That Cat You Tortured.. (Ahadith 2049 – 2050)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 552 :
Narrated by Asma’ bint Abi Bakr (radiallaahu `anhaa)
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) prayed the eclipse prayer, and then said, “Hell was displayed so close that I said, ‘O my Lord ! Am I going to be one of its inhabitants?”‘ Suddenly he saw a woman, I think he said, who was being scratched by a cat. He said, “What is wrong with her?” He was told, “She had imprisoned it (i.e. the cat) till it died of hunger.”

Volume 3, Book 40, Number 553 :
Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), ‘You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.”

Something that might not seem very unrighteous can be huge in the sight of Allah. One might think “so what if I teased an animal a bit?” The answer is, you wronged a weak one. You had power over it that it did not have over you. And Allah does not reject the plight of the weak and oppressed. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

Three people’s du’as are never rejected: the one who is fasting, until he breaks his fast; the just ruler; and the one who has been wronged. Allah raises it above the clouds, and the doors of the skies are opened for it, and the Lord says, ‘By my Honour and Glory! I will help you, even if it be after some time!’
(Recorded in al-Tirmidhi)

We must be careful in our treatment of animals and all other living beings in general. Don’t think you can wrong someone and get away with it.