Animal Rights and Environmental Protection in Islam

By: Hassan Taha

1- Humans' attitudes towards animals are varied; there is a general tendency towards cuddly creatures and aversion to creepy- crawlies. Some people eat animals' meat, whereas others choose to be vegetarians.

Some people go on hunting expeditions for fun while others engage in poaching for financial gains. While others prefer children to pets, others prefer the latter to the former. As customary, Islam is always moderate.

2- Animals and man: if animals can't reason, can't talk, can they suffer? In 1926, Charles Hume founded the London Animal Society (later named the University Federation for Animal Welfare), which eventually made people think rationally about the suffering of animals.

Charles maintained that animals feel pain as men do. (Prophet Muhammad, PBUH, in many of his sayings indicated that animals suffer from pain as men do.

3 -Human Domination over other creatures: God says: "And He has made of service to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth; it is all from Him; in that are indeed signs for those who reflect." (45:13)

This verse does not suggest that man has a carte blanche to manipulate nature to the extent of disrupting its ecological system. However, it is a trust that we have to maintain and develop. God says: "To the Thamud People (We sent) Salih, one of their own brethren. He said: "O my people! Worship God: you have no other god but Him. It is He Who has created you from the earth and settled you therein

(to develop it)." (11:61)

It is the responsibility of human beings to make use of whatever God has created for them in a responsible manner. Since all things have been created for our benefit, it behooves us to do the following:

(a)Protect everything from damage i.e. care and nurture. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says: "No one plants a seedling or farms a land and after that, humans, animals and birds eat therefrom, except that God will reward him as though he gave it in charity." (Muslim)

(b) sustainable utilization and development for our benefit in keeping with their dignity as God's creation. God says: "There is not a thing but celebrates His praise and yet you understand not how they declare His glory! Verily He is Oft-Forbearing, Most Forgiving." (17:44)

(c ) thanking God for such blessings in a practical manner. God says: "And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): "if ye are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you. But if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed." (14:07)

(d) Putting into consideration that we all share many of the blessings of God. God says: "… and the earth moreover has He extended (to a wide expanse); He draws out therefrom its moisture and pasture, and the mountains has He firmly fixed – for use and convenience to you and your cattle." (79:30-33)

(e) keeping in mind that they are of great benefit to us. We read in the Qur'an: "And He has created horses, mules, and donkeys for

you to ride on as well as for adornment, and He has created

other things of which you have no knowledge." (16:08)

(f) meditation, consideration and contemplation: God says: "Do they not look at the camels, how they are made? And the sky how it is raised high? – and at the earth how it is spread out." (88:17-20)

4 -Code of conduct towards animals:)a( Since animals do not posses the faculty

to demand their rights, it is our obligation to render them kindness and consideration: Prophet Muhammad ordered his companions when traveling to let their camels graze. He said: "When you are journeying through a fertile land, go slowly in order to let your camels graze. When you pass through a barren and dry land, go quickly so that your animals don't get hungry and weak." (Muslim)

)b (Do not use backs of your camels as pulpits… (Abu Dawud)

)c ( It is our obligation to treat animals in a rightful manner: God says: "There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end." (6:38)

(d) Our treatment of animals will eventually determine our fate in the

Hereafter: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told his companions of a woman who was destined to hell

because of incarcerating a cat in a cage; she never fed it nor did she let

it go. (Bukhari) On the other hand, a woman was forgiven her sins

because of watering a dog. (Bukhari)

(e) Avoid using them as targets: When Ibn Umar visited Yahya bin Said, he

found the latter's sons aiming at a hen after tying it up. He untied the hen and

then said to Yahya: "Prevent your sons from tying this hen in order to kill it. For I have heard the Prophet forbidding killing

animals or other living things." (Bukhari)

(f) We are allowed to kill edible Halal animals only for food. Even then, we have to kill them in such a way that we mitigate their pain. Prophet Muhammad said: "God has prescribed proficiency in all things. Thus if you kill, kill well, and if you slaughter, do it in a way that does not inflict much pain on the animal; Sharpen your blade (or whichever tool you use) so as to spare the animal much suffering." (Muslim)

Environmental Protection

1 -God says in the Holy Qur'an: "There is the type of man whose speech about his world's life may dazzle you, and he calls God to witness about what is in his heart; yet he is the most contentious of enemies. When he turns his back, his aim everywhere is to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But God loves not mischief." (2:204-205)

2- Prophet's advice to Muslim soldiers before any military expedition: “Fight only against your enemy and not against women, children or elderly people. Monks, priests and other religious people in their monasteries or houses of worship should not be harmed. Trees that belong to the enemy should not be cut or set on fire. …

… B y no means should animals be targeted or slaughtered except for food.”

3- God's wisdom in creation: God has ordained that His creatures shall be of service to each other. Over exploitation, abuse, misuse, destruction and pollution of natural resources are all transgressions against the divine scheme. We read in the Qur'an: "Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them." (21:16)

4 -Elements of Nature:

)a (Water: God says: "We made from water every living thing." (21:30) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Muslims should share the following three things viz. water, pasture and fire." (Muwatta'a Ma'lik)

**Do not waste water (Prophet's advice to Saad)

)b (Air: all terrestrial creatures are utterly dependent on the air they breath. Apart from inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, the air has other functions as well. God says: "… and We sent the fertilizing winds." (15:22)

**Any action that leads to the pollution of nature is unlawful in Islam.

)c ( Land and Soil: Almost all the wars that are fought are either to seize some people's land or claim the land that was taken wrongfully. Humans cannot achieve any development without land. (from where do we get minerals?) God says: "… and the earth, moreover, has He extended (to a wide expanse) … for use and convenience to you and your cattle."

(79:30 - 33)

**The earth was declared as a place of worship for Prophet Muhammad

(PBUH)… **We should thank God for all the

blessings that He has conferred upon us by maintaining and developing the soil productivity, avoid exposing it to erosion either by wind or floods, building, farming, grazing, forestry, mining, etc.

(d) Plants and animals: they are living things of great benefit to us. God says:

"Then let man consider his nourishment: that We pour down the rain in showers, and We split the earth in fragments, and

therein make the grain to grow, and vines and herbs, and olives and palms, and

gardens of dense foliage, and fruits and fodder – provision for you and your

cattle." (80:24)

** Benefits of plants: They enrich the soil and protect it from erosion by wind and

water, they conserve the water by detaining its runoff, they moderate the climate and

produce the oxygen which we inhale. They are also of immense value as medicines, perfumes, fibers, fuel, timber, waxes, etc.

God says: “He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold! You

kindle therewith (your own fires)" (36:80)

We should be grateful to God We should be grateful to God and use His blessings to us and use His blessings to us

wisely.wisely.

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