QUESTION:

Is it permissible to purchase a kitten or a cat? I wish to buy one. Also, is it permissible to sell them?

ANSWER:

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب

To buy or sell a cat is permissible [jā’iz]. In any case, there is a prevalence of mice and rats in England, therefore you can purchase a cat, just as it is mentioned in al-Durr al-Mukhtār,

“وَصَحَّ بَيْعُ الْكَلْبِ وَالْفَهْدُ وَالْفِيلُ وَالْقِرْدُ وَالسِّبَاعُ بِسَائِرِ أَنْوَاعِهَا حَتَّى الْهِرَّةُ لِأَنَّهَا تَصْطَادُ الْفَأْرَ وَالْهَوَامَّ الْمُؤْذِيَةَ فَهِيَ مُنْتَفَعٌ بِهَا“

“The [buying] and selling of dogs, cheetahs, elephants, monkeys and all types of carnivorous animals is lawful, even the buying and selling of a cat, as it hunts rats and other harmful vermin (pests), hence one benefits by it.”

[al-Durr al-Mukhtār & Radd al-Muhtār, vol 7, pg 505]

Also, it is stated in Bahār-e-Sharī’at that the buying and selling of dogs, cats, elephants, cheetahs, falcons, kestrels and hawks is permissible

[Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol 2, part 11, pg 809]

واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری

Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri

Translated by Zameer Ahmed

Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0241] Is it permissible to buysell animals such as cats or dogs