Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
Using items with Santa Claus images is generally permissible in Islam. Scholars differentiate between objects of worship and cultural symbols. As long as there is no intention to celebrate or venerate the religious aspects of Christmas, these items do not violate Islamic principles.
It is permissible for a cat to sleep on a bed that bears Christian logos or images such as Santa Claus. Islamic jurisprudence distinguishes between objects used for worship (idols) and those that are simply cultural or decorative symbols. The latter do not carry intrinsic religious invalidity or impurity.
Responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Hadith Evidence on Non-Worship Representations
This understanding is supported by the Hadith narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who was reported to have played with a doll shaped like a horse.
Scholars have drawn from this that images or representations that are not objects of worship or veneration are generally permissible, especially when they serve as toys or decorative items without any religious intent.
The Islamic Distinction Between Idols and Cultural Symbols
Christian logos and images of Santa Claus fall into the category of cultural symbols rather than idols. Since the owner does not venerate these symbols as part of worship, their presence on a bed does not render the item impure or forbidden.
Moreover, animals like cats are not held accountable for religious matters; they act without intention or belief, so their resting place does not bear any religious consequence.
Do Cats or Animals Change the Ruling?
Therefore, allowing a cat to sleep on such a bed is permissible, as there is no prohibition in Islam against using or touching items with non-idolatrous cultural symbols, nor in animals interacting with them.
For more thorough information, refer to these fatwas:
- Can Muslims Keep Cats?
- Euthanasia for Cats in Islam
- Is It Haram to Put a Cat Down?
- Is Neutering a Cat Haram?
- Can I Feed My Cat Haram Food?
Almighty Allah knows best.