The universal mercy of Islam embraces not only human beings, whether unbelievers, People of the Book, or Muslims but all other living crea of Allah as well. Accordingly, Islam prohibits cruelty to animals. Thirteen hundred years before any societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals were established, Islam had made kindness to animals a part of its faith and cruelty to them a sufficient reason for a person to be thrown into the Fire.
The Prophet (peace be on him) related to his Companions the story of a man who found a dog panting with thirst. The man went down into a well, filled his shoes with water which he gave to the dog, and continued to do so until the dog’s thirst was quenched. The Prophet (peace be on him) said, ‘Then Allah was grateful to him and forgave him his sins.’ The Companions asked, ‘Is there a reward for us in relation to animals, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied ‘There is a reward in (relation to) every living creature.’ (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
With this radiant picture of Allah’s forgiveness and pleasure, the Prophet (peace be on him) drew another picture depicting Allah’s anger and punishment. He said, A woman was sent to the Fire because of a cat. She imprisoned her and neither fed her nor set her free to feed upon the rodents of the earth. (Reported by al-Bukhari.)
Respect for Allah’s living creatures reached such an extent that when the Prophet (peace be on him) saw a donkey with a branded face, he denounced such a practice saying, “I would not brand an animal except on the part of its body farthest from its face.” (Reported by Muslim.)
In another report, he passed by a donkey with a branded face and said, “Have you not heard that I have cursed anyone who brands an animal on its face or who hits it on its face?” (Reported by Abu Daoud and al-Tirmidhi.)
We have already mentioned that when Ibn ‘Umar saw some people practicing archery using a hen as a target, he said, “The Prophet (peace be on him) cursed anyone who made a living thing into a target.”
Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet (peace be on him) forbade that animals be made to fight each other since people would goad animals into fighting each other until one of them was pecked or gored to death, or close to it. Ibn ‘Abbas also reported that the Prophet (peace be on him) strongly condemned the castration of animals. (Reported by al-Bazzar on sound authority.)
The Qur’an condemned the Arabs of Jahiliyyah for slitting the ears of cattle, calling this a practice inspired by Satan. (4:119)
In relation to the method of slaughtering an animal, we have already pointed out that Islam insists that the manner of slaughter should be that which is least painful to the victim, and it requires that the knife be sharpened but not in front of the animal. Islam also prohibits the slaughtering of one animal in front of another. Before Islam, the world had never witnessed such concern for animals, a concern that was beyond its imagination.
O Allah, O Sufficer of the isolated and weak and Protector against terrifying affairs! Offenses have isolated me, so there is none to be my companion. I am too weak for Thy wrath and there is none to strengthen me. I have approached the terror of meeting Thee and there is none to still my fear. I beg for Your Mercy! Ameen