In different religions and states, the attitude towards cats was not the same. For example, among the Scandinavian Protestants they are considered a symbol of treason and debauchery. Well, in some religions, on the contrary, they are worshiped and worshiped. What place belongs to a cat in Islam? Let's try to figure this out in this article.
Venerating cats
First of all, it is worth noting the fact that cats in Islam have always been revered and appreciated. This is due to the fact that the Prophet Muhammad himself adored them. There are many legends in the history of this religion about how cats saved people. In general terms, one can say that a cat is actually an animal that possesses certain magical powers. It is no secret that they cleanse a person’s home from negative energy. Most religions treat cats very respectfully. For example, in Christian communities there was a legend that the little fluffy white cat came to warm little Jesus.
Prophet Muhammad
Perhaps one of the most important figures in Islam was the last of the prophets - the Messenger of Allah Mohammed. He had a white beautiful cat with multi-colored eyes. Her name was Muizza. He really loved her and appreciated her. Prophet Muhammad never bothered a beloved animal. If Muizza was sleeping on the clothes he was going to wear, he would choose something else for himself. There is a legend that once, when the prophet needed to go to the morning prayer, he found that she was sleeping on the sleeve of his robe. He could not put on anything else that day. For this reason, he carefully cut the sleeve so as not to disturb the beloved cat. So, he came to prayer in a dressing gown without a sleeve.
There was another case when the Prophet Muhammad had to cut off part of his clothes. One day during a conversation with his students in the garden, he saw a small furry creature stomping and purring at the edge of his robe. When the prophet finished his speech, the cat was sleeping peacefully there. In order not to wake the sweet creature, he cut off the edge of his robe.
The salvation of the prophet Muhammad
A positive attitude towards cats in Islam was also formed due to the fact that one of the feline representatives saved the Messenger of Allah from the bite of a snake. One morning, when he began to dress, he saw that his favorite, Muizza, was growling and would not let him go to his clothes. When a snake crawled out of the sleeve of the dressing gown, the cat caught it and killed it. After this, the prophet Muhammad began to love Muizza even more. There is also evidence that the water that the cat drank, he used for washing after prayer. So, we can conclude that Muslims consider furry creatures to be pure animals.
They say that cats fall only on 4 legs for a reason. The Prophet Muhammad constantly stroked furry animals and thus blessed them.
Kittens father
Lived in Medina and another man who loved cats very much. His name was Abdurrahman ibn Sahr al-Davsi al-Yamani. But Muhammad gave him the nickname Abu Huraira, which means father of kittens. He really really loved the little pussies. Next to him there were always several kittens, which he often stroked and fed with various delicacies. He was very kind to them and taught this to others. Some argue that Abu Huraira always wore one of the kittens in his sleeve.
Sharia and cats
Of course, Muslims honor their practical religious precepts and strictly follow them. The Koran has laws regarding many animals, including cats. It says if a person tamed a small fluffy creature, he is responsible for it. For cruelty to cats in Islam, every Muslim will be sent to hell. There is even a story about one woman who kept a cat locked up without food, and Allah punished her for this. So, if a Muslim takes a cat to his house, he must take care of him, otherwise he will answer to the highest court. In addition, there is even a theory that on Judgment Day, the animal will appear next to the person, and they will be tried together.
Safie sultan
Another great Muslim figure who loved cats is the concubine of the Ottoman Sultan Murad III Safie Sultan. In the series "Empire Kösem", which many probably watched, she constantly holds in her hands her snow-white beauty of the Turkish breed Elizabeth. According to the plot of the film, Queen Elizabeth Tudor gave her a cat. The series shows a very respectful attitude towards the animal. She is literally all worn on her hands, she has beautiful embroidered pillows and a very expensive jewelry on her neck. Of course, in the series the events are a little distorted. In fact, Safie-Sultan found a kitty in the garden, warmed her and sheltered. But overall, a positive attitude towards cats in Islam is indeed shown correctly. The engravings by Jean-Baptiste, in which all members of the ruling dynasty are depicted with these animals in their hands, also testify to this. These are cats of Istanbul and Ankara breeds.
Signs and superstitions
The cat in Islam is a sacred animal, which means that many different signs are associated with it. In general, they are all positive in nature, as the furry creature is revered and appreciated. In addition, many of the superstitions completely coincide with signs in Orthodoxy.
So, for example, it is believed that not a person chooses a cat, but just the opposite. If an animal comes into the house, there are certain reasons for this. And in no case can you drive the cat out and close the doors in front of him. This can bring a lot of misfortune to the family.
If a kitten has strayed to a single woman, it means that soon she will meet her love and her life will improve. Cats like talismans protect their owners and help them in everything. It is said that sometimes an animal can take on the blow that was intended for its owner. Then the cat will begin to get very sick or may even die.
In general, the cat in the house in Islam is a symbol of prosperity and happiness. If she runs away arbitrarily, then your home has too bad energy.
In any case, in Islam, all signs and superstitions are based on only one simple rule: "Everything happens according to the will of Allah." If a cat comes to the house, it means that he wants her to live there. And one should not resist it.
Islam says not so much about cats. For example, some enlightened Muslims claim that cats see genies (spirits in Arabic mythology). They can just look at them or growl. Cats can also heal. They always come to a sore spot and lie down there. Thus, they take away the whole ailment on themselves.
On August 8, World Cat Day is celebrated. The initiator of this holiday is the International Fund for the Protection of Animals. They urge not to offend furry friends, but rather love them. In addition, this holiday encourages everyone to take care of street pets.
Here is another fairly important rule. The cat in Islam is a sacred animal and cannot be castrated. This is considered cruelty to a furry friend. And according to Sharia, a Muslim will be accountable to Allah for such an act.
Kitten color
It is believed that the color of the pet is also of great importance. In Muslim countries, cats of different breeds are found, but it is whites that deserve the most respect. So, the Prophet Muhammad had a kitten of exactly this color. A black cat in Islam is not considered a bad sign. She also deserves a good attitude and is not a harbinger of misfortune. Cats with multi-colored eyes are also very popular. It is believed that they are closest to Allah and have some magic skills. In Christianity, special attention is paid to tricolor cats. It is believed that they bring luck and luck to the house.
Sufi stories
Another confirmation that cats have a special place in Islam is the many Sufi parables about these pets. In these stories, furry animals act as assistants. They sacrifice themselves for the sake of dervishes and sheikhs, solve many issues, support the sultans. The Sufis also recounted many legends about pets and compared their purring with the recitation of prayers in Islam. The cat in a dream, in their opinion, symbolized the favor of Allah. So, then, a person who had a dream with the participation of a four-legged friend led a righteous life and honored all the laws of the Koran. It is interesting that in the Orthodox faith the interpretation of the dream about a cat is practically the opposite. So, if a Christian dreamed of a cat, it means that failure awaits him.
In Islamic art, furry pets were also held in high esteem. They wrote poems and poems, painted on canvas and even made various household items in the form of these animals. There are many Turkish fairy tales about cats. For example, one of the most popular: "How the mice decided to hang a bell around a cat’s neck." In this work, the stupidity of mice is ridiculed.
Given all of the above, we can conclude that Murok in Islam was revered and loved. In addition, it is believed that they all descended from steppe cats living in the Middle East. This is the only animal that is allowed to enter the mosque. So, even now, many cute cats live in the Istanbul mosque.
Every Muslim believer has no right to offend, beat, expel them from home, leave them without food. For cruelty to animals, a person will go to hell. Muslims believe that cats are endowed with special power. They can avenge a bad attitude towards them. Be that as it may, a person should not feel like a complete master over defenseless four-legged friends.