In a hadith, it is mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered to kill a lizard and said: It was blowing on the fire that was kindled against Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3359
Based on this hadith, two objections are raised:
◄ How is it possible that a tiny creature, which is afraid even to go near the fire, could blow on such a large fire and cause it to intensify!
◄ If that lizard had intensified the fire, then why is the punishment being given to the lizards that come later? In this regard, this hadith also contradicts the verse of the Holy Quran ﴿وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ﴾
Reference: Al-An'am: 164
Translation: No soul shall bear the burden of another.➊ First Point
There are five hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ regarding killing a lizard, narrated by the following companions: Sayyida Umm Shareek (Ghuzayyah)
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3359, Sahih Muslim: 2237
, Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqqas
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 3306, Sahih Muslim: 2238
, Hazrat Abu Hurairah
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2240
, Umm al-Mu'mineen Aisha
Reference: Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq: 8656
, and Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas'ud
Reference: Musnad Ahmad: 3984, Sahih Ibn Hibban: 5630
, may Allah be pleased with them all. Therefore, the command from the Prophet ﷺ to kill the lizard is definitely established.➋ Second Point
In Islam, the value of an animal's life is not equal to that of a human. According to Islam, a human life is far more respected and precious than that of an animal. This is why there is no system of Qisas (retribution) or Diyat (blood money) for the killing of an animal. This honor for humans is from the Creator who created both humans and animals. The Holy Quran states:
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا
Reference: Al-Isra: 70
Translation: And indeed, We have honored the children of Adam and carried them on land and sea and provided them with good things and preferred them greatly over many of those We created.
All this honor for humankind is only because it is the trustee of Allah Almighty, meaning the bearer of His revelation, while other creatures refused to bear this trust out of fear. The Holy Quran states:
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ
Reference: Al-Ahzab : 72
Translation: Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man undertook to bear it.
But on the other hand, Islam does not command the killing of animals without reason; rather, it only commands the killing of those animals that possess bad traits or cause harm to human life because the preservation of humanity is more important than animals. In fact, everything in the heavens and the earth is subjugated for humans and assigned to serve them. The Divine command is:
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ
Reference: Luqman : 20
Translation: Have you not seen that indeed Allah has subjected whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth for you.
➌ Third point
To say how a small insect can ignite a fire, it should be noted that in Islam, reward and punishment are based not on the results but on the effort. It is not important here how much fire this lizard ignited or did not ignite. What matters is whether it made every possible effort to ignite the fire or not. The hadith only mentions that it blew on the fire to ignite it. It does not mention that the fire was ignited solely by its blowing! This is further clarified by the narration of Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), in which it is mentioned that the frog was extinguishing the fire of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) while the lizard was blowing on the fire. This indicates that although the fire was not going to be extinguished by the frog’s efforts, since it made its share of effort in this regard, it was rewarded by the Shariah forbidding the killing of the frog.
Reference: Musannif Abd al-Razzaq: 8656
➍ Fourth point
As far as the claim of contradiction between the hadith and the verse is concerned, it is entirely based on misunderstanding. The first point is that the verse pertains to humans because the burden mentioned in the verse is the burden of sins, and it is known and agreed upon that sins and rewards do not apply to animals since they are not accountable under Shariah. The second point is that every animal has some virtues and some flaws, and those virtues or flaws are found in every animal of that species. Some animals are famous for loyalty and bravery, while others are known for cunningness and disloyalty. In this hadith as well, the punishment of that one lizard's mistake is not imposed on all lizards; rather, blowing on the fire to kill that lizard points to a bad trait present in it—that this insect or animal, instead of supporting Allah’s righteous servants, seeks to harm them. Now, since this bad trait is found in all lizards, the order to kill them was given.
➎ Fifth Point
In some hadiths, another reason for killing this lizard is also mentioned, and that is that it is considered ’’فُوَيْسِق‘‘
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2238
. "فُوَيْسِق” is derived from the word "fasiq." In the lexicon, the meaning of fasiq is "one who goes out." Among humans, a fasiq is one who goes out of obedience to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, while among animals, a fasiq is one that goes beyond the limits of moderation and causes harm to people. Scholars have mentioned several ways in which the lizard causes harm, among which damaging human food is notable. Besides this, modern science today also proves that the lizard causes the transmission of certain bacteria that lead to intestinal diseases, among which Salmonella bacteria is notable.➏ Sixth Point
In Islam, the command to kill certain animals does not mean the extinction of their species, nor that killing them becomes a daily occupation for a Muslim. Rather, the purpose is that any such animal that appears should be killed. Otherwise, if the aim was to eradicate the species, these animals would not exist today, and the people of earlier times, who followed the Hadiths more strictly than us, would have already fulfilled this obligation.
➐ Seventh Point
Although Islam has commanded the killing of the lizard, the aspect of mercy in Shariah is also highlighted in its killing. Shariah has instructed that it should be killed in the best manner, without causing pain or suffering. The reward for killing it is prescribed in such a way that whoever kills it with a single blow will receive greater reward
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2240
because it causes less pain. This also shows that the purpose of Shariah is not to take revenge on or cause suffering to this animal, but this command is given solely for the benefit of humans.
