--- title: "How Does Islam Teach Us to Treat Animals? | Islam Is Mercy" description: "Islam teaches that animals are communities like us, that cruelty to them is a sin, and that kindness to them can earn God's forgiveness." lang: en url: https://islamismercy.com/en/views/animals-in-islam/ --- 1. [Home](https://islamismercy.com/en/) 2. [Islam's View On…](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/) 3. How Does Islam Teach Us to Treat Animals? # How Does Islam Teach Us to Treat Animals? Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 3 min readAwaiting scholar review ## The short answer Islam teaches that animals are living communities created by God, and that people will answer to Him for how they treat them. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told of a man forgiven for giving water to a thirsty dog and a woman punished for starving a cat, and he taught that there is reward for kindness to every living creature. ## On this page 1. Communities like us 2. Forgiven for a drink of water 3. Punished for a cat 4. The Prophet’s care for animals 5. Kindness even in slaughter 6. A closing thought Anyone who has loved a pet, watched birds feed their young, or seen an animal in pain knows that animals are not just things. Islam agrees. Its teachings on animals are some of the most tender in its whole tradition — and some of the most demanding. ## Communities like us The [Qur’an](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/quran/) gives animals a dignity of their own. They are not simply resources for human use, but communities with their own lives before God: > وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَٰٓئِرٍۢ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾ > And there is no creature on \[or within\] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except \[that they are\] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered. [Qur'an, Al-An'aam 6:38](https://quran.com/6?startingVerse=38&translations=20)Saheeh International Every creature that walks the earth or flies in the sky belongs to a community, is known to God, and will return to Him. Many Muslim scholars understood this verse to mean that animals, too, will be treated with justice by their Creator. Human beings have a special role in this picture. The Qur’an describes humanity as God’s successors on the earth (2:30) — not owners who may do as they please, but trustees who will be asked how they cared for what was placed in their hands. Power over animals is therefore a responsibility, not a licence. The Qur’an also names several of its chapters after animals — The Cow, The Cattle, The Bee, The Ant, The Spider, The Elephant — and tells stories in which animals play a part, from the ant that warned its colony to Solomon’s hoopoe bird (peace be upon him). ## Forgiven for a drink of water The Prophet ﷺ told a story that has moved Muslims for centuries: > Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?" He replied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate [Sahih al-Bukhari 2363](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/42#:~:text=well%20and%20drank%20water%20from)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) The man was not a famous saint. He was an ordinary traveller who felt the same thirst as the dog and acted on that feeling. God was so pleased that He forgave him. The Prophet’s final words widen the lesson to every living, breathing creature. ## Punished for a cat The opposite is also true. Cruelty to an animal — even passive cruelty — can bring a person to ruin: > Narrated \`Abdullah bin \`Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A lady was punished because of a cat which she had imprisoned till it died. She entered the (Hell) Fire because of it, for she neither gave it food nor water as she had imprisoned it, nor set it free to eat from the vermin of the earth [Sahih al-Bukhari 3482](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60#:~:text=punished%20because%20of%20a%20cat)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) This woman did not beat the cat; she simply locked it up and ignored its needs. Yet that neglect was a grave sin. For anyone who keeps animals, the message is clear: their food, water and freedom are not favours but rights. ## The Prophet’s care for animals The Prophet ﷺ noticed the suffering of animals and spoke up for them. Once, on a journey, some of his Companions took two chicks from their nest: > …We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came and said: Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it.… [Sunan Abi Dawud 2675](https://sunnah.com/abudawud/15#:~:text=We%20saw%20a%20bird%20with)Grade: Sahih — Al-Albani On another occasion he saw a camel so thin that its back almost touched its belly, and said: > …Fear Allah regarding these dumb animals.… [Sunan Abi Dawud 2548](https://sunnah.com/abudawud/15#:~:text=came%20upon%20an%20emaciated%20camel)Grade: Sahih — Al-Albani Here *dumb* means unable to speak. Because animals cannot defend themselves or explain their pain, the responsibility of the people around them is even greater. The Prophet ﷺ also cursed those who tied up a living creature to use it as a target ([Sahih](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/sahih/) al-Bukhari 5515), and he forbade mutilating animals. ## Kindness even in slaughter Islam permits eating meat, but it does not permit carelessness about how an animal dies. The Prophet ﷺ said: > Shaddid b. Aus said:Two are the things which I remember Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said: Verily Allah has enjoined goodness to everything; so when you kill, kill in a good way and when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. So every one of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably [Sahih Muslim 5055](https://sunnah.com/muslim/34#:~:text=the%20things%20which%20I%20remember)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih Muslim) Islamic rules for slaughter — a sharp knife, a swift cut, and calling on God’s name — are meant to reduce suffering and to remind the person that a life is being taken by God’s permission. Scholars also teach that the blade should not be sharpened in front of the animal, and that one animal should not be slaughtered in sight of another. Muslims today discuss how these principles apply to modern farming and to methods such as pre-slaughter stunning, and scholars hold different views on some of these details — see [where Muslims differ](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/where-muslims-differ/). What they agree on is that unnecessary suffering is forbidden. ## A closing thought For Muslims, how we treat a stray cat, a working animal or a bird’s nest is not a small matter. It is part of how God will judge us — and part of the mercy Islam asks us to show to all of creation. To learn more about that mercy, read [why Islam is called a religion of mercy](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/why-islam-is-mercy/). ![How Does Islam Teach Us to Treat Animals?](https://islamismercy.com/_astro/animals-in-islam-info.BAZJeq4H_1SfJI7.jpg) ## Key takeaways - The Qur'an describes animals as communities like our own. - Kindness to any living creature is rewarded by God. - Cruelty to animals — even neglect — is a serious sin. - Animals used for work or food must be treated with care and spared suffering. ## Share this article [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=How%20Does%20Islam%20Teach%20Us%20to%20Treat%20Animals%3F%20https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Fanimals-in-islam%2F)[Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Fanimals-in-islam%2F&text=How%20Does%20Islam%20Teach%20Us%20to%20Treat%20Animals%3F)[X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20Does%20Islam%20Teach%20Us%20to%20Treat%20Animals%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Fanimals-in-islam%2F)[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fviews%2Fanimals-in-islam%2F) ## Sources - [Qur'an, Al-An'aam 6:38](https://quran.com/6?startingVerse=38&translations=20) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 2363](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/42#:~:text=well%20and%20drank%20water%20from) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 3482](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60#:~:text=punished%20because%20of%20a%20cat) - [Sunan Abi Dawud 2675](https://sunnah.com/abudawud/15#:~:text=We%20saw%20a%20bird%20with) - [Sunan Abi Dawud 2548](https://sunnah.com/abudawud/15#:~:text=came%20upon%20an%20emaciated%20camel) - [Sahih Muslim 5055](https://sunnah.com/muslim/34#:~:text=the%20things%20which%20I%20remember) ## Talk to a Muslim Have a question that isn't answered here? Ask a real person — no pressure, no judgement. [Ask your question](https://islamismercy.com/en/talk/) ## Keep reading [Start Here ### Why Is Islam Called a Religion of Mercy? Mercy is at the heart of Islam — in God's names, in the Prophet's mission, and in how Muslims are taught to treat people, animals and the earth. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/why-islam-is-mercy/)[Islam's View On… ### Why Is Good Character So Important in Islam? Honesty, kindness, patience and humility are at the heart of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ taught that the best people are those with the best character. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/views/good-character-in-islam/)[Glossary ### What Does Halal Mean? Halal means permitted or lawful in Islam. It applies to food, but also to work, money, relationships and every part of life. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/halal/)