ANIMAL WELFARE IN ISLAM
In my teenage years, I have always wondered how people could act inhumane towards helpless creatures, stories we heard are enough to scare one for life.
Mercy is indeed a virtue and that entangles with piety, consideration, love and care for helpless beings. Allah Himself is merciful and his mercy shines on all of His creations. All creatures on earth were placed together for a purpose. Animals might not be on the same level as humans but were we told to treat them with cruelty?
We always preach animal welfare, we even made laws enforced but again do we practice those laws? Yes! Agreed we are the smartest creatures on earth but of what importance is that if we can't feel their pain and see how much they have to endure.
I hear a lot of people saying animals can't talk but they never asked if they do suffer. Everyday, animals are abused, abandoned and neglected, this includes pets, stray animals, those in the zoos caged for fashion, the ones in the forest hunted for skin, those in the circus tied to chains at night and forced to act smart during show time etc. Animals can't talk but that doesn't mean they can't be fed up from being treated like slaves.
Cruelty is unacceptable in Islam and there is no place for cruelty in any religion. I believe suffering and destruction are all it brings. You must have heard of the story of the Giants and how they connived to kill a she-camel, Allah's wrath destroyed them all for disobeying His commands, aside from disobeying their Lord, the lesson one should qoute from the story of the Giants is the importance of compassion to animals, they are more of an Amana to us.
Thus Animal welfare has long been emphasized even before the emergence of the animal rights movements. The Sunnah teaches us to treat animals with kindness and respect.
According to ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him ) the messenger of Allah (SAW) once saw a donkey with a branded muzzle and he said may Allah curse the one who marked this animal (reported by Muslim - Sahih). Millions of animals are abused or killed without a reasons. It will cost nothing to be more compassionate. Extinction is real, you might not find them again someday so appreciate them and show love!
By Zainab's Madugu Muhammad, DVM I, UDUS.
In my teenage years, I have always wondered how people could act inhumane towards helpless creatures, stories we heard are enough to scare one for life.
Mercy is indeed a virtue and that entangles with piety, consideration, love and care for helpless beings. Allah Himself is merciful and his mercy shines on all of His creations. All creatures on earth were placed together for a purpose. Animals might not be on the same level as humans but were we told to treat them with cruelty?
We always preach animal welfare, we even made laws enforced but again do we practice those laws? Yes! Agreed we are the smartest creatures on earth but of what importance is that if we can't feel their pain and see how much they have to endure.
I hear a lot of people saying animals can't talk but they never asked if they do suffer. Everyday, animals are abused, abandoned and neglected, this includes pets, stray animals, those in the zoos caged for fashion, the ones in the forest hunted for skin, those in the circus tied to chains at night and forced to act smart during show time etc. Animals can't talk but that doesn't mean they can't be fed up from being treated like slaves.
Cruelty is unacceptable in Islam and there is no place for cruelty in any religion. I believe suffering and destruction are all it brings. You must have heard of the story of the Giants and how they connived to kill a she-camel, Allah's wrath destroyed them all for disobeying His commands, aside from disobeying their Lord, the lesson one should qoute from the story of the Giants is the importance of compassion to animals, they are more of an Amana to us.
Thus Animal welfare has long been emphasized even before the emergence of the animal rights movements. The Sunnah teaches us to treat animals with kindness and respect.
According to ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him ) the messenger of Allah (SAW) once saw a donkey with a branded muzzle and he said may Allah curse the one who marked this animal (reported by Muslim - Sahih). Millions of animals are abused or killed without a reasons. It will cost nothing to be more compassionate. Extinction is real, you might not find them again someday so appreciate them and show love!
By Zainab's Madugu Muhammad, DVM I, UDUS.
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