A Hadeeth mentions that a man entered Paradise for quenching the thirst of a dog. There are also similar Hadeeths in this regard; how can that be when the Hour has not yet taken place? Please explain.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

There are many authentic Hadeeths about matters that will happen on the Day of Resurrection such as the Hadeeth in question. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “A man saw a dog eating wet dust out of thirst, so, the man took his shoe and kept on pouring  water with it for the dog until he quenched the dog’s thirst. Allaah Thanked him and admitted him to Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked up until it died of hunger.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

There are two interpretations for these mentioned matters though the Hour is not yet established. An-Nawawi, May Allaah Have Mercy upon him, mentioned these two interpretations when he commented on the Hadeeth “Paradise and Hell were shown to me.” He said, “Al-Qaadhi ‘Iyaadh, May Allaah Have Mercy upon him, said, ‘Scholars said that it is possible that he actually saw them by Allaah The Almighty removing the veils and screens such as the case when he described Al-Aqsa mosque. The saying of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “across this wall” means in the direction of this wall or drawing a simile for the closeness of watching. It is said that it is possible to be a vision of knowledge and revelation by informing him of its details and matters which he did not previously know.”

Perhaps the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was narrating that those people will surely enter Paradise or Hell through a revelation from Allaah, and using past expression to assert the occurrence of something in the future is not awkward, as Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {The command of Allaah has come, so be not impatient for it. Exalted is He and High above what they associate with Him.} [Quran 16:1]

Allaah Knows best.