Animals at house, Islam’s view

• The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said, “White rooster is dear to me, and those hostile towards it are hostile towards God; this bird guards his owner’s house and the houses of seven of the neighbors on each side.” Prophet PBUH kept it inside the house during the nights.

• Imam Sadeq (PBUH) said, “All the prophets kept pigeons within their houses, because idiots of the gene race annoy children; but if pigeons are kept within the house, they will play with the birds and avoid disturbing family members.”

• Animals curse the murderers of Imam Hossein (PBUH). It has been narrated form Davoud bin Farqad, “I had been sitting with Imam Sadeq (PBUH), that I noticed a ra’ebi pigeon (pigeons that have feathers on their feet- tumbler pigeons) singing. Imam looked upon me and said, “Davoud, do you know what this bird is saying?” I replied, “No.” Imam then said, “It is cursing the murderers of Imam Hossein (PBUH), so keep this bird inside your houses.””

• A man complained to the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) about fear and Prophet recommended that he keep two pigeons within his house.

• Imam Ali (PBUH) said, “The flapping of the pigeons’ wings expels devils.”

• It has been narrated form Imam Ali (PBUH), “Take care of your servants and speechless properties.” People asked him, “What do you mean by speechless properties?” Imam answered, “Sheep, pigeons, cats and the like.”

• It has been narrated from the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), “keeping sheep eliminates 70 causes for poverty.

• It has been narrated from the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), “keeping sheep within house is a blessing, cats also are blessings. A sheep brings on blessings, two sheep makes the blessings twice, and three sheep results in a multitude of blessing.”

• Imam Sadeq (PBUH) said, “The keepers of dairy goats are blessed by God, and if they keep two goats, they are twice blessed. A man asked Imam, “How are they blessed?” Imam replied, “They are blessed as long as the goats produce milk.”

• Imam Sadeq AS said, “A woman was cursed by God, because she imprisoned a cat till it died of thirst.”

• Imam Sadeq (PBUH) said, “Do not prevent a pigeon to make nest within your houses.”

• Imam Sadeq (PBUH) said, “Do not touch birds’ nests at nights, because God has set the nights the time for their rest and peace, and they are under God’s protection.”

• Jafari narrates that I saw a pair of pigeons in Imam Musa bin Jafar (PBUH)’s house, the male one being green, and the female being black; and Imam was breaking off bread into crumbs for them. Imam then said, “These pigeons rest at nights and are calm, and if they flap their wings, they are sending away pests and protecting the people inside the house.”

• Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said, “Do not prevent sparrows from nesting in your houses.”

• It has been narrated from the Prophet of Islam in his Book of Medicine, “keep tame animals within your houses, because idiots of the gene race (devils) annoy children; but if tame animals are kept within the house, they are distracted from the family members.”

• Imam Kazem (PBUH) said, “It is recommended that you keep at least one of these things in your houses: cats, pigeons, roosters, and if you keep hens with rooster it is even better, but even if you cannot afford hens, rooster alone suffices.”

footnotes:

Tabatabayee, Allameh. Feqhi, MohammadHadi, tr. Sonan-ul-Nabi

Makarem-ul-Akhlaq

Bahar-ul-Anvar.