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Islam teaches us to respect
all living things. It enjoins kindness to animals. Animals, just like
people, are entitled to receive charity. Once a man asked the Prophet
(peace be upon him): Is there a reward for the charity that we give to
animals? He answered: "For every being possessing a moist liver, there
is a reward." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]
The Prophet (peace be upon
him) told us of a prostitute who earned Allah’s forgiveness for showing
mercy to a dog. She had found it panting and swallowing up dirt out of
severe thirst, so she went down to a well and filled her sock with water
and gave it to the dog to drink. Allah was grateful to this woman and
rewarded her with Paradise. [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]
Likewise, the Prophet
(peace be upon him) informs us of how a woman earned Allah’s wrath for her
mistreatment of a cat. She entered the Hellfire on account of a cat that
she imprisoned, neither feeding it nor letting it hunt for food. [Sahîh
al-Bukhârî]
When we slaughter an animal
for food, we must do so in the best, most humane manner possible. The
Prophet (peace be upon him)) said, “When you kill, you should kill well,
and when you slaughter, you should slaughter well. Sharpen your knife and
give relief to your slaughtered animal. [Sunan Abî Dâwûd]
The Prophet (peace be upon
him) even forbade the cursing of animals: Once, while the Prophet (peace be
upon him) was on a journey, he heard a woman invoke Allah’s curse upon a
camel that she was riding. He said: “Offload the camel and let it go, since
it has been cursed.” [Sahîh Muslim]
Location: Islamtoday
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