it is also transmitted through additional chains from Abū Qatādah. In light of these routes, Ibn Mundah’s criticism is set aside and the ḥadīth stands as ṣaḥīḥ by virtue of the aforementioned imams’ authentication—Allah knows best.

Vocabulary of the ḥadīth
• al-hirrah (the female cat): pronounced with a short i after the initial h and with a doubled r; it denotes the female of the domestic cat, a member of the feline family.
• najis (ritually impure): the opposite of ṭāhir (pure); a verbal adjective that applies equally to masculine and feminine forms. Its plural is anjās.
• innamā: the particle inna (used for emphasis) followed by mā, which cancels its grammatical operation so that the two together convey restriction (“only,” “nothing but”).
• al-ṭawwāfīn: plural of ṭawwāf, someone who moves about frequently; here it refers to a servant. Ibn al-Athīr explains: “The ṭāʾif is the one who serves you gently and attentively, like a servant who circles around the person he is serving.” The term is given the sound masculine plural even though the referent is not rational, because it is treated as though it were rational by virtue of being described as a servant.

Points derived from the ḥadīth

1. The cat is not najis; therefore whatever it touches or drinks from does not become impure.
2. The reason is that it belongs to the class of ṭawwāfīn—creatures that move about among people like household servants. They share people’s homes, vessels, and belongings, and people cannot realistically keep them away.
3. This ḥadīth and similar texts underpin the great legal maxim, “Hardship brings about ease.” Because cats are so common, whatever they touch is deemed pure even when moist.
4. By analogy, every prohibited animal that resembles the cat is given the same ruling when there is a need to use it—such as the mule and the donkey—or when it is impossible to avoid, such as the mouse.