Muezza (or Mu'izza) (Arabic: معزة) is said to have been the Islamic prophet Muhammad's favorite cat.[1] According to legend, Muhammad one day awoke at the sound of the call to prayer. Preparing to attend, he began to clothe himself; however, he soon discovered Muezza sleeping on the sleeve of his robe. Rather than wake her, he used a pair of scissors to cut the sleeve off, leaving the cat undisturbed; when he returned from prayers, the prophet received a bow from Muezza in thanks. He then stroked his beloved cat three times. The accuracy of this story is not clear as no references to it are made in the Qur'an or the hadith.

It is also believed that when Muhammad gave sermons within his household, he would often hold Muezza in his lap. [2] Further anecdotes state that Muhammad sometimes used water that Muezza had drunk from for wudu.[3] Due primarily to the love Muhammad displayed for Muezza, Muslims are traditionally encouraged to regard cats as lovable and cherished creatures. Mistreating an animal is seen as among the most severe of all crimes in Islam.[4][5]

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