ANIMALS IN ISLAM AND THEIR RIGHTS/Animal care and welfare

ANIMALS IN ISLAM AND THEIR RIGHTS
ANIMAL CARE AND WELFARE IN ISLAM

In Islam we are taught that…

-God Almighty has created/ made, mankind, animals and all the universe.

-Man is the Vicegerent of GOD/khalifah and is placed in charge of all the creatures like animals

-This status gives man a great responsibility/accountability and he should be caring for what
is placed under his control.

– Man was created directly from dust/sand,Animals were created separately,
This means that:
Darwin Theory is a theory/a myth and is not correct!
Evolution of man from animals is not a true fact and is not accepted in Islam
But some “evolution” did occurs in the same species: in both:man and animals.
Muslims believe in the unique separate creation of each species.

– Each animal should be treated with gentlness and respect,love and care.(RIFQ)

-The Holy Book: AL QUR’AN and the Sayings/AHADITH and the behaviour of the final prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him) contain a lot of details on ANIMALS and how to treat them?

– Several chapters in the Holy Book AL QUR’AN are named/titled after the animals or some insects,for example: the COW(biggest chapter),The Cattle,The Ant,The Bees,The Spider, The Elephant … and many other animals which were mentioned include :sheep, goat, camel, horse, donkey, fish, birds,frog,monkey,whale and so on..

-Every kind of animal is a COMMUNITY like us,according to the Qur’an.
(“THERE IS NO ANIMAL ON EARTH,NOR BIRD WHICH FLIES ON WINGS,BUT THEY ARE
COMMUNITIES LIKE YOU!
WE HAVE NEGLECTED NOTHING IN THE BOOK,THEN TO THEIR LORD THEY WILL BE GATHERED!”) Chapter 6/verse 38

COMMUNITY means that each kind of animal(& insect), has its own unique way of eating, sleeping, reproduction, language, recreation, social life, feelings, needs (culture
and habits…) which should be studied, respected ,protected then fully facilitated!
(Communities of :horse,sheep,cow,birds,whale,seal,monkey,dog,fish,chicken,bear,donkey,spider,bees,
elephant,cat,butterfly etc….)

-Every animal praises God the Creator…!(each has his/her own way of serving
and praising God(prayer)..but we do not understand it,as mentioned in the
QUR’AN).

-Animals have got souls.

-Animals will be raised on the Day of Judgment, man will be questioned by
God, if he/she has mistreated any animal in their life and justice will be
given to every animal and punishment for the wrong doer…!

-Many animals go to Heaven!

-In Islam, Muslims are ordered to give each animal:
his/her RIGHTS:
-natural food(no animal protein to the vegeterian animals which we do eat,no Genetically modified food…) and to protect them from any filthy harmful food/chemicals…
-water( natural/safe)
– natural conception/pregnancy,offsprings ,motherhood and breast feeding
-security/shelter and safety and protection from wild carniverous animals
-protection from cold/rain/drought…
-To be used for what GOD has created it( its natural function):for example not to ride a cow.. but ride a horse.
-to be treated when affected by any illness.(vet)
-to live among its own community/society.
-freedom to some extent: access to sun air space and opportunity for: flying jumping and playing(recreation).
-Healthy living:no bad unnatural diet,no hormones and antibiotics no dangerous chemicals.
-right for its “complaint and be heard”!
-right to have justice especially on the Day of Judgment
-right for a gentle humane care and welfare.

THE 5 FREEDOMS OF THE FARM ANIMAL WELFARE COUNCIL ARE GRANTED AND GUARANTEED TO EVERY ANIMAL IN ISLAM:

Freedom from hunger and thirst,freedom from discomfort,freedom from pain injury and disease,freedom to express normal behaviour,freedom from fear and distress
(these RIGHTS and Freedoms, are based on some verses in the Holy BOOK AL QUR’AN and some AHADITH/Sayings and stories which occured with the prophet Muhammad,peace be upon him/see later)

(also if you look and search the internet,you will find :

Under ANIMAL CARE AND WELFARE IN ISLAM: 1,090,000 sites/studies
Under ANIMAL RIGHTS IN ISLAM : 4,610,000 sites/studies .
This is true mainly in domestic animals and the animals which we are allowed to
eat and consume.(but other wild animals to be protected in their own communities)

-Any cruelty/harsh treatment or infliction of pain to any animal is forbidden in Islam and is a SIN and is punishable,as in fox hunting, bull fighting, cock fighting, factory farming, caging/imprisoning, painful unnecessary vivisection/ most animal experiments, cloning,stunning before slaughter, hitting, deprivation from food or water, carrying heavy weight, misuse and abuse(e.g use as target to hit/shoot at),branding , docking of dogs tails, maternal deprivation, the cruel seal hunting,exposure to cold/rain/hot weather…etc

-Keeping every kind of animal alive / protection of the species, is recommended in Islam, as done in Noah’s Ark before!(Preservationof the species).

-A person can go to Heaven/Paradise even for just providing food/drink to a
needy animal!

A person can go to Hell just because of cruelty or food deprivation to an animal ! (as stated by the prophet Muhammad,peace be upon him).

-There is a reward in offering food or water to any animal,as the prophet said!

-The prophet MUHAMMAD(peace be upon him)/the teacher: here is some STORIES in brief from his life:

* Was angry one day when he discovered a mother bird distressed
and agitated because someone had taken her babies and he said: “who has distressed
this mother by taking her babies! give her back her babies..!”
*Was angry when a cat was locked inside the house and died from starvation?
He said the owner is in hell!
*Defended a weak camel who was suffering and in tears and complaining … he told the owner:fear Allah with this animal..do not make him hungry or suffer..!
*Cursed who use the animal as a target to shoot at.
*Prohibited the hitting of the animal especially on the face!
*Prohibited to provoke fight between animals,as in cock fighting.
*Opposed the use the animal for different function,like riding the cow…
*Opposed the harsh cruel pulling of a sheep from the ears..
* Treated a sick dog…
*Opened the door for a cat,who was scratching it, while he was in prayer..
*Opposed the burning of a colony of aunts..(burning any animal or man are forbidden)
*Changed the direction of the army one day to a different road ,when he saw on his way a dog in labour/ giving birth , and tried to avoid disturbing her…!
* Gave many Sayings/Ahadith ,ordering us to treat each animal gently,with utmost care and welfare…as the way to Heaven..!

We should not forget also that the prophet Muhammad himself was a shepherd and he looked very well after the sheeps..with best care and welfare(organic natural farming);
etc……etc…..

-The Khalifah (president) Omar Bin Khattab, used to say:

” I will be worried if I will be punished on the Day of Judgment when the animals complain to GOD that they could not walk properly on the roads during their lives
because Khalifah Omar did not fix/smooth the road for them!”

-In early Islam:A charitable trust (WAQF) was established in order to look after
animals,especially those homeless, injured or disabled animals…!

-Abu Hourayrah one of the most famous companions of the prophet
Muhammad(peace be upon him) and narrators of Hadith/prophet’s sayings,used to look after kitten/hourayrah..this is why he was called Abu Hourayrah(the father of kittens).

-Treating a sick animal is a duty on every muslim and is highly rewarded!

– Killing an animal for food, should be done quickly, painlessly and
without any suffering ( as it happens in Religious slaughter, without
the use of any stunning )/please see separate scientific religious articles on stunning.
It is an order by the prophet Muhammad,when someone is killing an animal(domestic/wild),to do it PAINLESSLY and without causing any pain or torture to the animal before final death..

-pork/porcine substance and carniverous animals are prohibited to eat.

-Cats can be kept inside the house as a domestic pet,but not dogs…as they are NAJIS/unclean,cause some diseases,bites and injuries and deaths,noise/complaints/court cases and many other marietal/family problems.
However a person can go to Heaven for providing water to a thirsty deprived dog…according to the prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him)….

( ALL THESE ARE THE BELIEFS OF 1400 MILLION MUSLIMS IN THE WORLD!)

Now there is a great need to establish here in the UK/ West :
Islamic organisations for animal care and welfare and Islamic animal rights organisations which are based on the rich sources of the Holy Islamic Scriptures:

Because: many Muslims/and most non Muslims, do not know or are not aware of the fascinating Rights and the welfare of the animals in Islam …and because animals today are suffering a lot of CRUELTY and ABUSE in our society!

British muslims(about two million), should join also the many animal welfare organisations who are campaigning sincerely for the welfare and care of the animals,and should join in many of their campaigns and activities like:

The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals(RSPCA)
Farm Animal Welfare Council
Compassion in world farming
International fund for Animal welfare
etc………

DR A.MAJID KATME (MBBCh,DPM)

Muslim Spokesman on Halal meat/Religious slaughter(DHABH)
Muslim Campaigner for animal care and welfare

Spokesman:Islamic Medical Association/UK

Tel: 0208 345 6220 M: 07944 240 622

Address: 31 North Circular Road Palmers Green London N13 5EG UK

E-mail: akatme@hotmail.com

NB: I am available for interview/talk or any query.
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