✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
➊ Narrated by Abu Mas‘ood (RA):
نهي رسول الله عن ثمن الكلب
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade taking payment for a dog."
[Bukhari: 2237, Muslim: 1567, Abu Dawood: 3481, Tirmidhi: 1276, Nasa’i: 7/309, Ibn Majah: 2159, Ahmad: 4/118, Darimi: 2/170, Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 4/51, Sharh al-Sunnah: 4/215]
➋ Narrated by Jabir (RA):
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن ثمن الكلب والسنور
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade taking payment for a dog and a cat."
➌ Narrated by Jabir (RA):
نهي رسول الله عن ثمن الكلب إلا كلب صيد
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade taking payment for a dog except a hunting dog."
[Sahih: Sahih Nasa’i: 4353, Sahih Ibn Majah: 2161, Sahih al-Jami‘: 6946, Nasa’i: 4668, Tirmidhi: 1281]
Preferred View: The opinion of Imam Nakh‘i رحمه الله and others is preferred because the authentic hadith in Sunan Nasa’i supports it.
The hadith narrated by Jabir (RA) explicitly mentions the prohibition of taking payment for cats.
1. Prohibition of Selling Dogs
➊ Narrated by Abu Mas‘ood (RA):
نهي رسول الله عن ثمن الكلب
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade taking payment for a dog."
[Bukhari: 2237, Muslim: 1567, Abu Dawood: 3481, Tirmidhi: 1276, Nasa’i: 7/309, Ibn Majah: 2159, Ahmad: 4/118, Darimi: 2/170, Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar: 4/51, Sharh al-Sunnah: 4/215]
➋ Narrated by Jabir (RA):
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن ثمن الكلب والسنور
"The Prophet ﷺ forbade taking payment for a dog and a cat."
➌ Narrated by Jabir (RA):
نهي رسول الله عن ثمن الكلب إلا كلب صيد
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade taking payment for a dog except a hunting dog."
[Sahih: Sahih Nasa’i: 4353, Sahih Ibn Majah: 2161, Sahih al-Jami‘: 6946, Nasa’i: 4668, Tirmidhi: 1281]
2. Scholarly Opinions on Dog Trade
- (Al-Shawkani رحمه الله): If the hadith with the exception is taken as evidence, the general prohibition should be restricted to exclude hunting dogs, making trade in other dogs haram.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 3/512] - (Amir San‘ani رحمه الله): Holds the same opinion.
[Subl al-Salam: 3/1046] - (Majority, Imam al-Shafi‘i رحمه الله, Abu Hanifah رحمه الله): Dog trade is absolutely haram.
- (Ata’ رحمه الله, Nakh‘i رحمه الله): Only hunting dog trade is permissible.
[Fath al-Bari: 5/179, Nayl al-Awtar: 3/512, al-Rawdah al-Nadiyah: 2/194]
Preferred View: The opinion of Imam Nakh‘i رحمه الله and others is preferred because the authentic hadith in Sunan Nasa’i supports it.
3. Prohibition of Selling Cats
The hadith narrated by Jabir (RA) explicitly mentions the prohibition of taking payment for cats.
