Today we will be discussing a very important and quite popular topic that has been misunderstood by many.

Islam and Animal Abuse

Let’s start off by stating that Islam is totally against any type of Abuse. In Islam, mistreating an animal is considered a sin. The Qur'an and guidance from the Prophet Muhammad, as recorded in hadith, give many examples and directives about how Muslims should treat animals.

The Qur'an describes that animals form communities, just as humans do:

"There is not an animal that lives on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but they form communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Lord in the end" (Qur'an 6:38).

The Quran further describes animals, and all living things, as Muslim--in the sense that they live in the way that Allah created them to live and obey Allah's laws in the natural world. Although animals do not have free will, they follow their natural, God-given instincts--and in that sense they can be said to "submit to God's will," which is the essence of Islam.

The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said, “Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without a just cause, God will hold him accountable on the Day of Judgment.”  The listeners asked, “O Messenger of God, what is a just cause?”  He replied, “That he will kill it to eat, not simply to chop off its head and then throw it away.”

Islam expects humankind to treat all animals (all living creatures - birds, sea creatures, and insects) with respect and dignity.  Prophet Muhammad continuously advised people to show kindness.  He forbade the practice of cutting tails and manes of horses, of branding animals at any soft spot, and of keeping horses saddled unnecessarily. 

If the Prophet saw, any animal over-burdened or ill fed he would speak mildly to the owner and say, “Fear God in your treatment of animals.”

However, refraining from physical cruelty is not enough; abstaining from mental cruelty is equally as important.  Even a bird’s emotional distress should be treated seriously.  One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions narrates, “We were on a journey and during the Prophet’s absence, we saw a bird with its two chicks; we took them.  The mother bird was circling above us in the air, beating its wings in grief.  When Prophet Muhammad returned he said, “Who has hurt the feelings of this bird by taking its chicks?  Return them to her.”

In another narration, a Companion of the Prophet came to him carrying baby chicks in his clothing and mentioned that the mother bird had hovered over them.  He was directed to return the chicks back to the same bush.

In pre Islamic times, pagan superstitions and polytheistic practices included acts of torture and cruelty to animals.  Islam condemned this and put a stop to all such practices.  When Prophet Muhammad and his companions migrated to Medina, they noticed that people cut off camels’ humps and the fat tails of sheep for food.  The Prophet forbade them from them from doing this and said, “Whatever is cut off an animal while it is still alive, is carrion and is unlawful to eat.”

In Islam, the rules pertaining to slaughtering animals are very strict and fixed.  Protecting animals from pain and undue suffering is paramount.

“God has ordained kindness (and excellence) in everything.  If the killing (of animals) is to be done, do it in the best manner, and when you slaughter, do it in the best manner by first sharpening the knife, and putting the animal at ease.”

Humankind must strike a balance in their treatment of animals.  All living creatures were put on this earth by God for our benefit.  They are not at the same level as human beings but neither should they be treated cruelly.  It is humankind’s responsibility to see that they have food, water, and shelter from the elements.  Living creatures must not be overburdened, abused, or tortured and doing so will surely result in God’s just punishment.  A true believer in God demonstrates his or her belief by respecting the entire creation, and Prophet Muhammad’s character and actions are a shinning example of respect for all that exists.

What’s also worth mentioning is that Islamic dietary law allows Muslims to eat meat. Certain animals are not allowed to be used as food, and when slaughtering, several guidelines must be followed to minimize the animal's suffering. Muslims are to recognize that when slaughtering, one is taking a life only by the permission of Allah in order to meet the need for food.