Abu Hurairah and Cats | PoC
Please click the link above to read about this important person in the Islamic faith. Below is an introduction.
This is an interesting example of how a prominent Muslim who lived at the very beginning of the Islamic faith loved domestic cats just as Muhammad did.
Abu Hurairah was an important follower and companion of Muhammad. He had a small, male cat companion. We don’t know the cat’s name. We are told he carried his cat around in a bag. He was named after the Arabic for ‘father of cats’.
At the beginning of the Islamic faith, in fact, before its official beginning, senior people in the religion showed a love of the domestic cat. Where has this notable characteristic of Muslims gone?
We don’t associate Muslims with a love of cats. Except Ahsan, a valued contributor to PoC who lives in Islamabad, Pakistan. He cares for feral cats.
But Ahsan describes a lot of cruelty towards stray and feral cats in Pakistan. This upsets and disturbs me and it is particularly poignant when reflecting on the life of the Prophet Muhammad and his follower/companion Abu Hurairah.
The mentality of the typical Muslim that I know in the UK is not suited to liking cats. Far from it. In general there is a lack of sophistication which presents a barrier to recognising the finer aspects and pleasures of being a domestic cat guardian.
It is extremely fortunate that Muhammad loved cats. There has not been enough focus on this important aspect of the Prophet’s life. It could be used to good advantage to further the welfare of cats in the UK and in all countries where the Islamic faith is prominent.