A cat made a surprise appearance during a live broadcast of Ramadan night prayer in Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria.
Imam Walid Mehsas was praying Taraweeh when the cat jumped on him and climbed on his shoulder.
The video, which has gone viral on social media, showed the imam petting the cat as it made its way to his shoulder.
The Imam kept his cool and carried on with his recital with his eyes closed. Further in the video, the cat hopped off his shoulder and wandered around the premises.
Shared on social media, the video has amassed over 58,000 likes and 850,000 views. He captioned the post, “Glory be to God. Even animals fear the words of God. Watch a cat climb over the Imam. And he is reading the Quran in Taraweeh prayer.”
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Praise
This lovely incident has attracted a lot of attention and praises from people, with some expressing delight on the way the imam handled the situation.
“That is so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes!” commented a person.
“As if the cat wanted to thank you for reciting the Noble Qur’an in a voice that pleases his ears, may God bless you, our Sheikh,” said a user.
A third person added, “His response was amazing.. did not miss a beat, even petting the Kittie.”
“That’s so funny and awesome. Love how he kept his concentration but also welcomed the cat,” added a fourth person. “So heartwarming” commented a user.
“What a wonderful imam…showing kindness 
and love 
to this cat 
so she wouldn’t fall to the ground. I’m a cat lover,” Anwar Alomaisi wrote.
“This Imam is loved. The animals knows the good people. Happy Ramadan to the Muslim families,” Evangelist Wambui Garcia wrote.
The domestic cat is a revered animal in Islam, admired for its cleanliness as well as for being beloved by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
According to many hadiths, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prohibited the persecution and killing of cats.
One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions was even known as Abu Hurairah (literally: “Father of the Kitten”) for his attachment to cats.
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