The status of the animal within Islam within the lifetime of the prophet until the caliphate (approx. 610 610 1492) according to religious sources; part 1: the status of the animal in Qur’an and Sunna]

The status of the animal within Islam within the lifetime of the prophet until the caliphate (approx. 610 - 610 - 1492) according to religious sources; part 1: the status of the animal in Qur’an and Sunna]

Al-Masri AN, Abuseir S, Grabowski NT, Klein G, Upmann M (2008)

Tierärztliche Umschau 63: 449-456

English summary

The present article focuses on the status of the animal during the initial phases of Islam and in the subsequent time of the caliphate (approx. 610 to 1492 AD). In those times, Qur’an (corresponding to the final revelation of the god of monotheistic – Semitic religions) and Sunna (works, opinions, and quotations of the Prophet Muhammad) also set the ethic bases on how to treat animals. The pivotal finding is that according the Muslim point of view, animals belong to the categories of ensouled beings, and that abusing of ensouled beings will be punished severely on the day of final judgement. Because of his higher degree of knowledge, human beings stand above animals. This permits mankind to use animals, but this also assigns responsibility towards the animal. Several citations from Qur’an and Sunna support this. Thus, mercifulness towards animals is an integral component of the early Islamic code of conduct which in turn determined the behaviour of those caliphs from several dynasties that are considered virtuous and pious. The fact that some Muslims nowadays disregard this conduct is attributed to a changing perception of values. However, there are tendencies that pursue these values in the light of the modern concept of animal welfare. Along with Qur’an and Sunna, there are a broad folk knowledge and extensive literature, the latter being initially of the religious and the fiction type. During the caliphate, notable Islamic scholars did not only compile scientific texts of the known world of that time, but also created and translated new knowledge on (veterinary) medicine which afterwards was transferred to Europe and contributed to the base of the European scientific reasoning.