Views Regarding Particular Animals
Certain animals in Islamic traditions are mentioned or have a particular view attached to them:
- Bats: In Shiite hadith, bats are praised as a miracle of nature.
- Birds: Birds are commonly revered in Islamic literature, especially in Sufi tradition where they are a metaphor for the soul's divine journey to God, such as in The Conference of the Birds. In the Shi'a book of the sayings of Ali, Nahj al-Balagha, an entire sermon is dedicated to praising peacocks.
- Camels: Muhammad's camel, Qaswa, was very dear to him. Muhammad is reported as having reprimanded some men who were sitting idly on their camels in a marketplace, saying "either ride them or leave them alone".
- Cats: Muhammad is said to have loved his cat Muezza so much that "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it."
- Dogs: see below.
- Pigs: Pork is Haraam, or not permissible to eat. One reason for this is that pigs are omnivorous, not herbivorous.
- Sheep: Muhammad prided himself in being part of a rich tradition of prophets who found their means of livelihood as being shepherds.
- Snakes: Snakes are considered to represent viciousness.
Read more about this topic: Kalb (term)
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