سنن ابي داود
Abu Dawud
كتاب الطهارةPurification (Kitab Al-Taharah)
باب سُؤْرِ الْهِرَّةِChapter: The Water Left By A Cat.
Hadith 76
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ ، عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ صَالِحِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ التَّمَّارِ ، عَنْ أُمِّهِ ، أَنَّ مَوْلَاتَهَا أَرْسَلَتْهَا بِهَرِيسَةٍ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا فَوَجَدَتْهَا تُصَلِّي ، فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيَّ أَنْ ضَعِيهَا ، فَجَاءَتْ هِرَّةٌ فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْهَا ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَتْ أَكَلَتْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَكَلَتِ الْهِرَّةُ ، فَقَالَتْ : إِنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : " إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِنَجَسٍ ، إِنَّمَا هِيَ مِنَ الطَّوَّافِينَ عَلَيْكُمْ " ، وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَتَوَضَّأُ بِفَضْلِهَا .
Narrated Aishah, Ummul Muminin: Dawud ibn Salih ibn Dinar at-Tammar quoted his mother as saying that her mistress sent her with some pudding (harisah) to Aishah who was offering prayer. She made a sign to me to place it down. A cat came and ate some of it, but when Aishah finished her prayer, she ate from the place where the cat had eaten. She stated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: It is not unclean: it is one of those who go round among you. She added: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performing ablution from the water left over by the cat.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ This narration is authentic according to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah.
➋ From the wording of «طوافين» and «طوافات», it is understood that protection from animals such as flies, mosquitoes, wasps, crows, and chickens, etc., is not possible, and what they leave behind (their leftover) is also pure. Consuming it and performing ablution (wudu) with it are both permissible.
➌ The father-in-law (khusur) is among the unmarriageable kin (mahram); there is no veil (hijab) from him, and serving him is his right.
➍ Good treatment of animals is part of good character and is a means of reward.
➎ Giving gifts or presents to neighbors and friends, and sending food to them, is an Islamic custom.
➏ If there is a necessity in prayer, making an appropriate gesture is permissible.
➊ This narration is authentic according to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah.
➋ From the wording of «طوافين» and «طوافات», it is understood that protection from animals such as flies, mosquitoes, wasps, crows, and chickens, etc., is not possible, and what they leave behind (their leftover) is also pure. Consuming it and performing ablution (wudu) with it are both permissible.
➌ The father-in-law (khusur) is among the unmarriageable kin (mahram); there is no veil (hijab) from him, and serving him is his right.
➍ Good treatment of animals is part of good character and is a means of reward.
➎ Giving gifts or presents to neighbors and friends, and sending food to them, is an Islamic custom.
➏ If there is a necessity in prayer, making an appropriate gesture is permissible.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 76
Al-Sheikh Ishaq Salafi
Fiqh al-Hadith:
◈ The fatwa of Imam Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah is found in his two books.
① [الفتاوى الكبرى لابن تيمية جلد 5،ص314]
② [اختيارات فقهيه]
«وإذا أكلت الهرة فأرة ونحوها فإذا طال الفصل طهر فمها بريقها لأجل الحاجة وهذا أقوى الأقوال واختاره طائفة من أصحاب أحمد وأبي حنيفة .والله أعلم» [الاختيارات الفقهية ص399]
"Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah states that if a cat eats a mouse or something similar, and a long time passes, then its mouth becomes pure through its saliva due to necessity. This is the strongest opinion, which has been adopted by some of the companions of Imam Ahmad rahimahullah and a group from the companions of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah." [كتاب الاختيارات العلمية]
◈ The fatwa of Imam Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah is found in his two books.
① [الفتاوى الكبرى لابن تيمية جلد 5،ص314]
② [اختيارات فقهيه]
«وإذا أكلت الهرة فأرة ونحوها فإذا طال الفصل طهر فمها بريقها لأجل الحاجة وهذا أقوى الأقوال واختاره طائفة من أصحاب أحمد وأبي حنيفة .والله أعلم» [الاختيارات الفقهية ص399]
"Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah states that if a cat eats a mouse or something similar, and a long time passes, then its mouth becomes pure through its saliva due to necessity. This is the strongest opinion, which has been adopted by some of the companions of Imam Ahmad rahimahullah and a group from the companions of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah." [كتاب الاختيارات العلمية]
Source: Muhaddith Forum, Page: 37201
Hafiz Imran Ayyub Lahori
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]
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]
Source: Fiqh al-Hadith, Volume One, Page: 141
