Muslim

Hadith Commentary:

In some Deobandi translations, the phrase here has been rendered as "grass and straw," which is likely a translation of the word "hashash" with the letter ḥā’ ḥalī. However, observation shows that a cat does not eat grass. Therefore, the word "hashash" is also not correct here, nor is this translation. And Allah knows best what is correct.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
It is understood from this hadith that there will be reckoning regarding animals.
If that woman was a believer, then after bearing the punishment for her crime, she will come out of Hell; and if she was a disbeliever, she will endure the punishment forever.
2.
Some translators have rendered the meaning of "khushash" as grass or straw, which is not correct, because a cat does not eat grass or straw; rather, its meaning is the insects and vermin of the earth.
And Allah knows best.

Chapter of Sahih Bukhari Hadith Number: 2365: «بَابُ فَضْلِ سَقْيِ الْمَاءِ:» — Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, through the chapter heading (tarjamat al-bab), is establishing that showing kindness (ihsan) to every living being is obligatory, whether among animals those that are lawful (halal) or those that are unlawful (haram). In short, kindness should be shown to each and every one. In the chapter heading, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has alluded to the virtue of giving water to drink, whereas in the hadith itself there is no mention of the virtue of giving water; rather, on the contrary, punishment is mentioned. Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, while explaining the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith, states:
«و مناسبت حديث الهرة للترجمة من جهة أن المرأة عوقبت على كونها لم تسقها، فمقتضاه أنها لو سقتها لم تعذب» [فتح الباري، ج 5، ص: 37]
“The relevance of the hadith about the cat to the chapter heading is as follows: the woman was punished because she kept the cat thirsty. Thus, the implication of this hadith is that if she had not kept it thirsty, she would not have been punished. Therefore, from here, the connection between the chapter heading and the hadith is established.”

Benefit:
Was the woman who kept the cat tied up a Muslim or a disbeliever?
There is no explicit clarification in the chapter heading as to whether the woman was a Muslim or a disbeliever, or whether she was being punished due to her disbelief or because of imprisoning the cat...

Qadi Iyad rahimahullah states:
“This woman was a disbeliever, and she was being punished due to her disbelief, and the increase in her punishment was because she starved the cat to death. And because she was not a believer, she was also deserving of this increased punishment. If she had been a believer, her minor sins would have been forgiven due to her avoidance of major sins.” [المنهاج شرح صحيح مسلم، ج 14ص: 460]

Abu ‘Isa Zakariya al-Ansari said:
“Besides imprisoning the cat, there was another reason for her punishment: that the woman was a disbeliever.” [منحة الباري، ج 5، ص: 136]

Therefore, Imam Bazzar rahimahullah in Musnad Bazzar and Imam Bayhaqi rahimahullah in his book ‘al-Ba‘th wa’l-Nushur, p. 53’ have mentioned:
«أن المرأة كانت كافرة فاستحقت العذاب بكفرها و ظلمها»
“That is, the woman was a disbeliever, so she became deserving of punishment due to her disbelief and her oppression of the cat.”

In Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, ‘Allamah Haythami rahimahullah has narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin ‘A’ishah radi Allahu anha that the woman was a disbeliever. [مجمع الزوائد، ج 1، ص: 191]

Note: The author of Tafhim al-Bukhari translated «خشاش الأرض» as “grass and straw.” According to the linguists, its meaning is not known as “grass and straw,” but rather its translation as “earthly insects and vermin” is well known.

‘Allamah Qastallani rahimahullah states:
“Khashash means insects, creatures of the earth; its singular is khashash.” [إرشاد الساري، ج 5، ص: 357]

It is written in Majma‘ al-Bihar:
«خشاش بفتح الخاء الشهر الثلاثة وهى هدام و قيل ضعاف الطير» [مجمع البحار، لغات الحديث، لفظ خ، ص: 48]

It is written in Maqayis al-Lughah:
«وخشاش الأرض بتثليث الخاء : الدّواب» [مقاييس اللغة، ج 1، ص: 303، مادة خشش - الصحاح 1004/3، مادة خشش]

Hadith Commentary:
The relevance of this hadith to the chapter translation is as follows: since the woman was punished for not giving water to the cat, it is understood that giving water is a meritorious act.

Ibn Munir said that it is also derived from this hadith that killing a cat is not permissible.

Anecdote:
In "Tafheem al-Bukhari," while translating "khashash al-ard," the translator rendered it as "grass and herbage" in the context of the cat, stating that she did not leave it so that it could at least eat grass and herbage from the earth.

Generally, a cat is a carnivorous animal, not a herbivore that eats grass and herbage.

Perhaps, in the esteemed translator's view, there exist cats that eat grass and herbage; otherwise, cats are usually carnivorous.

That is why other translators of Bukhari translate "khashash al-ard" as "insects and vermin of the earth."

"Khashash" with the opening of the letter kha is the most well-known of the three pronunciations, and it refers to vermin, and it is also said to mean weak birds (Majma‘ al-Bihar, Lughat al-Hadith, under the word (خ), p. 48).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was shown several such occurrences in this world of color and fragrance which are to take place in the future; one of these has been mentioned in the present hadith.
According to these ahadith, a woman was punished because she kept a cat hungry and thirsty.
If she had fed and given it water, she would not have been punished.
From this, the virtue of giving water is established.
(2)
In the last hadith, the nature of the woman's crime has been described: the temperament of this woman was itself inclined towards causing harm, because no person does such a thing accidentally as this woman did with the cat.
This incident reveals the disposition of this woman.

Hadith Commentary:
It is understood from this that deliberately causing any harm to the creation is severely reprehensible and a grave sin in the sight of Allah.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In a narration from Asma bint Abi Bakr radi Allahu anha, it is mentioned that when the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed the prayer during a solar eclipse, the Hellfire was shown to him during it.
In it, he saw a woman whom a cat was scratching.
Upon his inquiry, the angels informed him that she had imprisoned a cat without any reason until it died of hunger.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Musāqāh, Hadith: 2364)
➋
From this hadith, it is understood that causing harm to a cat is a major sin.
➌
Imam al-Bukhari rahimahullah has narrated this hadith in the context of animals because it mentions a cat.
And Allah knows best.
The narration of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu has been transmitted by Imam Muslim rahimahullah with a connected chain.
(Sahih Muslim, al-Birr wa al-Silah wa al-Adab, Hadith: 6678(2242))

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، المساقاة، باب فضل سقي الماء، حديث:2365، ومسلم، السلام، باب تحريم قتل الهرة، حديث:2242.»©Explanation:
➊ The context indicates that this woman was punished because she prevented the cat from eating and drinking, and caused it to die of hunger and thirst.
➋ There is no evidence in this hadith that killing a cat is forbidden, nor is there any evidence for its permissibility; rather, the issue is left unaddressed. The best opinion is that when a cat becomes aggressive, it is permissible to kill it.
➌ The author rahimahullah has brought this hadith and the previous hadith in this chapter in order to alert those who are responsible and caretakers to the greatness and gravity of their responsibility, and to warn them that caring for the needs of those under their guardianship, showing kindness and good treatment to them, is among their obligations and etiquettes. To neglect this, to consider it insignificant, and to waste it is a major sin in the sight of Allah, for which there will be accountability and punishment from Him.