Is it permissible to take the meat brought by a cat?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Now, I will say that regarding the love of ants and the meat of a cat, sometimes a cat brings you a leg of a sheep, or does it not? I mean, it brings you something that has actually happened. Is it permissible for you to drive the cat away and take the meat? Correct, and what is your opinion on the matter?
The student: It might have been slaughtered.
The Shaykh : I remember that our Shaykh, Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di, discussed this, but I do not remember what the ruling was in it. Up to now, I do not remember. Did he say that if a person is in dire necessity for it, it takes precedence over the animals without a doubt? If he is in need, and if he is not in need, then the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If there is a reward for showing kindness to these creatures, then the implication of the opposite by analogy is that doing harm to them is serious in terms of sin. We do not assert it, but we say it is serious in terms of sin. Therefore, this indicates to you that doing harm... give one of the cats you have—you have two cats—give it a piece of meat. If the second one comes and wants to approach it, it will hiss and scratch it, and it will not sit around it. If this is its right, what do you say, O Abd al-Rahman?
The student: Well, Shaykh, the meat for the cat...
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed
The student: If it is known... the owner must be rescued and it must be given to him.
The Shaykh : Yes, correct, this is correct. If you know its owner, it is obligatory for you to rescue the meat from it, for example... from the neighbors. You know which of your neighbors it is, so take it and prevent them from having it.
The student: It is difficult for me, for example, the ants...?
The Shaykh : Heh, fine, okay, and what is the situation?
The student: I mean, the ants are like a burden on this, and I have no benefit in taking it... or is this injustice?
The Shaykh : No, if it is going to take it and eat it, let it take it. Just forbid it from it. But if it is taking it to eat it, I say that if a person is in need, there is no doubt that the need of a human being takes precedence over the need of insects.
The student: And if he is not in need?
The Shaykh : If he is not in need, I have some reservations about this. But if we know that this grain is from such-and-such a farm, which is nearby, then one of two things is required: either take it and give it to its owner, or inform its owner of it.
The student: I say the ants have spoiled it.
The Shaykh : How?
The student: The ants may have spoiled it.
The Shaykh : They have spoiled it, yes, but yes, it is correct. But they spoil it from the perspective of the crop, which is not planted, but from the perspective of eating, it is eaten. What?
The student: Is he liable?
The Shaykh : The ants?
The questioner : No, is a person liable for the ants, meaning?
The Shaykh : As for the ants, if it is a case before the judge, the judge may make him liable for it, yes.
The student: It might have been slaughtered.
The Shaykh : I remember that our Shaykh, Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di, discussed this, but I do not remember what the ruling was in it. Up to now, I do not remember. Did he say that if a person is in dire necessity for it, it takes precedence over the animals without a doubt? If he is in need, and if he is not in need, then the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
There is a reward in every living creature that has a flowing vein.
في كل ذات كبد حرة أجرThe student: Well, Shaykh, the meat for the cat...
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed
The student: If it is known... the owner must be rescued and it must be given to him.
The Shaykh : Yes, correct, this is correct. If you know its owner, it is obligatory for you to rescue the meat from it, for example... from the neighbors. You know which of your neighbors it is, so take it and prevent them from having it.
The student: It is difficult for me, for example, the ants...?
The Shaykh : Heh, fine, okay, and what is the situation?
The student: I mean, the ants are like a burden on this, and I have no benefit in taking it... or is this injustice?
The Shaykh : No, if it is going to take it and eat it, let it take it. Just forbid it from it. But if it is taking it to eat it, I say that if a person is in need, there is no doubt that the need of a human being takes precedence over the need of insects.
The student: And if he is not in need?
The Shaykh : If he is not in need, I have some reservations about this. But if we know that this grain is from such-and-such a farm, which is nearby, then one of two things is required: either take it and give it to its owner, or inform its owner of it.
The student: I say the ants have spoiled it.
The Shaykh : How?
The student: The ants may have spoiled it.
The Shaykh : They have spoiled it, yes, but yes, it is correct. But they spoil it from the perspective of the crop, which is not planted, but from the perspective of eating, it is eaten. What?
The student: Is he liable?
The Shaykh : The ants?
The questioner : No, is a person liable for the ants, meaning?
The Shaykh : As for the ants, if it is a case before the judge, the judge may make him liable for it, yes.