Animal Rights

[tresbien]

She neglected the birds until they died – has she committed a sin?

Question:
We used to raise birds, and my mother used to feed them, but she heard that it was wrong to go near the birds during her period, so she told me to feed them. But I was scared of them because sometimes they bite. I used to forget sometimes, until I forgot them altogether and they died. How can we expiate for what we did?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

There is no basis for the belief that it is not permissible for a woman to go near the birds during her period. There is no connection between the two matters. What you must do is give up such beliefs. There are certain rulings which apply to the menstruating woman but such matters are not among them and are not at all connected to them.

The scholars are unanimously agreed that it is permissible for a woman to slaughter animals (for food) when she is menstruating. See al-Mughni, 13/311.

Secondly:

Everyone who keeps these birds or any other creatures is obliged to take good care of them. If he is not able to do that then he should not keep them, and he should sell them or slaughter them if they are the kinds of animals or birds that can be eaten. There is a stern warning issued to the one who keeps an animal and does not feed it or give it water until it dies.

Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Whoever owns an animal must take care of it and spend on whatever it needs of food or appoint someone else to look after it, because of the report narrated by Ibn ‘Umar, who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A woman was punished because of a cat which she detained until it died of starvation, because she did not feed it or let it go and eat of the vermin of the earth.” Agreed upon. If he refuses to spend on it, he should be forced to do so; if he refuses or is unable to do that, he should be forced to sell it or to slaughter it if it is an animal that may be slaughtered (for food). End quote.

Al-Mughni, 8/205

Al-Shawkaani said, commenting on the hadeeth about the woman who detained the cat:

It is understood from this hadeeth that it is haraam to detain cats and similar animals without giving them food and water, because this is tormenting the creation of Allaah, which has been forbidden by the Lawgiver… al-Nawawi said: It seems that she (this woman) was a Muslim, but she entered the Fire because of this sin. End quote.

Nayl al-Awtaar, 7/7

It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (5/119, 120):

It is permissible to keep animals for beneficial purposes, such as guarding (property etc), listening to their voices and enjoying looking at them, but the one who keeps them is obliged to give them food and drink, because of the sanctity of life. End quote.

In the answer to question no. 48008 it says:

It is permissible to keep birds and similar creatures in cages for pleasure, especially if that is because of their appearance or their voices, subject to the condition that one feeds them and gives them water. End quote.

See question no. 48008 for more detailed information.

Thirdly:

If your excuse for not feeding these birds until they died is that you forgot and did not do it deliberately, then this is an excuse which is acceptable according to sharee’ah. We ask Allaah to forgive you for that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. ‘Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error…’”

[al-Baqarah 2:286]

And Allaah has answered this prayer of the believers and says, “I have done that,” as was narrated by Muslim (126) from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him).

And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend”

[al-Ahzaab 33:5]

Since you did not deliberately intend to kill them, there is no sin on you, in sha Allaah.
Can animals be fed with food that is past its expiry date?

Question:
Is a man sinning if he feeds animals such as dogs and cats with food that is past its expiry date or with leftovers such as meat or milk?.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

If it will not cause them any harm, there is nothing wrong with giving them this food.

It is well known that these animals are better able than humans to tolerate food that has gone off. Allaah has given them sense by means of which they know what is good for them and what is not, in addition to the fact that these food containers usually have an expiry date that errs on the side
Question:
I live in an apartment building and in my apartment I left one of the windows open. A cat gave birth to four kittens, and I spoke to my father about these kittens and he told me to keep them for a while until the kittens got a little bigger and could fend for themselves, but I only kept them for a short while, until their eyes were open and they had begun to walk, then I threw them out of the apartment and put them on the roof, although I knew that their mother would never be able to find where they had gone. This is what actually happened.
This happened although I knew the hadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about the woman who entered Hell because of a cat, but I still left them and went away from that place for three days.
What has happened now is that after I came back, I found that the kittens are not there, and their mother is looking for them. It seems that they fell into the drains of the building.
What is the ruling on me in this case, as I could have prevented that and saved these kittens, and that would not have cost me anything, and I also went against my father’s advice? Am I a sinner? What should I do to expiate for my sin? Please advise me, may Allaah have mercy on you and reward you. I feel very depressed and I cannot enjoy life. I am just waiting for death so that I can find some relief from these feelings. All the time I think about these kittens and I think they never harmed me but I killed them, so I will go to Hell like that women in the hadeeth.
I have become depressed and have no enthusiasm for anything I do. I do not find any joy in anything. I wish that I could turn back the clock. I feel so lost and helpless. I will never forget this incident and the pain it has caused me, in this world or in the Hereafter.

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah has enjoined kindness in all things, as it says in the hadeeth: “Allaah is Kind and He loves kindness in all things.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5678) and Muslim (2165).

Muslim (2592) narrated that Jareer (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever is deprived of kindness is deprived of goodness.”

Remember that whoever has any kind of animals must protect them and give them food and water. It is not permissible for him to expose them to danger. In the hadeeth that you referred to, the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that a woman entered Hell because of a cat that she detained and did not feed it or let it eat from the vermin of the earth, i.e., insects. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (2365) and Muslim (904).

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We were with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on a journey, and he went to relieve himself. We saw a bird with two chicks and we took away her chicks, and the bird started flapping her wings. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came and said: “Who has upset this bird by taking her children? Give her children back to her.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (2675); classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

The point is that whomever Allaah has given any of these animals to look after, such as if they are in his care or he is raising them and keeping them for some need, then he must look after them and treat them kindly.

Based on that, then you have to repent to Allaah for several reasons:

1 – Disobeying your parents whom Allaah has commanded you to honour and obey so long as there is no sin involved in doing so.

2 – These kittens were in your care but you failed to look after them, and that led to their death.

3 – You upset their mother by separating her and her children, then her little ones died.

Undoubtedly the feelings of sin that you describe indicate that your heart is alive and that you have sincere feelings of regret for what you have done.

But perhaps that has gone too far, such that you feel despair, and this undoubtedly is not permissible, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Zumar 39:53]

What about the vastness of Allaah’s mercy, which encompasses all things? What about Allaah’s acceptance of His slaves’ repentance, even from major sins?

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us of a man who killed ninety-nine people, then he killed a devoted worshipper, thus completing one hundred, then he repented sincerely and Allaah accepted his repentance – as is narrated in al-Saheehayn. What is your sin in comparison to his? He killed one hundred people then repented, and Allaah accepted his repentance. So you have no right to despair of the forgiveness and mercy of Allaah. Do righteous deeds and always remember the words of Allaah , may He be exalted: “Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds” [Hood 11:114].

And Allaah knows best.

[snakelegs]

for more about islam and animals:
http://www.islamicboard.com/basics-i...m-animals.html