This document discusses animal rights and environmental protection in Islam. It outlines Islamic principles regarding the treatment of animals, including showing kindness to animals, avoiding harming them, and killing them humanely for food. It also discusses environmental stewardship in Islam, such as protecting natural resources like water, air, land and plants. Muslims are instructed to use resources sustainably and avoid pollution, destruction or overexploitation of the environment. The document emphasizes that humans have a responsibility as trustees of creation to care for animals and the natural world.

1. Animal Rights and Environmental
Protection in Islam
By: Hassan Taha

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Human Domination over other - 3
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

7. 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

8. 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

9. (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)

10. (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)

11. (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)

12. (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)

13. (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)

14. (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)

15. :Code of conduct towards animals- 4
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

16. 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

17. (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)

18. (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)

19. (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)

20. Environmental Protection

21. God says in the Holy Qur'an: "There - 1
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

22. 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. …

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

24. 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)

25. :Elements of Nature- 4
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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. )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)

30. ** 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)

31. We should bbee ggrraatteeffuull ttoo GGoodd
aanndd uussee HHiiss bblleessssiinnggss ttoo uuss
wwiisseellyy..
!! TThhaannkk yyoouu ffoorr aatttteennddiinngg