In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] and Animal Rights (for 8 years old and more)
In that age when men were often cruel to each other, Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] taught his companions, that one should be kind to all living things, animal or plant, since they are all part of Allah's creation.
Prophet Muhammad's [PBUH] mercy and compassion was so deep that animals, even plants would benefit from his existence as their guardian.
"Fear Allah [SWT] with regard to animals", said Prophet Muhammad [PBUH], "ride them when they are fit to be ridden, and get off their backs when they are tired; surely, there are rewards for being kind and gentle to animals, and for giving them water to drink."
Our Prophet has taught that in the eyes of Almighty Allah [SWT], animals also have rights in the same way as man has. They should not be treated badly, tortured or left to starve without food or water.
Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] was asked, "O Messenger of Allah [SWT], are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?" Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] replied: “There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human”.
He [PBUH] said: “A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its excessive thirst. The man said, ‘This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt’. So he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink. So, Almighty Allah [SWT] forgave his sins.”
Once a day, a man brought the chick of a bird to the gathering of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] and his companions, and they noticed that the parent of the chick was following it, flapping around it. When the man sat down its parent threw itself upon its chick, and did not concern itself with the danger, out of care towards its chick. This astonished the companions. Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] then turned to his companions said: “Are you amazed at this bird? You have taken its chick and it threw itself into danger out of mercy for the chick! I swear by Allah [SWT], your Lord is more merciful to you than this bird is to its chick”. Then he asked the man to let the chick go.
Even the means of slaughtering animals in Islam is done in a way which will bring minimal pain to the animal. Is not it amazing that these laws came about 1400 years ago. Yet, we are still struggling to keep animals from being abused and mistreated.
