What is the ruling on killing domestic animals that cause harm, such as cats and others?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. May Allah forgive you, O Shaykh. What is the ruling on killing animals that cause harm, such as cats and others?
The Shaykh : Which animals?
The questioner : Those that cause harm, and their harm becomes severe.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : What is the ruling on killing them?
The Shaykh : Yes, animals are divided into two categories. The first is one whose nature is to cause harm; it is recommended to kill it, whether it is one of those specifically mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as the scorpion, the mouse, or the vicious dog, or one of the others that shares the operative cause of the ruling, which is harm. For this reason, the scholars said: It is recommended to kill every harmful creature. You kill it if it is habitually harmful, even if it has not harmed you, because if it does not harm you this time, it will harm you another time.
The second category is that which has no harm or detriment. This is not to be killed, but it is not forbidden; killing it is not forbidden. However, it is better not to kill it. If it harms you, you may kill it to repel its harm. We said that it is better not to kill it if it does not harm you because, regarding the Shari'ah's rulings concerning them, animals and insects are divided into three categories: one that is commanded to be killed, one that is forbidden to be killed, and one about which silence is maintained.
The one that is commanded to be killed includes, for example, the scorpion, the mouse, the vicious dog, the snake, the lizard, and what is similar to them.
The one that is forbidden to be killed includes, for example, the ant, the bee, the hoopoe, and the swift.
The one about which silence is maintained is the rest of the animals and insects. These are left without specific ruling, so it is better not to kill them, because the least of what is involved in killing them is the destruction of a soul without cause.
Furthermore, some scholars said: As long as it is alive, it glorifies Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and when it dies, the glorification ceases. So your killing it means destroying it such that it no longer glorifies.
In any case, the ruling, as I told you at the beginning, is that it is better not to kill them unless they harm you. If they harm you, there is no harm in killing them. Yes.
The Shaykh : Which animals?
The questioner : Those that cause harm, and their harm becomes severe.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : What is the ruling on killing them?
The Shaykh : Yes, animals are divided into two categories. The first is one whose nature is to cause harm; it is recommended to kill it, whether it is one of those specifically mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as the scorpion, the mouse, or the vicious dog, or one of the others that shares the operative cause of the ruling, which is harm. For this reason, the scholars said: It is recommended to kill every harmful creature. You kill it if it is habitually harmful, even if it has not harmed you, because if it does not harm you this time, it will harm you another time.
The second category is that which has no harm or detriment. This is not to be killed, but it is not forbidden; killing it is not forbidden. However, it is better not to kill it. If it harms you, you may kill it to repel its harm. We said that it is better not to kill it if it does not harm you because, regarding the Shari'ah's rulings concerning them, animals and insects are divided into three categories: one that is commanded to be killed, one that is forbidden to be killed, and one about which silence is maintained.
The one that is commanded to be killed includes, for example, the scorpion, the mouse, the vicious dog, the snake, the lizard, and what is similar to them.
The one that is forbidden to be killed includes, for example, the ant, the bee, the hoopoe, and the swift.
The one about which silence is maintained is the rest of the animals and insects. These are left without specific ruling, so it is better not to kill them, because the least of what is involved in killing them is the destruction of a soul without cause.
Furthermore, some scholars said: As long as it is alive, it glorifies Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and when it dies, the glorification ceases. So your killing it means destroying it such that it no longer glorifies.
In any case, the ruling, as I told you at the beginning, is that it is better not to kill them unless they harm you. If they harm you, there is no harm in killing them. Yes.