YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE IN ALLAH’S MESSENGER

Kind Treatment of Animals and Birds

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was merciful and kind to all creatures, not human beings only.  It was never know for him to have hurt a creature or an animal he rides like Camel or horse or donkey or mule,  by hitting it or not giving her food and water, or over loading the animal, in fact forbad us from doing such things. 

Indeed, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him commanded us to be kind and even charitable to animal for Allah the Highest holds us to account for it as with human beings.

Allah the Highest rewards us for being kind to animals, giving it food and drink or helping is carry a load, as He does when we are charitable to human beings.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “You may give and be rewarded for charity for every thing that has a wet liver (living)”.  (B: Musaqah; 9 & M: Salam; 153)

That is to say that one is rewarded for charity to any living creature, for we are all Allah’s creation.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “While a dog was going around a well, almost dying from thirst, a prostitute from the prostitutes of the children of Israel saw him.  She took her shoe off, filled it with water, and gave it the dog to drink, and she was forgiven for this”.  (M: Salam; 155 & A: 2; 507)  Allah the Highest rewarded this prostitute greatly by forgiving her all her sins.

On the contrary, Allah the Highest punishes humans for mistreating animals.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “A woman was punished because of a cat.  She imprisoned the cat until it died, and she was sent to the Fire for it; she did not feed and water it when she kept her in, nor did she leave it to eat from the vermin of the Earth”.  (M: Ber; 133 & B: Anbya; 54 & Ma: Eqamah; 152)

Imam Muslim, Ahmed and Abu Dawood narrated: One day, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him went into one of the fruit gardens of one of the Ansar (supporters).   There was a camel there, which went to him making noises, with tears from his eyes.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him put stroked his head and wiped his tears, which settled him down.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Who is the owner of this Camel?” A man from the Ansar came and said: “It is min Allah’s messenger”.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “You should fear Allah concerning this animal Allah made you in possession of, he complained to me that you make it hungry and tire it out”. 

Also Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him forbad the Muslims from using Animals and birds as targets to shot at.  It is alright to hunt animals we are going to eat or others that do us harm in the wild.  It is forbidden however to keep animals or birds and raise them to be used as targets for sport hunting.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him told us not to kill an animal unless it is for eating its flesh, or if it is harmful, like a snake, rate, scorpion, cockroach etc.

Even killing animals and birds to eat, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him commanded us to be merciful, to kill swiftly with a sharp knife in order not to hurt the creature.  Also not to kill an animal while other is seeing or even smelling its blood.

Indeed, Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him told us that Allah’s Mercy is often a consequence of our mercy to other creatures, humans, animals, birds etc, he said: “Allah has mercy on the merciful of his slaves”.  (B: Eman; 9 & M: Janaez; 9)

Also Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Be merciful to those on Earth, He who is in the heavens will have mercy upon you”. (B: Adab; 90 & Ma: Zohd; 13 & Mal: Jehad; 36)

The mercy in both Hadith did not specify human beings, but was general to all creatures.

Mercy and Kind treatment of animals, birds and all creatures is one of Allah’s messenger’s characters which Allah the Highest called “SUPREME CHARACTER”.  It is of his example prayer and peace upon him which we should follow.

Prayer and peace be upon our messenger Mohamed and upon his family and companions.

Dr. Ahmed Saafan

B: Bukhari    M: Muslim     Mal: Malek    A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi