Bismillahir-rahman-niraheem

The Sunnah and Blessings in Healing effects of Cats
Cat Purr Frequency Increases Bone Density & Speeds Injury Recovery

Collated by Muhammad Sajad Ali - 20th March 2010

Bismillah Babuna
- In the Name of Allah, is our Door

Ya Rasulillahi unzur haalanaa Ya Habiballahi 'isma' qaalanaa
O Mesenger of Allah (saw), cast a glance of compassion at our pitable state O Beloved of Allah (saw) listen to our supplication

Bi-hurmati nasrum-mi-nallahi wa fathun qarib wa bash-shi-ril mu'-mineen
For the sake of Help is from Allah and Victory is near. Give good news to the believers

Introduction

I had started this article at the time when Sidi Masud Khan was posting about this chickens ‘The Chickens have landed’ (mid Feb 2010) on deenport.com and then I stopped, today (19th march 2010) while roaming on deenport.com i've noticed some threads one is about Bees 'Adopt a hive, beekeepers urge' (There is a Surah An-nah-The Bee and many Hadith about the blessed Honey that bees produced) also posted which I noticed from a convert sisters site, with a section dedicated to her beloved cat 'the-squeakster', it was seeing that, which motivated me more to really finish of this article about cats today. Why have I mentioned these animals, well the Quran is full of stories about animals and chapters named after some too:

As for the Stories of animals in the Quran

Section 1

The story of the Cat:

There is a tradition or story which says that the shaytan appeared in the shape of a Wild boar and went into the Ark which is called Safina in arabic, the wild boar had  caused havoc in the Ark for many nights and each time sayyiduna Nuh went to repair the ark while repairing his Ark he cut this thumb from his blessed blood drops, Allah created a Lion, so the next day the Lion came to served sayyid Nuh protecting his ark, later that night when Shaytan came in the form of a wild boar  he tried to attach the Ark to cause more havoc, but the Lion was on guarding  stop him that night so instead, the wild boar sneezed and suddenly a rat was born from the snout of the wild boar, the rat jumped on the ground and started to gnawing the ship’s boards, but the lion sneezed too and from his sneeze a cat was born which went for the rat without hesitation. (taken from ‘Islamic legends: histories of the heroes, saints and prophets of Islam’ By Jan Knappert)

There is another similar story that the Ark was filling up with dung and thus the pig was created to eat at the waste, animal dung, the rats were seen in a big number in the Ark. They consumed all the food of the occupants of the Ark and filled the Vessel with filth. The prophet Nuh (a.s.) passed his hand over the back of the lion, which instantly sneezed, and the cat started attacking the rats. (I’ve read this tradition in Stories of Prophets and have heard this tradition too,)

Also there is a tradition that the left over of clay  that was used to create sayyidun Adam, was used to create a Camel. (taken from ‘Islamic legends: histories of the heroes, saints and prophets of Islam’)

There are references about one particular blessed Camel this is mention in the story in the Quran of Prophet Saleh and the People of Thamud, who wanted to see a camel be created out of  Rock, so from the huge rock moved and split and from it came a wonderful she-camel, which was pregnant and soon to give birth and also that   about Sayydiuna Isa ibn Maryam who by Allah Permission created a bird from clay ...'I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s Leave...(Quran Surah Imran -3:49). 

The general Divine rule of nature is that only human being and Jinnah will be admitted in Heaven as a compensation of their good deeds. All animals will be turn to rust as a Command of Allah. However there is good news for few particular animals which will be allowed to enter into Heaven an account of their virtues and companionship of the virtuous persons. In which the dog of Ashab-e-Kahaf, Ram of Hadhrat Ismail, the blessed  whale that  carried sayyiduna Yunas Camel of Hadhrat Saleh, donkey of Hadhrat Uzair and Buraq of Hadhrat Muhammed (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) are mentioned others r. (ref: Rooh-ul-Ma'ani vol.2, page 261) (And Allah knows best as to the other animals.

The Cat that saved the Sufi Shaykh

Thousands of Sufi stories include cats; lovely stories such as shaykh Ashraf's Madrasa cat, which helped the teachers to bring order to the school, even sacrificed itself for the sake of the dervishes-(disciples), or the tale of the Sufi master from Baghdad, Shaykh Abu Bakr al-Shibli (d. 945) who was seen by one of his friends in a dream when he passed away, On being asked what Allah had done to him, he said that he had been granted admission to Paradise, but was asked by Allah if he knew the reason for this blessing. Shaykh Shibli enumerated all his religious duties but none of his acts of piety had saved him. Finally Allah asked him, ‘Do you remember the cold day in Baghdad when it was snowing and you were walking in your coat when you saw a tiny kitten on a wall shivering with cold, and you took it and put it under your warm coat? For the sake of this kitten We have forgiven you.’

Cats were very common among the Muslims:

"It seems that from early days the Arabs kept cats as pets. Otherwise we could not understand why (according to one early historian) the Prophet's (saw) young widow, A'isha, when complaining that everyone had deserted her, added: ‘Even the cat has left me alone' ." In contrast to other civilisations, "they were companions of most of the Muslims… from a housewife to a great scholar, they were loved, not only for their beauty or elegance but also for their practical purposes. For example, Muslim scholars wrote odes for their cats because they protected their precious books from attack by animals such as mice.

Where did this love and understanding towards cats come from?

The Prophet Muhammad's (saw)favourite cat Muezzah

Our master Rasulillah (saw) advised the people to treat their cats (pets) as a member of their family, and by this he meant to take a good care of them. Not only by words, but also with his actions he was a very good role model. These exemplary behaviours became so popular that they turned to stories in time.

One of the most famous stories about them is Muezza, the Prophet Muhammad's (saw) favourite cat, recounts the call to prayer was given, and as the story goes Prophet Mohammed (saw) went to put on one of his robes, he found his cat sleeping on one of the sleeves. Rather than disturbing the cat, he cut off the sleeve and let him sleep. When he returned, Muezza awoke and bowed down to Prophet Muhammad and in return he stroked him three times. Another legend holds that the 'M' marking on the forehead of the tabby was created by the prophet as he rested his hand lightly on the brow of his favourite cat.

It is also believed that when Prophet Muhammad (saw) gave sermons within his household he would often hold Muezza in his lap and he also drank from water previously drunk by his cat. He also did his ablutions from the same water that was drunk by a cat. He seemed to treat his cat in the same way as cat lovers do today but even cat lovers might think twice about drinking the same water that had been drunk by a cat for fear of transmission of disease from the cat’s saliva (but see below).

It is believed that you will suffer no harm if you drink from the cat’s water provided no impurities are seen in the cat’s mouth. In another story from the hadith, it is stated that a when a cat ate a pudding put down during prayers, the person who was in charge of the pudding ate from the same place as the cat and Prophet (s) said this was alright as the cat is not unclean and is "one of those who go around amongst us".

Abu Hurayrah -The father of kittens

Abu Hurayrah, famous as a companion of the Prophet (saw) and a major narrator of his sayings. Was given the nickname Abu Hurayrah (literally father of Kittens) by the Prophet because he used to care for a small male cat. ("Cat" word comes from the Arabic word qit/Hirra but a tiny male cat is called hurayrah, or thus In Arabic, hirra means cat and hurayra means a kitten.)

Also Legend has it that the reason Sayyiduna Muhammad (saw) loved cats so much was that his life had been saved by one. A snake had crawled into his sleeve and refused to leave. A cat was called and asked the snake to show its head, in order to discuss its departure. When the snake finally appeared, the cat pounced on it and carried it off.

There is also a legend about this in which a cat saved the Prophet's life from a deadly snake. The story is narrated by Annemarie Schimmel as follows: "There are variants of the story of how Abu Huraryra's cat, which he always carried in his bag, saved the Prophet from an obnoxious snake, whereupon the Prophet petted her so that the mark of his fingers is still visible in the four dark lines on most cats' foreheads, and, because the Prophet's hand had stroked her back, cats never fall on their backs" (A. Schimmel, Deciphering the Signs of God, Albany, NY, 1994).

The cat is such a clean animal that according to authentic narrations one may make ablution for Prayer with the same water that a cat drank from. Yet, it is known that some people nowadays have opposed the traditions of the Prophet by taking up the evil practices of torturing and poisoning cats.

In Islam, the punishment for such actions is severe. Islam holds a special place for cats as lovable and cherished creatures, and mistreating a cat is seen as a serious sin. Al-Bukhari reported a hadith regarding a woman who locked up a cat, refusing to feed it and not releasing it so that it could feed itself. The Prophet Muhammad said that her punishment on the Day of Judgment will be torture and Hell.

There are many records of the Prophet's love for cats and his relationship with them. "The prophet's fondness for cats is often referred to, and whether or not the hadith that ‘Love of cats is part of the faith' is genuine, it reflects the general feeling for the little feline."

There are also many testimonials regarding many other animals in Islam such as horses, camels, bees, ants and even flies. Fundamentally the life of the Prophet Mohammed is the understanding of the Quran itself. There are some verses associated with animals and references regarding the responsibility of the human domain in the world and its contents which include balance, justice, mercy and much more moral content. To show mercy to animals is the part of the faith of Islam. Prophet Mohammed taught mercy to all of God's creation.

It is believed that you will suffer no harm if you drink from the cat’s water provided no impurities are seen in the cat’s mouth. In another story from the hadith, it is stated that a when a cat ate a pudding put down during prayers, the person who was in charge of the pudding ate from the same place as the cat and Prophet (s) said this was alright as the cat is not unclean and is "one of those who go around amongst us".

The Prophet of Islam was once performing ablution (Wudhu) for prayers from a pot of water. A cat passed there and turned its eyes at the pot of water with a thirsty look. The Prophet realised at once that the cat was very thirsty, so he stopped the ablution (Wudhu) and placed the pot before the cat. Only after the cat had fully quenched its thirst, did the Prophet resume the ablution (Wudhu).

Some Hadith

Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade tying up animals so that they could be shot at and killed."

[Agreed upon]Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous)

"Those who are kind and considerate to Allah's creatures, Allah bestows His kindness and affection on them. Show kindness to the creatures on the earth so that Allah may be kind to you." Hadith - Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, "(Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.' " Hadith - Bukhari 3:553, Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar [Also in Muslim, Narrated Abu Huraira]

 Yahya related to me from Malik from Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Talha from Humayda bint Abi Ubayda ibn Farwa that her maternal aunt Kabsha bint Kab ibn Malik, who was the wife of the son of Abu Qatada al-Ansari, told her that once Abu Qatada was visiting her and she poured out some water for him to do wudu with. Just then a cat came to drink from it, so he tilted the vessel towards it to let it drink. Kabsha continued, "He saw me looking at him and said, 'Are you surprised, daughter of my brother?' I said, 'Yes.' He replied that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, cats are not impure. They intermingle with you .' "

Yahya said that Malik said, "There is no harm in that unless one sees impurities on the cat's mouth."

 Dawud ibn Salih ibn Dinar at-Tammar quoted his mother as saying that her mistress sent her with some pudding (harisah) to Aisha who was offering prayer. She made a sign to me to place it down. A cat came and ate some of it, but when Aisha finished her prayer, she ate from the place where the cat had eaten. She stated: The Messenger of Allah  said: It is not unclean: it is one of those who go round among you. She added: I saw the Messenger of Allah  performing ablution from the water left over by the cat.

Hadith - Dawud, Narrated Jabir ibn AbdullahThe Prophet forbade payment for cat.

Islam teaches Muslims that, in relation to a cat:

Islam teaches Muslims to treat cats well and that the cat is a creature to be cherished and loved. Mistreating a cat is regarded as a severe sin in Islam and can lead to punishment as the story of the women who mistreated a cat and she went to hell for punishment.

Section 2

As an introduction to healing with animals I would like all those who are reading this to first please see this short 1min 24 secs youtube video by Hakim archuletta titled ‘Allah's Mercy: Horses Can Heal’ before reading ‘The science of healing from Cats’, Below.

The science of healing from Cats
extraordinary self-healing ability of cats-
Cat Purr Frequency Increases Bone Density & Speeds Injury Recovery

......purring is often compared to the dhikr, the rhythmic chanting of the Sufis , which is used in many early Islamic hospitals as a healing process. Modern science recently discovered the healing powers of the cats' purr: "…optimal frequency for bone stimulation is 50 hertz. The dominant and fundamental frequency for three species of cats' purr is exactly 25 to 50 hertz: the best frequencies for bone growth and fracture healing. The cat's purr falls well within the 20-50 hertz anabolic range, and extends up to 140 hertz ." (healing section)

Dr. Clinton Rubin and his associates made a fantastic discovery. They found that exposure to frequencies between 20-50 Hz (at low dB) creates the robust striations of increased bone density.

There is also an old veterinary saying still repeated in veterinary schools which states, " If you put a cat and a bunch of broken bones in the same room, the bones will heal."

The effects of frequency of mechanical vibration on experimental fracture healing, Zhonghua Wai Ke Za Zhi, in his work with rabbits, found that frequencies of 25 and 50 hertz promote bone strength by 20%, and stimulate both the healing of fractures, and the speed at which the fractures heal.

There is also documentation that low frequencies, at low dB are helpful with regard to pain relief, and the healing of tendons and muscles. Vibrational stimulation between 50-150 Hz has been found to relieve suffering in 82% of persons suffering from acute and chronic pain.

Biomechanical stimulation which uses mechanical vibration of standardized frequencies from 18 - 35 Hz is used in Russian sports medicine. This technique improves the relaxation of strained muscle structures and increases the stretching ability of capsules and tendons…..

In Summery: Vibrations between 20-140 Hz are therapeutic for bone growth/fracture healing, pain relief/swelling reduction, wound healing, muscle growth and repair/tendon repair, mobility of joints and the relief of dyspnoea-(shortness of breath- see wiki).

cats' purrs is exactly 25 Hz, or 50 Hz the best frequencies for bone growth and fracture healing. 180-35 Hz is used in therapeutic biomechanical stimulation for joint mobility.

The frequencies for therapeutic pain relief are from 50-150 Hz. All of the individual cats have al least 5 sets of strong harmonics in this range. Therapeutic frequencies for the generation of muscle strength lie between 2-100 Hz. All of the individual cats have al least 4 sets of strong harmonics in this range.

Cats have a strong harmonic at exactly 100 Hz, the vibrational frequency found to relieve dyspnoea. Researchers have found that a cat’s purr, can decrease the symptoms of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease called dysponea in both cats and humans.

The cat's purr is a healing mechanism and is a natural way to increase strength, and decrease healing time,the vibration of a cat's purr can speed up the healing process not only for cats but for other animals as well. Research indicates that even humans can benefit. If you are recovering from an injury, you should hug a purring cat. Consistent vibrational sound frequencies of 25-150 Hz, which is the range of a cat’s purr, aid in the healing of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles, as well as providing pain relief.

Tendons and Muscles

One study found that following sports injuries, low-frequency biomechanical stimulation can prevent decreases in muscle strength and mass. Another found that the vibration can speed tendon healing in the ankle, increasing upper ankle joint mobility by up to 19% after injury.

Pain Relief
Researchers found that exposure to a sound frequency between 50 and 150 Hz provided relief for 82% of those suffering chronic and acute pain. Thus, it is unsurprising that cats often purr when they are injured or giving birth.

Purr Frequency Research

There are many indications that the vibrational frequency of a cat’s purr could provide healing and perhaps even health protection benefits not only for cats but for humans as well.

Purring Helps with Healing
Cat Purr Frequency Increases Bone Density & Speeds Injury Recovery

The vibration of a cat's purr can speed up the healing process not only for cats but for other animals as well. Research indicates that even humans can benefit.   If you are recovering from an injury, you should hug a purring cat. Consistent vibrational sound frequencies of 25-150 Hz, which is the range of a cat’s purr, aid in the healing of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles, as well as providing pain relief.

Healing After Injury

Cats’ bones heal faster and more easily after fractures than those of dogs. Veterinary medicine researchers note that 90% of cats that plummet from extraordinary heights survive despite serious injuries. Interestingly, science has known for many years that vibrations at specific levels or frequencies cause healing changes in the body. They can, for example, induce bone growth and regeneration. Bone fractures heal faster and weakened bones begin to strengthen and rebuild.

Also, in the higher frequency ranges, the production of the body's own natural anti-inflammatory compounds increases thereby reducing joint pain and swelling. There is further evidence of muscle, tendon and ligament repair within these frequency ranges as well. Low frequency vibration induces pain relief and healing of tendons and muscles, and cats purr at those very same frequencies.

In effect then, by changing the frequency of their purring, cats may be fine-tuning their healing abilities, and it is this unique healing advantage that has probably given rise to the notion of cats having nine lives. Study discovered that such exposure creates the robust striations of increased bone density, suggesting applications for osteoporosis, particularly in post-menopausal women and the elderly.

Healing by association-Suhba and Cats can Improve Your Mood

But it's the cat's "healing by association" that most people find interesting: that ability of a cat to sympathetically help cure illnesses in people simply by being around them. Studies have also shown that owners, especially senior citizens, who have cats have lower blood pressure and can live longer than humans who don't own pets.

The warmth of their furry bodies and open, purring friendship can drastically influence a person’s state of mind for the better. Vital signs taken after an individual’s interaction with a pet show positive effects on the blood pressure, pulse, and breathing frequency, and the results of these tests are surprisingly similar to the body’s condition after deep meditation. Some studies have even indicated that having pets reduces stress and results in a lowered risk of heart disease.

Many individuals swear they can ease or completely eliminate their migraine headaches simply by lying down with a purring cat next to their head. Can't hit that minimum recommended daily dose of bone-enriching calcium? Maybe grabbing the nearest cat and holding it close may just prove to be the answer to brittle-bones. Having surgery? Perhaps after coming home, keeping a cat nearby will reduce your recovery time. So, go get a cat. Keep it happy and purring. You're both likely to be healthier and you'll have a great friend who truly understands how you're feeling.

Doctors and scientists in a number of different medical fields are researching the healing properties of sound, and the results are pretty promising. Most body cavities and tissues have their own resonant frequencies, and sound in those ranges can stimulate the respective organs to heal. For example: the human lungs resonate at around 39 hertz (in a fluid medium) and researchers found sound at that frequency to be beneficial to people with lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

Vibrational stimulation not only relieves suffering in 82% of persons suffering from acute and chronic pain but also generates new tissue growth, augments wound tissue strength, improves local circulation and oxygenation, reduces swelling and/or inhibits bacterial growth?

Lowered stress and increased calmness could be the cause, but studies over the last twenty years have also shown that people who own pets are much healthier than their non-pet owning counterparts; they are often less-prone to minor illnesses like colds and influenza, score better on psychological tests, and claim to feel a greater sense of well-being

Adults are not the only ones who benefit from caring for a cat. Children who have participated in the raising of a pet have shown higher self esteem levels, better social skills, and a greater sense of responsibility toward others. For young children and infants, exposure to cats at a young age can also help the child develop resistance to allergens and asthma.
A new study suggests cat owners are less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than people who, well, don't own cats. Researchers, found that feline-less people were 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with cats.

References:
http://shaikhsohail.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/animals-in-the-glorious-quran
http://www.muslimheritage.com/topics/default.cfm?articleID=686
http://muttaqun.com/cats.html
http://shaikhsohail.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/cat-and-paradise/
http://www.kitten.com.my/forum/breed-standard/4738-muezza-abby.html
http://www.harunyahya.com/generalknowledge17.php
http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=3207
http://www.moggies.co.uk/breeds/abyss.html
http://jannah.org/madina/index.php?topic=3201.0;wap2
http://wisdomthruwords.blogspot.com/2006/03/prophet-saw-and-cat.html
http://www.boutiquekittens.com/Health-Benefits-of-Cat-Ownership.242.0.html
http://www.leaflady.org/purr.htm
http://www.my-happy-heart.com/cats-healing-purr.html
http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/a/petsandstress.htm
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/pets/stories/022208dnlivcats.23b81fd.html http://animalvoice.com/catpurrP.htm
http://www.abbeville.com/pdf/0789207079.pdf
http://pio.tripod.com/magicpaw/catmyths.html
http://cats.suite101.com/article.cfm/purring_helps_with_healing
http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/a/petsandstress.htm

islam2jannat@yahoo.co.uk
Muahmmad sajad Ali - 0753 5654 125 -UK-

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