Ruling on selling cats

The majority of scholars
are of the view that it is permissible to sell cats, and some are of the
view that it is haraam. The latter are of the Zaahiri madhhab and this view
was also mentioned in a report from Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on
him). Ibn al-Mundhir also narrated that from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him). 

The view that it is haraam to sell cats is the more correct
view, because it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) forbade that, and there is nothing to suggest the
contrary. 

Muslim (1569) narrated that Abu’l-Zubayr said: I asked Jaabir
about the price of dogs and cats. He said: The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us not to do that (i.e., sell them). 

Abu Dawood (3479) and al-Tirmidhi (1279) narrated that Jaabir
ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade the price of
dogs and cats. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

Some scholars are of the view that these ahaadeeth are da’eef
(weak), but their view is to be rejected. 

Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo’ (9/269): As for what as
al-Khattaabi and Ibn al-Mundhir said about the hadeeth being weak, this is a
mistake on their part, because the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim has a
saheeh isnaad. End quote. 

Al-Shawkaani said in Nayl al-Awtaar (6/227), refuting
the majority who interpret the prohibition in the hadeeth as meaning that it
is makrooh and that selling cats is not a noble attitude or sign of
chivalry: It is obvious that this is understanding the prohibition in a way
that is contrary to its true meaning for no reason. End quote. 

Al-Bayhaqi said in al-Sunan (6/18), also refuting the
majority: Some scholars have interpreted it as referring to cats that are
wild and cannot be caught. Some claim that this applied at the beginning of
Islam when cats were ruled to be naajis (impure), but when it was ruled that
their leftover food and water are taahir (pure), it became permissible to
sell them. But there is no clear evidence for either of these two views. End
quote. 

Ibn al-Qayyim stated that it is definitely haraam to sell
them in Zaad al-Ma’aad (5/773) where he said: This was stated in a
ruling (fatwa) by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) and it is
the view of Tawoos, Mujaahid, Jaabir ibn Zayd and all the Zaahiri scholars,
and it is one of the two views narrated from Ahmad. This is the correct
view, because the ahaadeeth which state that are saheeh, and there is no
evidence to the contrary, so this is the view that must be adopted. End
quote. 

Ibn al-Mundhir said: If it is proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade selling them, then such
sales are invalid, otherwise they are permissible. End quote from
al-Majmoo’, 9/269 

And it has been proven that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade it, as in the hadeeth quoted above
from Saheeh Muslim. 

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 13/37: 

It is not permissible to sell cats, monkeys or dogs, or any
other carnivores that have fangs, because the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade that and discouraged it, and
because it is a waste of money, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) forbade wasting money. 

And Allaah knows best.