Animal Rights & Islam

Historical Context, Industrial Animal Farming & Animal Testing in the West

6 min readDec 9, 2021

Written by: Hadeel Abbas

Collaborators + Editors: Kadjahtou Balde, Zainab Gilani & Nausheen Mazari

Introduction

Islam has provided a comprehensive code of conduct for humankind which extends these moral considerations towards nature and animals. The Islamic worldview intertwines social and ecological systems, where the well-being of humans is dependent on and connected with all life on Earth. Therefore, in a time of immense environmental destruction and animal rights abuses, Islamic principles may provide insight and solutions to these problems. This first article which is part of a series by Faithfully Sustainable titled Sustainable & Ethical Living in Islam, will discuss the Islamic perspective on animal rights within the context of industrial factory farming and scientific experimentation in the Western World.

The Emergence of Animal Rights in Islam

Islam is a religion of compassion and peace that values the rights and welfare of animals. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), strongly advocated for compassion and mercy towards humans and all living creatures. To discuss the Islamic pinciples of animal advocany we need take a look back at the history of how animal rights emerged during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Before the time of the Prophet (pbuh), animals were treated horribly as they were cruelly tied up and used as shooting targets. They also cut the tails and humps off living camels for food. The Qur’an challenged the jahiliyyah (the “Age of Ignorance” among the pre-Islamic Arabs) practices, including the mistreatment of animals. These cruel practices were banned by the Prophet (pbuh) and he (pbuh) revealed a complete code of welfare for animals. For example, he (pbuh) taught us that a woman was punished in the Fire for keeping a cat locked up without taking proper care of it.

A Companion once asked the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “Is there a reward for doing good with these animals?”
He responded, “There is a reward in doing good to every living thing.” [Sahih Bukhārī Vol. 3, Book 43, Hadith 646.]

In Islam, all of Allah’s creations including plants, animals and humans are worthy of consideration and deserve respect. Islam strongly enforces Muslims to treat animals with compassion and to not abuse them. Animals and plants have an intrinsic value as they are said to worship and glorify Allah (SWT). The Quran reflects that along with human beings, animals are noteworthy in Islam and have their rights.

Islamic animal advocacy consists of the following principles: (Haque & Masri, 2011)

All non-human animals are a trust from God
Equigenic rights do exist and must be maintained
The Equigenic principle means equality or balance established through nature, as designed by God.
All non-human animals live in communities
All non-human animals possess personhood

“He (God) has appointed, precisely established and positioned the earth [both the planet as a whole, and the earth’s crust itself ] for the maintenance and development of sentient life forms [both humans and nonhumans]”. (55:10)

This verse illustrates the interdependence of all species that exist on earth and of which human communities are an integral part. (Haque & Masri, 2011)

Western Industrial Factory Farming & Islam

As discussed earlier the Prophet (pbuh) outlined strict guidelines regarding the welfare of animals. He (pbuh) prohibited people, on multiple occasions, from dragging, mutilating and branding animals as well as beating animals on the face. Unfortunately, these acts are common practices in modern factory farms in all animal agriculture industries (meat, dairy and eggs etc.). For example, painful mutilations such as cutting off the horns of cattle, cutting off the beaks of chickens, and docking the tails of sheep and dairy cattle are routinely performed, due to the crowded and unsanitary conditions in these farms.

In addition, the killing of lactating animals is disliked in Islam. Once Muhammad (ﷺ) came near a man from among the Ansar who had picked up a knife to slaughter an animal for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the holy Prophet (ﷺ) said to him:

“Avoid those animals that are lactating (i.e. those from which milk is received).” [Sahih Bukhārī Vol. 4, Book 27, Hadith 3180)

Today the dairy industry blatantly disregards this. It is common practice that all dairy cows get sent to slaughter (in haram ways) once deemed unprofitable. Their overworked bodies begin producing less milk at around 4 to 5 years of age, which renders them worthless to the dairy industry. Due to the unsanitary conditions and the stress caused on factory farms, they develop diseases and reproductive problems.

Izz ud-Deen Abdi Salaam (may Allah have mercy on him) stated the responsibilities that humans have towards animals as the following:

“…that he provides for them as they require, even if they have aged or sickened such that no benefit comes from them; that he not burden them beyond what they can bear”

Today:

Factory farmed chickens are “kept in dismal conditions and suffer painful heart, skin, lung and bone problems and stress” (WAP, 2016)
Molting is a natural process when the chickens replace their feathers. However, this process is forced in factory farms by cramming them together in the dark and starving them to produce more eggs.

“…that he makes their resting and watering places comfortable; that he puts the males and females together during their mating seasons;”

Today:

Dairy cows in industrial farms almost never naturally mate. Rather cows are “artificially and and forcibly impregnated year after year to keep them lactating at max yields” (Capps, 2014)
“Some cows spend their entire lives standing on concrete floors; others are confined to massive, crowded lots, where they are forced to live amid their own feces.” (PETA)

Designed by Lifi Hakim. Photo source: PETA

Animal Testing & Islam

Animal rights goes beyond the treatment of animals for human consumption and extends to animals that are tested in labs in the West. The Prophet (pbuh) used to chastise those who cut up and cause pain to animals. In today’s labs animals are burned, poisoned, blinded and wounded for scientific and cosmetic purposes. Islamic prohibits the cutting or injuring of live animals, especially when it results in pain and suffering.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said:

“God curse the one who has branded it [an animal who had been branded on his face]” (Sahih Muslim).

According to Al-Hafiz Masri, this hadith discusses the “unnecessary pain that is inflicted upon an animal to the sensitive parts of the body, as well as the disfigurement of its appearance”.

Lastly, Islam strongly discourages the killing of animals that cannot be ethically or legally justified. Muslims are not allowed to kill animals for recreational purposes as we are directed to not waste the lives of animals.

The Prophet (ﷺ) warned, “there is no person who kills a small bird or anything larger for just nothing, but Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will ask him about it”.

This hadith serves as a reminder that animals have feelings and that their lives are created with purpose. Islam clearly states that they have the right to thier lives as well as protection from unnesscary pain and suffering.

Conclusion

Both the Quran and Hadith advocate for the protection and rights of animals, and Islamic teachings constantly highlight their rights to have a peaceful life. Therefore, the unethical practices that occur in slaughter houses and animal testing in much of the Western world go against the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), who repeatedly urged Muslims to express kindness towards animals.

Note: We are a group of BIPOC Muslims interested in the intersections between environmental justice and Islam. We are by no means Islamic scholars or academics and the information provided in this article came from the following sources.