There is a trend on Twitter of cat owners in Islamic countries showing the world their cats, in photos and videos, using cat-sized prayer mats. It is very cute. For me it makes the Islam faith more attractive. For some Westerners there are negative connotations with the Islamic faith because of its connection with terrorism so it is nice to see cute cats praying with their human caregivers; each with their own prayer mat facing Mecca, the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad. Actually, more precisely (apparently) Muslims pray towards Qibla, which is the united direction that should be faced when Muslims pray.
Humans have to be clear of mind and body before praying. This means washing (wudu) their legs, arms, feet and hands. They should be in clean clothes. Well, their cat will meet all these requirements as they are fastidiously clean. Their coat is always in tip top condition (in a good home). And their minds are always in the present which means empty of bad thoughts. On a more philosophical point 😎, cats don’t pray. You think cats can pray? And cats don’t have a religion. Well, actually they do: it’s to stalk animals and kill them!
Prayer rugs are not obligatory but they ensure that the prayers are carried out in a purer environment as there is no direct contact with the ground or floor which may be dirty as people walk-in ‘impurities’. The prayers are in Arabic and there is a strict procedure.
A cat joining their owner in prayer must be a nice bonding process. The video shows a cat who loves their prayer mat. It is pretty clear from the video that the cat’s owner is used to their cat jumping onto the prayer mat in excitement every time it is rolled out for prayers.
A cat joining Muslim owners in prayer is highly appropriate in the Islamic faith as all Muslims know the history of the faith and the Prophet Muhammad’s love of cats. ut is it true. I challenge that idea – please click on this link. His love of cats does not translate, it has to be said, to the creation of great animal welfare laws and behavior in countries where the Islamic faith is dominant.
And dogs get a raw deal as they are seen as dirty by the Islamic faith. This leads to animal cruelty. It is entirely illogical and frankly the result of ignorance. I hate to say that but it must be true. My personal prayer is that Muslims start treating dogs as they treat cats. Please do this and be seen to be fair to all animals.
A lot more needs to be done to eradicate speciesism in Islamic countries. Cats go to Islam heaven and dogs go to dust and oblivion. Fair? Of course not. And I’d expect that the Prophet was scrupulously fair. Imams normally let stray cats into their mosques when they are pregnant to have a safe place to nurse their kittens.
Below is another video of a cat who’s temporarily become Islamophobic without realising it 😎.
Emirati Man Who Tortured a Cat is Punished in Accordance with Tenets of Islam Faith
Proposed pet ban in Iran: Islamic parliamentarians versus secular citizens
