As soon as we think about animals, an idea clicks our minds about petting them, and a question struck in, whether petting animals is allowed in Islam or not. So, here is the resolution, Muslims are authorised to keep pets. Every other person is fond of keeping pets. There are no restrictions on petting in Islam. Neither is it mandatory (farz) nor compulsory (wajib).
But as a Muslim, every Muslim must keep in mind the animals or birds allowed in Islam for petting. There are numerous birds and animals which are permitted in Islam. People wonder why not all animals or birds are allowed for petting in Islam. There is a reason behind it: animals benefit humans, or we can say that balance in the natural cycle is permitted in Islam.
Note: Whenever Islam restricts you from doing something, it means that thing is against nature.
List of animals allowed in Islam.
- Cows
- Bulls
- Ox
- Buffaloes
- Goats
- Ram
- Sheep
- Camel
- Cats
- Horse
- Deer
- Donkeys
- Mules
- Fishes
- Birds
- Poultry animals. Etc
Note: Dogs can also be used but only for security purposes (for instance, if someone has a flock of sheep, a dog can be used for guarding). It can’t be pet at home as it has been thrown out from the Jannah and its saliva is also Haram as its saliva contain thousands of bacteria which are harmful to human beings and can cause rabies.
*If someone pets a dog without any need but for its interest, it is considered Haram, and that person’s good deeds will get deducted every single day in an enormous amount equal to a mountain.*
Pigs are also Haram in Islam and are considered forbidden animals because they are unhygienic.
Pets in Islam.
In the verse of Ahadees, it is mentioned that one of the Sahabi(companion of Prophet Mohammad S.A.W. PBUH) was named after cats as he was deeply fond of cats; he was named Huraira (derived from the Arabic word which means cat) by Prophet Mohammad S.A.W. PBUH.
Also, cats are considered hygienic and admired for their cleanliness, so they are allowed at home and in mosques. Cats are also found at Masjid-al-Haram or the Great Mosque of Mecca in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Even one can perform the ablution(wuzu) for prayer(namaz) with the same water a cat has drunk.
According to the Quran, Rasool Allah S.A.W. PBUH was fond of petting animals like goats, camels, horses, mules and donkeys. Prophet Mohammad loved his animals and also named them for the sake of love for them. He had numerous animals named Ajwa, Suqiya, Zamzam, Barqa, Warsa, Itlal, Itraf, Qamar, Ghaifa and Yumn(a male goat)to expand the generation; these were the names of ten goats of Prophet Mohammad S.A.W. PBUH.
Asbah, Jada’a, Shahaba and Asbab.These are the names of four cows (female camels)
and there were two bulls(male camels), Askar and Sa’lab. There were two donkeys, Unfair and Ya’afur and two mules, Dul dul and Fizza. These all are the names of the pets of Prophet Mohammad S.A.W. PBUH. Prophet Mohammad loved his animals so much that one of the cows (a female camel) died in the memory of the Prophet Mohammad S.A.W. PBUH as he died.
It’s a blind myth that pets took the problems of their masters or the home on themselves. It isn’t mentioned anywhere in the Quran or Ahadees.
There are numerous benefits of petting animals and poultry animals.
- Animals can be used for domestication and proved beneficial for humans and the natural cycle.
- It also lessens the pride and arrogance in one’s life and makes a person down to earth and loving in nature.
- Petting animals sometimes provide mental peace to humans.
- Sometimes it helps a person to fix depression.
- A person will be rewarded(sawab) for proper feeding of pets.
Note: One must be precautious of proper shelter, care and food for the pets. They must provide comfort to the pets.
