Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … The narration reported by Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu has already been mentioned above; Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim have narrated it.

Sayyidah Aishah radi Allahu anha, in this hadith, declared that woman to be a disbeliever. However, in the narration from Sayyiduna Jabir radi Allahu anhu, as recorded in Musnad Ahmad and Sahih Muslim, it is mentioned that the woman was from the tribe of Himyar. In another narration in Sahih Muslim with the same chain, it is stated that this woman was from Bani Isra'il. Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: There is no contradiction in these narrations, because a group from the Himyar tribe had entered Judaism, so sometimes she is attributed to her religion and sometimes to her tribe. Hafiz Sahib further said: In the hadith of Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, it is mentioned that the woman was punished because she had imprisoned a cat. ‘Iyad said: It is also possible that the woman was a disbeliever and was actually punished with the fire, or that she was punished with the punishment of reckoning, because whoever is subjected to a detailed reckoning will be punished. It is also possible that the woman was a disbeliever and was punished due to her disbelief, but the punishment was increased because of her imprisoning the cat, or that the woman was a Muslim and was punished because of her crime against the cat. Imam Nawawi said: The apparent meaning is that the woman was a Muslim and entered the Fire because of the punishment she inflicted on the cat.

Sayyiduna Abu Darda radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “If you were forgiven for what you do to the animals, much would be forgiven for you.” (Musnad Ahmad: 6/441) … That is, if the wrongs you commit against animals were to be forgiven, (then know that) much would be forgiven for you.

This means that a person is also responsible for being gentle with animals; if someone oppresses an animal, he will be held accountable. Nowadays, those who deal with animals, such as traders, shepherds, etc., pay absolutely no attention to these principles of Islam.

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu reports that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Remove the loads from the camels, for their hands are tied and their legs are bound.” (Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah: 1130) … That is, unload the burdens from the camels, because in that state their hands and legs are tied.

The Islamic Shari‘ah has commanded kindness to every living being.

Of all the religions, faiths, and civilizations present in the world today, Islam is the only religion that first taught gentleness towards animals. We are justly proud of this fact. However, in this matter, this religion has also established some rulings that are irksome to the West and the Westernized class, and they use these as a basis to criticize Islam.

Shaykh al-Albani, after mentioning the texts related to the rights of animals in his Silsilah al-Sahihah, said: To our knowledge, these are the ahadith and reports related to this topic. It appears that the explanations the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave regarding gentleness to animals had an impact on the early generations of Muslims. The evidences we have mentioned should be considered as but a drop in the ocean.

It must be said with certainty that Islam is the religion that first taught gentleness towards animals. In contrast, some ignorant people think that the European disbelievers taught kindness to animals, whereas the reality is that whatever etiquettes the people of Europe received from the early Muslims, one of them was to be gentle with animals. Then they expanded upon this, went to extremes, organized and systematized it, and formed committees for it. As a result of their efforts, this virtue began to be attributed to them, and some ignorant people even thought that they were the originators of this trait. They were deluded in this because no such system is visible in the Islamic states, even though they were the most deserving of being characterized by this trait.

In some European countries, gentleness towards animals is found to the point of excess. I read the following example of their extremism under the title “Animal and Human” in Majalla Hilal, vol. 27, issue 9, p. 126:

Around 1950, bats had made layer upon layer of nests at the Copenhagen railway station. When it was decided to demolish the station building and reconstruct it, the municipality built a dome to prevent the bats from being scattered, spending thousands of pounds on it.

Three years ago, in a village in England, a puppy was born in a hole between two rocks. To rescue it, the authorities declared an emergency and assigned a hundred men to cut the rocks.

Since the time animals began to be used for scientific research, as when England sent a dog and America sent a monkey in their rockets or missiles, the general opinion in some areas has been that animals deserve such treatment. (Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah: 1/69, no. 30)

Reports and statements of the Companions and Followers:

These were the marfu‘ (Prophetic) ahadith related to this topic; now we present the reports of the Companions and Followers:

1. Musayyib bin Dar rahimahullah says: I saw ‘Umar bin al-Khattab radi Allahu anhu beating a camel driver and saying: Why do you load your camel with more than it can bear? (Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d 7/127)

2. ‘Asim bin ‘Ubaydullah rahimahullah says: A man sharpened his knife and took a goat to slaughter it. ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu struck him with a whip and said: Do you want to torture the soul?! Why did you not sharpen it before catching the goat? (Sunan al-Bayhaqi 9/280)

3. Muhammad bin Sirin rahimahullah says: ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu saw a man dragging a goat to slaughter it. He struck him with a whip and said: May your mother perish! Lead it to death in a good manner. (Sunan al-Bayhaqi: 9/281)

4. Wahb bin Kaysan rahimahullah says: Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhu saw a shepherd grazing sheep in a barren place. When Ibn ‘Umar saw a better pasture, he said: Woe to you, O shepherd! Move them, for I heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say: Every shepherd will be questioned about his flock. (Musnad Ahmad: 5869)

5. Mu‘awiyah bin Qurrah rahimahullah says: Abu Darda’ radi Allahu anhu had a camel called Damun. When someone borrowed it from him, he would specify the load, saying: Do not load it with more than such and such, for it cannot bear more than that. When Abu Darda’s death approached, he addressed his camel and said: O Damun! Do not dispute with me tomorrow before my Lord, for I never loaded you with more than you could bear. (Tarikh Dimashq Ibn ‘Asakir 47/185)

6. Abu ‘Uthman Thaqafi rahimahullah says: ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz rahimahullah had a servant who worked with his mule and would bring him one dirham every day. One day he brought one and a half dirhams. He said: How did this happen? The servant said: There was a boom in the market today. He said: No, rather you have overworked the mule! Let it rest for three days. (Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah: 30, and he said: Imam Ahmad narrated it in al-Zuhd: 19/59/1)

These are the ahadith and reports in which kindness to animals is commanded. Since Islam is a revealed religion, which consists of various rulings, among which some animals are made unlawful and some lawful, and those animals that can harm humans are commanded to be killed. All these matters are entirely dependent on the wisdom and knowledge of Allah Ta‘ala. As for those unlawful animals that are not commanded to be killed, gentleness towards them is also commanded; the examples of the cat and the dog have already been mentioned.

In this respect, Islam is a unique and singular religion, in which such conduct towards non-human creatures is made obligatory, and man is formally held responsible for this matter.