According to Islam, animals are conscious of God. According to the Quran, they praise Him, even if this praise is not expressed in human language.See "Islam, Animals, and Vegetarianism" in the Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature (Bron Taylor (chief ed.), Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd., 2008). Baiting animals for entertainment or gambling is prohibited.Al-Adab al-Mufrad, Book 1, Hadith 1232 It is forbidden to kill any animal except for food or to prevent it from harming people.
The Quran explicitly allows the consumption of the meat of certain halal (lawful) animals.See Although some Sufis have practised vegetarianism, there has been no serious discourse on the possibility of interpretations of scripture that require vegetarianism. Certain animals can be eaten under the condition that they are slaughtered in a specified way.Javed Ahmad Ghamidi (2001): The Dietary Laws
Pre-7th century In the Arabian Peninsula before the advent of Islam in the 7th century CE, Arabs, like other people, attributed the qualities and the faults of humans to animals. Virility, for example, was attributed to the cock; perfidy to the monkey; stupidity to the lizard; and boldness to the elephant.
Based on the facts that the names of certain tribes bear the names of animals, survivals of animal cults, prohibitions of certain foods and other indications, W. R. Smith argued for the practice of totemism by certain pre-Islamic tribes of Arabia. Others have argued that this evidence may only imply the practice of a form of animalism. In support of this, for example, it was believed that upon one's death, the soul departs from the body in the form of a bird (usually a sort of owl); the soul-as-bird then flies about the tomb for some time, occasionally crying out (for vengeance).
Animal rights in Islam and the teachings and practices of Prophet Muhammad Animal rights in Islam and the teachings and practices of Prophet Muhammad hold a significant place. Islam is a universal religion. Therefore, the importance and perspective it gives to the issue of "rights" encompasses not only human beings who are Muslim but all of creation. Islam has placed all Muslims rights under protection. Within this broad perspective on rights, animal rights also hold a significant place. In the life of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, there are many examples related to this subject. These accounts are based on transmitted reports preserved in the Islamic tradition.
Birds taken from their nest
According to narrations, during a rest period on the return from a military expedition, some of the Muslims noticed a bird's nest and took the chicks from it. At that very moment, the mother bird arrived and, seeing her young in their hands, began to circle above them in distress. When Prophet Muhammad noticed this, he became deeply agitated and immediately said that the chicks should be returned to their nest.
The deceived horse Prophet Muhammad displayed extraordinary sensitivity not only toward human beings but even toward animals, and he was genuinely disturbed by the slightest harm or discomfort inflicted upon them. He consistently warned those around him about such matters. On one occasion, a Muslim attempted to lure his horse by pretending to hold something the horse could eat. This behavior greatly displeased the Prophet, who called the man over and reprimanded him. He emphasized that one must be trustworthy even in dealings with animals.fgulen.com (4 October 2011). "Hayvanları korumada İslâm ufku". https://fgulen.com/tr/basindan-tr/dizi-yazilar-dosyalar/ozel-haberler/hayvanlari-korumada-islam-ufku fgulen.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 January 2026.
The emaciated camel Prophet Muhammad once saw an extremely weak and emaciated camel. He immediately approached the animal and remained beside it for a while. Then he summoned its owner and warned him sternly to take proper care of the camel.
The thirsty dog and the hungry cat Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to treat animals with compassion by narrating the following two examples: "God forgave a woman and admitted her into Paradise because of a dog. The dog was panting with thirst at the edge of a well, its tongue lolling from exhaustion. When the woman passed by and saw its condition, she drew water from the well and gave it to the dog to drink, saving it from death. Because of this act of kindness toward a dog, God granted her entry into Paradise." He then narrated a second example: "A woman entered Hell because of a cat. She neither fed nor gave the cat water, nor did she release it so that it could find food on its own. The cat died of hunger, and because of this, the woman was condemned to Hell." According to various reports, Prophet Muhammad also had a cat named "Müezza".
The community’s continued sensitivity Locusts The meticulous care for animals continued during the generations following the Companions—namely the Tābiʿūn and the Tabaʿ Tabiʿīn. It is narrated that if a Muslim accidentally stepped on a locust, they would go to the caliph to ask what the appropriate expiation should be.
The Hospice for injured storks Muslims also built small birdhouses on many mosques and established charitable foundations dedicated to animal welfare. In the Ottoman period, there were foundations specifically for the protection of storks; the most well-known was the Gurabahane i Laklakan ("The Hospice for Injured Storks").
Ants Among the Prophet’s community were individuals of such extraordinary sensitivity that they were called "the gentleman who would not crush an ant." According to transmitted reports, this description is based on accounts preserved within the Islamic tradition. These people attached bells to their feet so that insects would scatter at the sound of the bells and not be crushed underfoot, and they walked in this manner.
Human duties in utilizing animals According to Islam, human beings are allowed to use animals, but only if the rights of the animals are respected. The owner of an animal must do everything to benefit the animal. If the owner fails to perform their duties for the animal, the animal goes to someone else. The duties humans have to animals in Islam are based in the Quran, Sunnah and traditions.
Protection of animals' physical health Harming, disabling, injuring, or cutting out the organs from any animal is strongly prohibited. Muslims may not cut the forelock, mane, or tail of a horse, because it is believed there is goodness in its forelock; its mane provides it warmth and it swats insects away with its tail.
Protection of animals' sexual health Muslims are not allowed to perform acts such as the interbreeding (as in inbreeding) of animals. Muhammad forbade people from castrating animals.
Preventing cruelty and maltreatment to animals Muslims are not allowed to harass and misuse animals, which includes snatching a leaf from an ant's mouth. Muslims have no right to brand animals, hamstring or crucify animals before killing, or burn animals even if they cause harm to humans. Humans should obtain animal meat by a swift slaughter and avoid cutting lengthwise. In Islamic slaughter, the spinal cord cannot be broken.
Avoiding punishment of animals Muslims cannot use any equipment that injures an animal, (i.e., beating them in a circus show, forcing them to carry heavy loads, or running at extreme speeds in races) even to train them. Exposure to sound is also regulated.
Providing food Muslims are obliged to provide food and water for any animal they see, even if the animal does not belong to them. In providing food and water considerations are the quality of the provisions and the amount of the provision based on the animal's condition and location.
Providing sanitation Animals' health must be respected, along with food, water, and shelter.
Providing medication In the event of illness, Muslims are expected to pay for the care and medication.
Providing dwelling From an Islamic view, the appropriate shelter for an animal has three characteristics: Fits the animal's needs and they should not be placed in an unsanitary condition on the pretext that they do not understand. Fits the physical needs of the animal and its health and protect it from cold and heat. The dwelling of animals should not pollute the environment or spread disease to other organisms.
Respecting animal of status In Islam, the rights of animals are respected in both life and death. Animal bodies may never be used for malicious purposes.
Quran
Although over two hundred verses in the Qur'an deal with animals and six Quranic chapters (surah) are named after animals, animal life is not a predominant theme in the Qur'an."Animal life" in the Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an. The Qur'an teaches that God created animals from water. God cares for all his creatures and provides for them. All creation praises God, even if this praise is not expressed in human language. God has prescribed laws for each species (laws of nature). Since animals follow the laws God has ordained for them, they are to be regarded as "Muslim", just as a human who obeys the laws prescribed for humans (Islamic law) is a Muslim."Islam" in the Encyclopedia of Science and Religion (op. cit.) Just like humans, animals form "communities". In verse , the Qur'an applies the term ummah, generally used to mean "a human religious community", for genera of animals. The Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an states that this verse has been "far reaching in its moral and ecological implications.""Community and Society and Qur'an" in the Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an (vol. 1, p. 371)
The Qur'an says that animals benefit humans in many ways and that they are aesthetically pleasing to look at. This is used as proof of God's benevolence towards humans. Animals that are slaughtered in accordance with sharia may be consumed. According to many verses of the Qur'an,See and ) the consumption of pork is sinful,John Esposito (2002b), p.111 unless there is no alternative other than starving to death (in times, for example, of war or famine). Surat Yusuf of the Quran mentions that a reason why Ya'qub was reluctant to let his son Yusuf to play in the open, even in the presence of his brothers, was that a dhiʾb () could eat him.
The Quran contains three mentions of dogs: Verse 5:4 says "Lawful for you are all good things, and [the prey] that trained [hunting] dogs and falcons catch for you."Q5:4, 50+ translations, islamawakened.com Verse 18:18 describes the Companions of the Cave, a group of saintly young men presented in the Qurʼan as exemplars of religion, sleeping with "their dog stretching out its forelegs at the threshold." Further on, in verse 22, the dog is always counted as one of their numbers, no matter how they are numbered. In Muslim folklore, affectionate legends have grown around the loyal and protective qualities of this dog, whose name in legend is Qiṭmīr.
The above verses are seen as portraying dogs positively. Nevertheless, Islamic scholars have tended to regard dogs' saliva as impure; practically, this means anything licked by a dog necessitates washing. Many Islamic jurists allowed owning dogs for herding, farming, hunting, or protection, but prohibited ownership for reasons they regarded as "frivolous".
There is a whole chapter in the Quran named "The Ants". As a result, the killing of ants in Sunni Islam is prohibited. Within the aforementioned chapter of "The Ant", there is an account of Sulaymaan (Solomon) talking to the eponymous antSee as well as birds, most famously the hoopoe.See
The QuranQuran 15:80-84Quran 7:73-79Quran 11:61-69Quran 26:141-158Quran 54:23-31Quran 89:6-13Quran 91:11-15 talks about a miraculous She-Camel of God (, 'she-camel') that came from stone, in the context of the Prophet Salih, Thamudi people and Al-Hijr.
Pork is haram (forbidden) to eat, because its essence is considered impure, this is based on the verse of the Qur'an where it is described as being rijs (, impure) ().