Animals in Islam: Lessons from the Hadith
Key Takeaways
The life of the Prophet (SAW) is filled with examples that illustrate the importance and dignified status of animals in Islam.
Islam describes all creatures as the family of Allah (SWT) and prescribes kindness and compassion for all. We are recompensed for our kindness or cruelty to animals in the same manner as kindness or cruelty to human beings.
Animals occupy such an important status in Islam that our treatment of them can decide our fate in the Hereafter. Thus, it is the responsibility of each Muslim to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (SAW) and be a source of mercy for all of Allah’s (SWT) creations.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was sent as a rahmah (mercy) for the whole world. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
“We have sent you ˹O Prophet˺ only as a mercy for the whole world.”
The life of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is filled with glorious examples of rahmah and compassion towards all living beings. These stories serve as lessons to all Muslims in guiding our conduct towards the creatures of the Almighty.
Let us explore some of these beautiful examples, as recorded in the books of Hadith and Sirah (Prophetic biography), to refresh our imaan (faith) and gain a deeper understanding of animal rights in Islam.
All creatures are the family of Allah (SWT)
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has declared that all the diverse creatures spread across the Earth are so precious to Allah (SWT) that He considers them His family.
He (SAW) says:
All of us yearn to be loved by the Almighty. This Hadith makes it clear that in order to achieve such a status, we must be kind to all His creatures, His family.
Animals should not be separated from their children
One of the most beautiful representations of the Prophet’s (SAW) merciful nature was when he could not bear to see a bird being separated from her children, and immediately ordered that they be reunited:
“Abdullah reported: We saw a red sparrow that had two chicks with her and we took her chicks, so the sparrow started to flap her wings. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us and he said, “Who has upset her by taking her children? Give her children back to her.” ”
If we are merciful to Allah’s (SWT) creatures, He will be merciful to us
All of us seek the mercy of Allah (SWT) in this life and the next. One of the best ways to obtain Allah’s (SWT) infinite mercy, is being merciful to other living beings.
This is expressed in a beautiful Hadith, in which a man says to the Prophet (SAW) that he was going to slaughter a sheep but then he refrained because he felt sorry for it. To this, the Prophet (SAW) replied:
We are rewarded for our kindness to animals
No act of kindness, no matter to whom it is done, is ever left unrewarded in Islam. Therefore, all our acts of kindness and charity towards animals will result in great returns in the Hereafter.
Kindness to an animal carries the same reward as kindness to a human
In Islam, a moral act done to an animal carries the same status as one that is done to a human being. The Prophet (SAW) expressed this as:
Thus, the moral status of animals is equal to that of human beings in Islam.
There is a reward even for indirect kindness to animals
Kindness to animals is such a praiseworthy act in Islam, that even if animals receive indirect benefit from us, we are rewarded for it. This is clear from the following Hadith:
Hurting an animal means inviting the curse of Allah (SWT)
Hurting or maiming an animal is strictly forbidden in Islam. So much so, that doing it invites the curse of the Almighty. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has said in this regard:
“May Allah curse the one who disfigures an animal.”
A similar message can be found in one of the sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS):
“Whoever curses an animal he himself will be cursed by God.”
We shall be held accountable for everything we do to animals
Every act, whether of kindness or cruelty, shall be asked about in the Hereafter. This is expressed in the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as:
Our treatment of animals can decide our fate in the Hereafter
The importance of ethical treatment toward animals in Islam can be discerned by the fact that our treatment of animals can decide our fate in the Hereafter.
Cruelty toward an animal can lead us straight into Hellfire:
Similarly, even the smallest acts of kindness to an animal can lead us into Heaven:
“While a man was walking on his way he became extremely thirsty. He found a well, he went down into it to drink water. Upon leaving it, he saw a dog that was panting out of thirst. His tongue was lolling out and he was eating moist earth from extreme thirst. The man thought to himself: ‘This dog is extremely thirsty as I was.’ So he descended into the well, filled up his leather sock with water, and holding it in his teeth, climbed up and quenched the thirst of the dog. Allah forgave him in appreciation of this act and admitted him to Jannah.”
Following in the Prophet’s (SAW) footsteps
Allah (SWT) has declared Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as the example for Muslims to follow in life. He states in the Qur’an:
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
Therefore, it is the responsibility of each of us to not just learn from these beautiful stories but to put their lessons into practice.
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