Animal Rights in Islam

[itsme01]

:salam:

Animals were not ignored and were given many rights in Islam. For instance, when the Prophet saw a donkey with a branded face, he said, “Have you not heard that I have cursed anyone who brands an animal on its face or who hits it on its face?” (Muslim).

The Prophet once said that a woman was sent to Hell because of a cat that she imprisoned, neither feeding it nor setting it free to hunt for its own food. On the other hand, the Prophet said, a man went to Paradise for giving water to a dog in the desert that was panting out of thirst.

The Prophet forbade that knives should be sharpened in front of animals before slaughtering. In addition, the slaughtering of an animal before another was prohibited. This is clear in one of the Prophetic sayings: “God calls for mercy in everything, so be merciful when you kill and when you slaughter: sharpen your blade to relieve its pain” (Al-Bukhari).

** “Who has distressed this bird by taking its young?”**

One of the Companions related this incident: When they were traveling with the Prophet, they found a bird with its young ones, so they took them from their mother. The bird came and started flapping its wings, so the Prophet asked, “Who has distressed this bird by taking its young? Return them to it at once” (Al-Bukhari).

Animal rights were affirmed by the Prophet when he said that anyone who took a living thing as a target is cursed. Forcing animals to fight till one gores the other was also strictly banned, for animals have feelings and this would be definite torture for them.

Source: http://www.islamonline.net/english/introducingislam/Worship/Heart/article10.shtml]

** Jazak’Allah Khair**