“And that man shall have nothing, but what he strives for.” (Qur’ān 53:39)
In the following verse this stipulation is repeated in the words: ‘those who seek’, with the additional proviso that God provides according to the needs of the people:
“And [God] bestowed blessings on the earth, and measured therein sustenance in due proportion…; in accordance with the needs of those who seek.” (Qur’ān 41:10)
The conditions laid down in the above two verses for human beings to work for their food seems to be conveniently ignored by some people. Some tend to rely solely on God’s beneficence – lying down on their backs with their mouths open and waiting for the manna from heaven to fall therein. Others have invented dubious ways and means to get more than their share by as little work as possible. Some of those who do work, muscle in to poach on others’ preserves – and who can be an easier prey for exploitation than the poor defenceless animals who cannot fight back for their rights?
Those who expect to be fed by God, the Sustainer, without working for their bread fail to understand the real sense of the doctrine of ‘pre-destination’, or ‘fate’ (Qaḍā’ wa Qadar or Qismah). The literal meaning of ‘pre-destination’, in the Islamic sense is: “pre-fixing the fate of some one or some thing” in the sense of determining the capacity, capability, endowment, function and other faculties. The Qur’ān uses the Arabic word ‘taqdīr’ meaning ‘destiny’ even for the decreed orbits of the planetary motions, but also for inorganic substances as well as for animated creatures including human beings. Within those pre-fixed limitations, however, conditions could be changed for the better: suffering could be avoided or lessened by human effort and skill.
Unlike some human beings, animals are quite capable of satiating their hunger and of procuring all their necessities of life, if man would only let them do so without interference. The Qur’ān repeatedly hammers home the fact that food and other resources of nature are there to be shared equitably with other creatures. Below are just a few of the numerous such verses:
“Then let man look at his food: how We pour out water in showers, then turn up the earth into furrow-slices and cause cereals to grow therein – grapes and green fodder; olive-trees and palm-trees; and luxuriant orchards, fruits and grasses…”
Let us stop at this point of the quotation and ask ourselves the question: ‘what for and for whom has this sumptuous meal been laid out?’ The last line of the verse tells us that all these bounties of nature are there as:
“Provision for you as well as for your cattle.” (Qur’ān 80:24-32)
Again, in the following verses, the bounties of nature are enumerated with the accent on animals’ share in all of them:
“And He it is Who sends the winds, as glad tidings heralding His mercy. And We send down pure water from the clouds, that We may give life thereby, by watering the parched earth, and slake the thirst of those We have created – both the animals and the human beings in multitude.” (Qur’ān 25:48, 49)
In numerous passages the Qur’ān explains the reason for everything, such as: the cosmos as an ordered whole; the dark nights and the bright days; the earth with its immense expanse, shooting forth its moisture and its pastures; the stable mountains – all this, we are told, has been created for the benefit of man and animals. Below are some of such verses:
“And do they not see that We meander water to a barren land and sprout forth from it crops, whereof, their cattle as well as they themselves eat? Will they take no notice of it?” (Qur’ān 32:27)
We [God] brought forth from it [the earth] its waters and its pastures, and established the mountains firm – as a source of provision for you and for your animals.” (Qur’ān 79:31-33)
One could get the impression from these verses that they refer only to the livestock in whose welfare we have a vested interest. After reading the whole of the Qur’ān in this context, there remains no doubt that the message comprehends all animals and not only domestic livestock. The following verses support this view:
“There is no moving creature on earth, but Allah provides for its sustenance…” (Qur’ān 11:6)
“And the earth: He [God] has assigned to all living creatures.” (Qur’ān 55:10)
In the words of Moses(s), as recorded in the Qur’ān:
“Surely! The earth belongs to Allah; He bequeaths it to whosoever He pleases of His servants…” (Qur’ān 7:128).
The Qur’ān recounts the history of past nations to show how they fell into error and perished. There is an incident mentioned in the Qur’ān which is relevant to the subject under discussion. The tribe of Thamūd were the descendants of Noah(s). They have also been mentioned in the Ptolemaic records of Alexander’s astronomer of the 2nd century A.C. The people of Thamūd demanded that the Prophet Ṣāliḥ(s) show them some sign to prove that he was a prophet of God. At that time the tribe was experiencing a dearth of food and water and was, therefore, neglecting its livestock. It was revealed to the Prophet Ṣāliḥ(s) to single out a she-camel as a symbol and ask his people to give her her fair share of water and fodder. The people of Thamūd promised to do that but, later, killed the camel. As a retribution, the tribe was annihilated. This incident has been mentioned in the Qur’ān many times in different contexts. (Qur’ān 7:73; 11:64; 26:155; 54:27-31)
This historic incident sets forth the essence of the Islamic teachings on ‘Animal Rights’. Depriving them of their fair share in the resources of nature is so serious a sin in the eyes of God that it is punishable by punitive retribution. In the case of Thamūd, this retribution was so severe that the whole tribe was annihilated for this and other iniquities.
Almost all religions allow the use of animals for necessary human needs. Man has always used them and their labour just as human beings take each other in service. There seems to be nothing wrong in this arrangement, except that the animals are not capable of protecting their rights as human labour unions can do. The protection of animal rights is left mainly to human conscience, social censure and government legislation; though the last does not count much, as the legislation always follows the trends of public opinion. Political leaders and reformers are two different species.
All religions have tried to regulate the use of animals humanely and with equity and justice. There are many laws in the Scriptures which cover specific cases; but the problem is that human needs and social conditions are constantly ringing the changes. Modern scientific and technological revelations, the current inter-lacing of global cultures, international and politico-economic pressures and numerous other influences are demanding modulation in our respective lifestyles. Our social and moral values are changing so fast that an average man is no longer sure how to act.
In this section the following subjects will be discussed from the Islamic point of view: Medical and other experiments on animals; Modern Hunting and Fishing for sport; Animal Fights; Beasts of Burden and other similar controversial fields.