Rights and Duties Pertaining to Kept Animals

tabah papers
Other hadiths mention injunctions against using animals as
targets. One of these hadiths states that
Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) came across
some young men from the Quraysh tribe who had tied
a bird at which they then shot arrows. Every arrow that
missed would then belong to the bird’s owner. The men
scattered as soon as they saw Ibn ʿUmar. Thereupon
Ibn ʿUmar said, “Who has done this? Allah has cursed
him who does this. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may
Allah bless him and give him peace) invoked curses
upon whomever makes a live thing a target [for one’s
marksmanship].” 10
Another variation of the hadith ends instead with “Allah curses
anyone who mutilates an animal”. 11
And in another hadith, Hishām ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrated:
Anas and I went to al-Ḥakam ibn Ayyūb (may Allah be
pleased with them all). Anas saw some boys shooting
at a chicken that had been tied down. Anas said, “The
Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) has
forbidden targeting tied or confined animals.” 12
These two hadiths indicate that it is unlawful to take any living
thing which has been tethered or confined as a target for sport,
since it is unlawful to harm or abuse an animal unless one has legal
cause for doing so (such as the five vermin which will be mentioned
below). The first hadith indicates that Allah curses people who do
use a tethered or confined animal as a target for sport, meaning
that they will be barred from Paradise and subject to punishment
in the Hellfire. This curse is understood to indicate that the act is
not a lesser sin (ṣaghīrah), which is forgiven over time and through
good works, but rather it is an enormity (kabīrah), which requires
10. Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ, 3:1550.1958; see also al-Bukhārī, al-Ṣaḥīḥ, 5512.
11. al-Bukhārī, al-Ṣaḥīḥ, 7:94.5515.
12. Ibid., 7:94.5513–14.
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