only means that its body is not impure; it absolutely does not mean that it is also lawful (halal) to eat. Just as a believer (mumin) is also pure, but his flesh is not lawful for anyone. If a cat puts its mouth into a vessel, it may be used without any dislike, except in one case: if you see visible traces of impurity on its mouth. Thus, if it has just hunted or eaten a mouse or some other impure thing and immediately puts its mouth into some food or drink, then due to the impurity stuck to its mouth, the water will become impure. However, if the cat is given a little time, it cleans itself completely with its tongue.

Lexical Explanation:
«فِي الْهِرَّةِ» means that the ruling regarding the cat has been explained, i.e., what is its legal (shar‘i) status? Besides «هِرَّةِ», it is also called «قط» and «سنور».
«الطَّوَّافِينَ» is with a shadda (emphasis) on the letter "waw." Its singular is «طواف», and "tawwaf" refers to one who comes and goes frequently. And that is the servant of the house. The purpose of likening the cat to a servant is to indicate that the nature of the cat is like that of a domestic servant, whose frequent coming and going among the household members and provision of their needs is unavoidable due to household work. In order to remove hardship and difficulty, the cat has been declared not impure (non-najis). Its being non-najis proves that what it leaves behind (its leftover) is pure.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The background of this hadith is that Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu had placed his ablution (wudu) vessel in a certain place, when a cat came and put its mouth in the vessel and began to drink water. So Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu immediately tilted the vessel so that the cat could easily drink to its fill. Sayyida Kabshah radi Allahu anha inquired as to what this was about. Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu replied that he had heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say: "The cat is not impure (najis)." [سنن ابي داود، الطهارة، باب سؤرالهرة۔ حديث : 75]
➋ This narration proves that the leftover of a cat is not filthy, provided that there is no impurity on its mouth.

Hadith Narrator:
SR Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu: ER Abu Qatadah is his kunyah, and his real name is Harith ibn Rib‘i. He is a very famous and well-known Companion, radi Allahu anhu. He is famous by the title "The Horseman (Faris) of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." Due to his affiliation with the Ansar, he is called Ansari. He participated in the Battle of Uhud and the subsequent battles. There is a difference of opinion regarding his place of death: some have said it was in Madinah, and others have said: in Kufa, where he passed away in 54 AH.

The Ruling on Water in Which a Cat Has Drunk
It is permissible and valid to perform ablution (wudu) with such water, as the following evidences testify:
➊ It is narrated from Kabshah radi Allahu anha that Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu came to her, so she poured water for him to perform ablution. (Suddenly) a cat came and began to drink from that vessel. Upon this, Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu tilted the vessel further for the cat until it had drunk from it. Kabshah radi Allahu anha says that Abu Qatadah radi Allahu anhu noticed me watching him, so he said: “O niece! Are you surprised?” I said, “Yes.” Then he said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِنَجَسٍ إِنَّمَا هِيَ مِنَ الطَّوَّافِينَ عَلَيْكُمْ»
“It is not impure or filthy; it is one of those (animals) that move about among you.” [أبو داود 75] 1
➋ It is narrated from Aisha radi Allahu anha that
«وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَتَوَضَّأُ بِفَضْلِهَا»
“Indeed, I saw the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performing ablution with the leftover water of a cat.” [أبو داود 76] 2
(Imam Shafi’i, Imam Ahmad, Imam Malik) The leftover water of a cat is pure. This is also the position of Imam Layth, Imam Thawri, Imam Awza’i, Imam Ishaq, Imam Abu Thawr, Imam Abu Ubayd, Imam Alqamah, Imam Ibrahim, Imam Ata, Imam Hasan, Imam Ibn Abd al-Barr, and Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah ajma’in.
(Imam Abu Hanifah) The leftover water of a cat is impure like the leftover water of a predatory animal, but there is some leniency in this, and that is: the leftover water of a cat is pure, but with dislike (karahah). [المجموع 224/1، المبسوط 38/1]
◈ Their evidence is the hadith: “The cat is a predatory animal.” [أحمد 327/2] 3
↰ The response to this is as follows:
➊ The previous authentic hadith specifies (limits) this.
➋ Predatory nature does not necessitate impurity; that is, it is not necessary that every predatory animal is impure. [نيل الأوطار 79/1]
(Preferred Opinion) The position of the three Imams is correct. [تحفة الأحوذي 326/1]

6- A Fabricated Narration
The narration in which it is mentioned:
«حب الهرة من الإيمانه»
“Loving the cat is from faith.”
It is fabricated and invented. [تحفة الأحوذي 327/1] 4
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1 [حسن : صحيح أبى داود 68، كتاب الطهارة : باب سؤر الهرة، أبو داود 75، ترمذي 92، ابن ماجة 367، نسائي 55/1، مؤطا 23/1، مسند شافعي 39، أحمد 303/5، ابن خزيمة 104، دارقطني 70/1، حاكم160/1، بيهقي 240/1، عبدالرزاق 353، ابن أبى شيبة 31/1، شرح السنة 376/1، شرح معاني الآثار 18/1، مشكل الآثار 270/3]
2 [صحيح : صحيح أبو داود 69، كتاب الطهارة : باب سؤر الهرة، أبو داود 76، طبراني اوسط 36/1، دارقطني 70/1، مشكل الآثار 270/3، بيهقي 246/1]
3 [أحمد 327/2، دارقطني 63/1، حاكم 183/1]
4 [تحفة الأحوذي 327/1، مرقاة المفاتيح 188/2، كشف الخفاء 415/1]