Muhammad's attitude towards animals
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This article is about the Islamic prophet Muhammad's attitude towards animals.
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[edit] Qur'an
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In the Qur'an, most of the time umma means a human religous community but in verse 6:38 means genera of animals.[1]
[edit] Sunnah
Muhammad limited benefits derived at the cost of animal suffering. He asked his followers to sharpen the blade when slaughtering animals.[2] "Animals are not to be caged or beaten unnecessarily, or branded on the face, or allowed to fight each other for human entertainment. They must not be mutilated while they are alive, which forbids vivisection."[3] While it is permitted to kill a cock, Muhammad forbade reviling it "because it performs the religious function of awakening the Faithful at the time of prayer." [4] Muhammad advised his followers to treat animals, particularly mounts, well for they will have to give account of any cruelty they inflicted on them in the next world. [4]
According to the hadith of Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and Sunan Abu Dawud, Muhammad commanded Muslims to kill all dogs and sent men to kill them.[5][6] Later this command was limited to apply only to black-colored dogs, which he called devils.[7][8]
In Muslim culture hyenas, bats, geckos, snakes, and other reptiles as well as insects are considered to be ugly, dangerous, vicious, but also powerful and often ambivalent. The scorpion is considered as an embodiment of demons and evil spirits. In hadith literature, it is reported from Muhammad that he issued advice to kill the sinful (fawasiq) animal even within the holy area (haram) of Mecca.[9]
According to the hadith of Sahih Muslim, Muhammad forbade Muslims to kill ants and cats, and commanded Muslims to kill geckos.[10]
[edit] Non-Muslim views
William Montgomery Watt, a 21st century non-Muslim Islamic scholar asserted that Muhammad's kindness to animals was remarkable for his time and that part of the world. Regarding this kindness, for example Watt states
| As his men marched towards Mecca just before the conquest they passed a bitch with puppies; and Muhammad not merely gave orders that they were not to be disturbed, but posted a man to see that the orders were carried out." [11] Muhammad also informed a prostitute who had seen a thirsty dog hanging around a well one day, and given it water to drink, that all her sins were forgiven, M. Forward, Professor of Religious Studies at Aurora University and M. Alam state. [3] Muhammad however did not like dogs (and most Muslims do not have dogs as pets)[3].
His camel Qaswa, however, was very dear to him and he loved cats so much that "he would do without his cloak rather than disturb one that was sleeping on it" [12] |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Encyclopedia of the Qur'an, Community and Society and Qur'an, Vol. 1, p.371
- ^ P. Aarne Vesilind, Alastair S. Gunn, Engineering, Ethics, and the Environment, Cambridge University Press, p.301
- ^ a b c Susan J. Armstrong, Richard G. Botzler, The Animal Ethics Reader, p.237, Routledge (UK) Press
- ^ a b Encyclopedia of Islam, Haywan article, p.308, vol.3, p.308
- ^ Sahih Bukhari 4:54:540[1]
- ^ Sahih Muslim 10: 3809-3810, 3813[2]
- ^ - Sunan Abu Dawud 16:2839-2840[3]
- ^ Sahih Muslim 4:1032[4], 10:3813[5]
- ^ Jürgen Wasim Frembgen, Völkerkundemuseum. "The Scorpion in Muslim Folklore". Asian Folklore Studies, Volume 63, 2004: 95-123. Munich, Germany.
- ^ Sahih Muslim 26, Prohibiting of Killing the Ants, hadith number 5567 through 5569.
It is forbidden to kill the cat, hadith 5570 through 5576.
The Desirability of Killing a Gecko, hadith 5560 through 5566. - ^ Watt, Muhammad: Prophet and Statesman, Oxford University Press, 1961, [6]
- ^ Minou Reeves, Muhammad in Europe, New York University (NYU) Press, p.52
