صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب البر والصلة والآدابThe Book of Virtue, Enjoining Good Manners, and Joining of the Ties of Kinship
باب تَحْرِيمِ تَعْذِيبِ الْهِرَّةِ وَنَحْوِهَا مِنَ الْحَيَوَانِ الَّذِي لاَ يُؤْذِي:Chapter: The Prohibition Of Tormenting Cats And Other Animals That Are Not Harmful
Hadith 2619
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ ، حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ ، عَنْ هَمَّامِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ ، قَالَ : هَذَا مَا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ، عَنِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَذَكَرَ أَحَادِيثَ مِنْهَا ، وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " دَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ النَّارَ مِنْ جَرَّاءِ هِرَّةٍ لَهَا ، أَوْ هِرٍّ رَبَطَتْهَا ، فَلَا هِيَ أَطْعَمَتْهَا وَلَا هِيَ أَرْسَلَتْهَا تُرَمْرِمُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الْأَرْضِ ، حَتَّى مَاتَتْ هَزْلًا " .
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) A hadith out of which one was this that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: A woman got into Hell-Fire because of a cat whom she had tied, and thus it could not eat, and she did not let it free so that it could devour the insects of the earth, until it died.
• • •
قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ ، وَحَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدٌ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : " دَخَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ النَّارَ فِي هِرَّةٍ رَبَطَتْهَا ، فَلَا هِيَ أَطْعَمَتْهَا وَلَا هِيَ أَرْسَلَتْهَا تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى مَاتَتْ هَزْلًا " ، قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ : ذَلِكَ لِئَلَّا يَتَّكِلَ رَجُلٌ وَلَا يَيْأَسَ رَجُلٌ ،
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that a woman was thrown into Hell-Fire because of a cat whom she had tied and did not provide it with food, nor did she set it free to eat insects of the earth until it died inch by inch. Zuhri said: (These two ahadith) show that a person should neither feel confident (of getting into Paradise) because of his deeds, nor should he lose (all hopes) of getting into Paradise.
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Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: From this hadith, it is understood that it is not permissible to cause pain or harm to animals or living beings without reason or necessity, and at times this can lead to extremely serious consequences, because such harm can become the cause of a living being’s death, due to which a person may be subjected to punishment.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 6679
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊
A person should maintain both hope in Allah’s mercy and fear of Allah’s punishment.
➋
The juristic insight (fiqh) of the hadith scholars (muhaddithin) was not limited only to disputed subsidiary issues, but they also had deep understanding of various aspects of faith (iman), character (akhlaq), and practical life.
➌
The reason for making a will to have his corpse burned and his ashes scattered was the overwhelming state of fear (khawf) at the time of death.
Therefore, even this mistake of his was forgiven, that he made an inappropriate will.
➍
Allah, exalted is He, could have questioned him through his soul (ruh) without resurrecting him, but Allah made him witness His power and might.
➎
The punishment and blessings of the grave refer to all those conditions that occur from death until the Day of Resurrection.
These conditions befall every person, whether he is buried, or eaten by wild animals or fish, or his body is reduced to dust and its particles scattered, or his ashes are preserved in a vessel, or his corpse is preserved and people are observing it.
➏
The punishment of the grave pertains to the unseen realm (‘alam al-ghayb).
Therefore, living humans do not have the capacity to perceive it.
➐
Committing injustice against any living creature is a grave sin.
Especially such injustice by which the living being dies not at once, but writhes and suffers in agony.
➑
It is obligatory to take care of the needs of domesticated animals.
In fact, even showing mercy to animals that are not domesticated by anyone brings Allah’s mercy.
For example, due to giving water to a dog, a sinful person was forgiven.
➊
A person should maintain both hope in Allah’s mercy and fear of Allah’s punishment.
➋
The juristic insight (fiqh) of the hadith scholars (muhaddithin) was not limited only to disputed subsidiary issues, but they also had deep understanding of various aspects of faith (iman), character (akhlaq), and practical life.
➌
The reason for making a will to have his corpse burned and his ashes scattered was the overwhelming state of fear (khawf) at the time of death.
Therefore, even this mistake of his was forgiven, that he made an inappropriate will.
➍
Allah, exalted is He, could have questioned him through his soul (ruh) without resurrecting him, but Allah made him witness His power and might.
➎
The punishment and blessings of the grave refer to all those conditions that occur from death until the Day of Resurrection.
These conditions befall every person, whether he is buried, or eaten by wild animals or fish, or his body is reduced to dust and its particles scattered, or his ashes are preserved in a vessel, or his corpse is preserved and people are observing it.
➏
The punishment of the grave pertains to the unseen realm (‘alam al-ghayb).
Therefore, living humans do not have the capacity to perceive it.
➐
Committing injustice against any living creature is a grave sin.
Especially such injustice by which the living being dies not at once, but writhes and suffers in agony.
➑
It is obligatory to take care of the needs of domesticated animals.
In fact, even showing mercy to animals that are not domesticated by anyone brings Allah’s mercy.
For example, due to giving water to a dog, a sinful person was forgiven.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 4256
