Prophets  Mercy With Animals

He (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) used to commend having mercy on animals. He used to forbid his companions from hurting them, tiring them, overburdening them with heavy loads for long periods, torturing them, or pushing them beyond their limits, for that is a form of suffering.

Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) passed by a camel that was so emaciated its back was one with its abdomen. Upon that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) said, “Fear Allah with regard to livestock. Ride them in a fitting way and eat them when they are in good condition.”

He once entered the garden of man from the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah) and there was a camel. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) saw the camel it froze and its eyes started watering. Then the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) came to it and rubbed its ears so it calmed down. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) said, “Who is the owner of this camel? Whose camel is this?” A young man from the Ansar told him (peace and blessings be upon him and his house),”O Messenger of Allah, it belongs to me.” Then he told him (peace and blessings be upon him and his house), “Do you not fear Allah with regard to this beast which Allah has let you own? It complained to me that you starve it and tire it by overworking it and using it beyond its capacity.”

He (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) used to forbid burdening an animal by keeping it standing or sitting on it for a long time unnecessarily. He saw some people sitting on animals so he commented, “Keep them safe and sound when riding them and when leaving them, don’t use them as chairs for your side talks in the streets and markets. A ridden animal might be better than its rider and might remember and mention God more than its rider does.”

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) called not to kill even a frog and he said, “Its croaking is tasbeeh (praising God).”

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) once said, “A woman was doomed to enter the Fire because of a cat. She imprisoned it and neither fed it nor set it free to eat the rodents of the earth.”

Prophet Muhammad also called for not harassing animals by goading them to hurt or cause harm to each other.

Prophet Muhammad warned against any human being causing a bird to feel panic about its little offspring. Someone took two chicks of a bird (hamra), which came in panic searching for its chicks. Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him and his house) then asked, “Who has distressed it by taking its chicks?” Then he asked them to return the chicks. The Prophet once passed by a burned out anthill. When the Prophet saw it he asked, “Who has burned it?” When he was informed of who had done it, he said, “Only the Lord of Fire has the right to punish with fire.”

It was also reported that Prophet Muhammad prohibited the killing of a bird for the sake of pleasure and not for a specific beneficial need, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) said, “Anyone who would kill a bird, this bird would come on Doomsday and say, “God, this person killed me for pleasure and not for benefit. ”

It was also reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) called for mercy and perfection in slaughter. He saw a person preparing a lamb, laying it down while he was still sharpening his knife. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his house) then commented, “Do you want to kill it twice? Sharpen your knife before you lay it down.”