slam does not encourage cruelty towards pigs and dogs
Aisha Stacey
Translator: A group of translators
1434 - 2013
شبهات حول حقوق الحيوانات: القسوة ضد الحيوانات النجسة
عائشة ستايسي
ترجمة: مجموعة من المترجمين
1434 - 2013
 
Description: Islam does not encourage cruelty towards pigs and dogs.
Islam is a religion devoted to the concept of grace. Muslims are urged to be merciful to one another, to all people, to animals and even to the environment. God is the Most Merciful and all grace comes from Him. When the Prophet Muhammad described the grace of God, he used the metaphor of a mother animal being merciful to her offspring.
“And We sent you only out of mercy for all the worlds.” (Quran 21:107)
Islam is also concerned with preserving and securing rights. Shariah, or the laws of God, as embodied in the Quran and the authentic traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, strive to protect rights. Human beings have both rights and responsibilities. One of these duties is to uphold the animals' rights to safety, security and friendly treatment. We are responsible before God to ensure that the rights of animals are upheld and respected. Cruelty to animals is a serious sin and can result in severe punishment.
“A woman was tortured and thrown into hell because of a cat she had locked up until it died of starvation.” Prophet Muhammad, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, said: "She did not give her food or water when she was imprisoned, nor did she release her to feed on the insects of the earth."
It is true that God created certain animals to be unclean, particularly the dog and the pig. However, this is not a license for cruelty. Uncleanness simply indicates that certain precautions must be taken and special rules must be followed when handling these animals. Treating animals, dogs included, with kindness can lead to great rewards; just like cruel treatment of animals can send a person to hellfire.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of God be upon him) said: “As a man was walking, he felt thirsty, and he went down into a well and drank from it. When he came out, he saw a dog panting and eating the sand because of thirst. The man said: 'This (dog) suffers from the same problem as me. Then he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water, held it with his teeth, climbed up and gave the dog the water. God thanked him for this (good) deed and forgave him his sins.” The people asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is there a reward for us when we give to animals?” He replied, “Yes, there is a reward for every living creature.”
God has made it abundantly clear that the flesh of the pig is unclean and that the dog is an unclean animal. Undoubtedly there is divine wisdom behind all this; However, a Muslim willingly surrenders to God's commands without knowing the reason behind the divine command. Furthermore, God has specifically said that a believer hears and obeys the words of his Lord.
“‘We hear and we obey.’ And they are the ones who will prosper (and who will enter paradise forever).” (Quran 24:51)
Hearing and obeying the laws sent down by God cannot be interpreted as a license to be cruel to any living being. Although pigs and dogs can obviously harm human beings, as pork can transmit many diseases and bacteria or cause disease in packs of dogs, there is no justification for being cruel to them.
Prophet Muhammad ordered the extermination of the dogs of Medina and the reason for this was that the dogs at that time were infected with rabies. Rabies, as is well known, is an acute and fatal infectious disease that causes seizures in humans and ultimately leads to death. There were no animal shelters and no vaccinations for sick dogs; therefore, killing the dogs was the only feasible way to protect people from harm.
“My father (one of the companions of Prophet Muhammad) said: “During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, dogs used to urinate and walk (come and go...) through the mosques.”
Islam is clear about the rights of animals; they should be treated with mercy and kindness; however, it is important to remember that animals were created for the benefit of humanity. It's not us ht allowed to mistreat them or to burden them beyond their abilities. On the other hand, it cannot be accepted to consider the life of an animal on the same level or higher than the life of humans. Therefore, it is permissible to slaughter certain animals for food or out of necessity; It is also permitted to use animals to advance medical science. In both cases, cruelty is forbidden.
Humanity is permitted to use animals to satisfy its legitimate needs, but not its baser desires. Any experimentation for luxury purposes is prohibited. A believer must be sure that the flesh he is has been humanely slaughtered.
Umar ibn Al Khattab, the second leader of Muslims after the death of Prophet Muhammad, saw a person pulling a goat by its leg to slaughter it. He said to him, “May ruin overtake you, slaughter them in a proper manner.” Umar told people that animals should not be treated harshly or unkindly. He expressed his concern for animals and his fear that God will question him about his treatment of animals by saying, “If a camel stumbles in the valleys of the Euphrates, I fear that God will question me about it.”
Humanity has been appointed as stewards of God's creation on this earth. Treating animals with kindness and mercy is just one of the duties embedded in this administration. The unclean status of some animals does not affect their right to live free from pain and suffering.