CHAPTER 6 : NON-HUMAN CREATION – PART 2
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to encourage being merciful towards animals:
Abu Umamah (a Companion) narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Allah will be merciful, on the Day of Resurrection, to the one who is merciful, even if he was merciful with a slaughtered bird.”(Reported by At-Tabarani in his book Al-Kabeer (7915).)
Mu’aawiyah ibn Qurrah (a Companion) narrated on the authority of his father, that a man said: “O Messenger of Allah! I am too merciful to slaughter a sheep.” The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Allah will be merciful to you if you act mercifully with a sheep.”(Reported by Ahmad (15165).)
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade cursing animals:
Zayd ibn Khaalid Al-Juhani (a Companion) narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Do not revile the rooster for it wakes you up for prayer.”(Reported by Abu Dawood (5101).) Which means that it crows and thus wakes people for the optional night prayer; therefore, it deserves to be praised and not reviled since it helps people in their acts of worship and obedience.
Al-Manaawi (an exegete of Prophetic narrations) said: “It is the habit of the rooster to crow a few consecutive times when the time of dawn is close and at the time of zenith. This is the nature Allah created it upon.”
Al-Haleemi (an exegete of Prophetic narrations) said: “One can derive from the narration that everything that is useful and beneficial should not be reviled, abused or mocked. Rather, people should be kind towards these creatures and treat them well.”(The explanation of Al-’Atheem Abaadi for the book of Abu Dawood (14/5).)
‘Imraan ibn Husayn (a Companion) narrated: “We were with the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, on a journey and there was a woman from the Ansaar riding a she-camel that knelt down and refused to rise up. She abused and invoked curses upon it. The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, heard her and said: “Take the load off the she-camel and set it free because it has been cursed.”” ‘Imraan said: “It is as if I am seeing it now, it used to walk amongst people, and no one would come near it.” (Reported by Muslim (2595).)
Abu Barzah Al-Aslami (a Companion) said: “A young woman was riding a she-camel on which there was the luggage of people and was urging it forward.’ When it did not move, she said: ‘O Allah, curse it!’ The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “The she-camel that has been cursed should not accompany us.”” (Reported by Muslim (2596).)
An-Nawawi commented, “This was a way to rebuke her and anyone who says the same words, because the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had forbidden people earlier from cursing. Therefore, she was punished by letting the she-camel go and not continuing with the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, on the same journey. However, selling it, slaughtering it and riding it in other than the company of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and so on remained permissible, because he only forbade it from remaining with him. Therefore, everything else holds the original ruling of permissibility.”(The explanation of An-Nawawi for the book of Muslim (148/16).)
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to command people not to slaughter a milch (An animal yielding milk or kept for milk production.)sheep:
In a long narration by Abu Hurayrah in which the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, visited a man from the Ansaar, the latter took a knife to slaughter a sheep for the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, so he told him: “Do not slaughter a milch sheep.” (Reported by Muslim (2038).)
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to command people to be kind whilst slaughtering:
Shaddad ibn Aws (a Companion) narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Indeed Allah has prescribed kindness for everything. So when you kill, you must make the killing in the best manner; when you slaughter, make your slaughter in the best manner. Let one of you sharpen his knife and give ease to his animal [in order to reduce his pain].” (Reported by Muslim (1955).)
An-Nawawi said: “One should sharpen the blade and slaughter the animal fast. It is recommended to avoid sharpening the blade in the presence of the animal, not to slaughter one in the presence of other animals or drag it to the place of slaughter. The saying of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, “…make the killing in the best manner” is general in all situations such as slaughtering, killing as a corporal punishment for a prescribed crime, killing someone in return for killing a person and so on.”(The explanation of An-Nawawi for the book of Muslim (107/13).)
Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that a man laid a sheep down to slaughter it, and started sharpening his blade. Thereupon the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Do you want to kill it twice? You should have sharpened your blade before laying it down.”(Reported by Al-Haakim (7563).)
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade that asses cover mares:
Ali ibn Abu Taalib (a Companion) narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was presented with a she-mule which he rode, so Ali said: “If we made asses cover mares we would have animals of this type.”
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Only those who do not know do that.”(Reported by Abu Dawood (2565) and An-Nasa’i (3580).)
It was said that the reason this is not recommended is that it would be exchanging something good (horse breed) with that which is less (mules).
Al-Khattaabi (an exegete of Prophetic narrations) said: “The meaning of this is that if asses cover mares, then horses would decrease in number and could even become extinct, and thus they would no longer exist, and people would lose their benefit. Horses are needed to ride, seek provisions, perform Jihad, gain war booty, in addition to their meat being edible, while none of this is the case with asses. Therefore, the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, wanted to increase the number of horses so that people would benefit from them.”(‘Awn Al-Ma’bud (167/7).)
Animals testify to the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri (a Companion) narrated that the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “(While a shepherd was with his herd of sheep), suddenly a wolf attacked a sheep and took it away, the shepherd chased the wolf and took back the sheep, the wolf sat on its tail and addressed the shepherd saying: ‘Fear Allah! You have taken the provision from me which Allah gave me’. The shepherd said: ‘What an amazing thing! A wolf sitting on its tail speaks to me in the language of a human being.’ The wolf replied: ‘Shall I tell you something even more amazing than this? There is the Prophet Muhammad in Madinah informing people about the news of the past.”
Thus, the shepherd came to Madeenah with his sheep and placed his herd in one of the corners of Madeenah. Then he went to the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and informed him of what had taken place with his sheep and the wolf.
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded that the people should gather for the congregational prayer, and then he addressed the shepherd saying: “Inform them”, so he did. Thereafter, the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “I swear by The One in Whose Hand my soul is! He has told the truth. The Hour will not occur until beasts speak to humans, and a man would speak to his whip and shoelace, and his thigh would tell him what his wife did in his absence.”(Reported by Ahmad (11383).)
Prophetic narrations on the prohibition of keeping dogs in homes except as guard dogs or for hunting:
There are certain Prophetic narrations regarding the Islamic viewpoint on dogs that are often misunderstood or quoted out of context to give the incorrect impression that dogs are reviled creatures that must be exterminated without exception.
The hair and saliva of dogs are considered impure by different schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Even so, the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “If a dog drinks from the vessel of any one of you, let him wash it seven times.” According to another report: “and clean it the eighth time with earth.”
It is forbidden to be in close physical contact with dogs, but this does not mean that we should not be kind or feel compassion towards them or keep them to derive benefit from them. These are two entirely separate matters.
Let us attempt to understand the prohibition on close physical contact with dogs in the light of recent scientific studies and information:
A study in The Journal Archives of Oral Biology(link) suggests that disease-causing oral bacteria can be exchanged between dogs and their owners.
Japanese researchers examined dental plaque from 66 dogs, as well as dental plaque from 81 people from Japan who visited a dog-training school or animal clinic during 2011. They conducted an analysis to find the presence of 11 disease-causing oral bacteria called “periodontopathic” species in the plaque.
They found that three kinds of disease-causing oral bacteria were especially prevalent in the dogs’ dental plaque:
• Porphyromonas gulae, which was found in 71.2 percent of the dogs’ samples.
• Tannerella forsythia, which was found in 77.3 percent of the dogs’ samples.
• Campylobacter rectus, which was found in 66.7 percent of the dogs’ samples.
“These results suggest that several periodontopathic species could be transmitted between humans and their companion dogs, though the distribution of periodontopathic species in both is generally different.” the researchers wrote in the study.
Zoonotic diseases are those which can be passed from animals to humans. Some of the most common diseases that pass from dogs to humans are the 3 R’s:
Ringworm
Ringworm is caused by a fungus that can be easily transmitted from dogs to humans. Ringworm appears as a rash or patch on the skin or scalp. The rash can be wet or dry, scaly or crusty, and sometimes itchy which forms in the shape of a ring. Ringworm is passed from dog to human by physical contact of the infected area.
Roundworms
These parasites are often found in a dog’s digestive system. If a dog that is infected with roundworms defecates outside, several eggs can be deposited into the soil. The eggs will then develop into larvae and establish themselves in the eye(s), causing blindness. This is just one of the many reasons that dogs need to be given dewormers on a regular basis.
Rabies
In the U.S. alone, dogs account for more than two-thirds of domestic animal bites. Rabies is one of the most feared diseases because it is virtually 100% fatal. It is caused by the rabies virus and is usually transmitted by the bite of a rabid animal. Human rabies in the U.S, ranges from one to seven cases a year. It is a significant disease worldwide causing 55,000 deaths a year. India, China and Africa have the highest number of cases.
Other diseases that pass from dogs to humans (“Zoonotic Diseases & Dogs” Oregonvma.org.) through saliva, skin contact and excretions:
Lyme Disease
Ticks are carriers of Lyme disease and since they can often be found on dogs, owners can develop the disease if they are bitten by an infected tick.
Scabies
Scabies result when a mite burrows itself in the skin and causes constant itching, scabs and hair loss.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
A dog can acquire the disease first and through saliva, can transfer MRSA to a human through a scrape or lesion. It can also be passed to humans through a bite. Since the disease passes between dogs and humans quite easily, it often becomes part of a cycle of infection passed continuously between dogs and humans until it is cured completely with the use of antibiotics.
Symptoms of MRSA usually start with swelling, redness, and soreness at the site of infection. Symptoms can become worse, leading to pneumonia, infection of the bloodstream, fever, chills, shortness of breath, and even death if not treated.
Salmonellosis:
Caused by salmonella bacteria, this disease affects tens of thousands of Americans each year. While normally salmonellosis works itself out of the body in about seven days, in some cases, it can be fatal. The fatal cases of salmonellosis are typically found to be in young children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
Symptoms of infection in dogs include bloody stool, diarrhoea, vomiting, lethargy, and fever. In humans, it causes abdominal cramping, fever,and diarrhoea. After contact with salmonella, it can take up to 72 hours for symptoms to present.
Prevention of salmonellosis mostly comes down to hygiene. Hand washing after handling sick dogs helps, as well as, keeping pets food and water dishes clean (not washing in the kitchen sink), and thorough washing after cleaning up faecal matter and proper disposal of it.
Giardiasis:
Giardiasis is a parasite which is one of the leading causes of nonbacterial diarrhoea in humans. Symptoms in humans usually last for more than 10 days and also include intestinal cramping, and nausea. In dogs, it causes diarrhoea which can be short-lived, long lasting, or can come and go. Giardiasis is frequently acquired from contaminated water sources.
Conclusion:
The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, from his actions, words and approvals comprise the Sunnah, which has a special authority and importance in Islam, second only to the Quran.
Allah Says in the Quran (what means): «Your companion [Muhammad] is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is [only] the revelation with which he is inspired.» [Quran: 53:2-4]
The Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not teach or enjoin anything that was not revealed to him from Allah. There have been numerous instances where modern scientific data and findings support and confirm the wisdom behind several Prophetic narrations. This is especially remarkable since the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was unlettered and had no possible means of acquiring such knowledge, except by virtue of Divine revelation.
The character and actions of Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, are a shining example of respect for all creation. He showed us that humankind must strike a balance in their treatment of animals. All living creatures were put on this earth by Allah for our benefit and we should avail of their benefits, but must not exploit them or treat them cruelly. Long before the establishment of animal welfare organisations
and awareness of animal rights, the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, declared that it is humankind’s responsibility to see that other creatures not only receive food, water, and shelter from the elements but also security from being harmed physically and mentally.
The love and compassion of the Prophet of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, for all kinds of creatures was not of the kind claimed by today’s ‘humanists’. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was sincere and balanced in his love and compassion. He, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was more compassionate than any other person as he was guided by the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of all conscious beings including humankind and Jinn (An invisible creation mentioned in the Quran and believed by Muslims to be created from fire, inhabit the earth and influence mankind. It can take the form of humans or animals.) and the harmony of existence. Therefore, he lived not for himself but for others; he was a true mercy for all the worlds.
By Muhammad Saalih Al-Munajjid
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