Prophet Muhammad ﷺ always emphasised the need to be kind to animals whether domestic or used for means of transportation and security. We have already published a post on Punishment for mistreating cats. Today we share a post on the reward for feeding animals even if unlawful to eat.
This Hadith is quoted in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: Book 39 The Book of Greetings / كتاب السلام / Chapter 41 The Virtue Of Giving Food And Water To Animals Which Are Unlawful To Eat / باب فَضْلِ سَاقِي الْبَهَائِمِ الْمُحْتَرَمَةِ وَإِطْعَامِهَا / as Hadith number # 2245 b as under:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
There was a dog moving around a well whom thirst would have killed. Suddenly a prostitute from the prostitutes of Bani Isra'il happened to see it and she drew water in her shoe and made it drink, and she was pardoned because of this.
Arabic Text:
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ السَّخْتِيَانِيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " بَيْنَمَا كَلْبٌ يُطِيفُ بِرَكِيَّةٍ قَدْ كَادَ يَقْتُلُهُ الْعَطَشُ إِذْ رَأَتْهُ بَغِيٌّ مِنْ بَغَايَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَنَزَعَتْ مُوقَهَا فَاسْتَقَتْ لَهُ بِهِ فَسَقَتْهُ إِيَّاهُ فَغُفِرَ لَهَا بِهِ "
Let us my sisters and brothers in Islam be humane and kind to all living creatures created by Allah, for each one has a role to play in the overall functioning of the universe. Not only feeding the hungry animals, we should also not keep these chained in a manner that pains them. In zoos, often elephants are seen chained so tightly that badly injures their legs. There are people who forcibly take out teeth of the bears and then make them fight with dogs to earn money leaving the poor beat defenseless and unable to respond to the biting dogs. Let us riase voice if such cruelty to animals is observed to protect animals from being exploited.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
PhotoPhoto | Source of Hadith
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