Darul Ifta Ibn Masood

Keeping a Hamster as a Pet

· 11 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1445 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

I would like to know the Mas’ala on keeping hamsters as pets. playing with them, kissing them etc. Please advise as I have heard that it is not permissible, but my family disagrees.

Answer

It is permissible to keep pets that are a means of comfort, pleasure, and happiness for the owner such as a bird, cat, etc. with the proviso that its provisions are taken care of. It is Waajib upon the owner to feed the animal and spend on its needs. However, a hamster is a rodent which is generally not a means of deriving comfort and pleasure, hence one should refrain from keeping hamsters as pets.

Answered by
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/keeping-a-hamster-as-a-pet/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-32021

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