ভূমিকা
Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Animals Welfare Acts and Utilization Limits in Islam Discourse Three: Ethical Studies Observing ethical ocnsiderations towards animals by human beings is of special importance in the true religion of Islam, to the extent that they should ask for God’s pardon for their ill-treatment the animals.
If Allah pardons you for what you have done to animals, He has given you a great pardon.[^1] Be wary of God concerning what Allah has given to you and the tongueless among your possessions. Someone asked, “What do you mean by tongueless among our possessions?” He said, “Sheep, cats, pigeons, etc.”[^2] Therefore, it would be natural that Islam, through expressing ethical instructions, mention to man the procedures and manners of utilizing animals.
The ethical considerations and instructions can be divided into two general sections: physical considerations, psychological consideration. Physical Considerations Examining the ethical instructions of Islam concerning animals’ physical aspects, we arrive at two general principles: 1. Productivity and Power of Animals In Islamic law, the proportion between the capacity of the one charged with a duty ( mukallaf ) and the duty ( taklif ) itself is a principle common to human and animals.
The intellect and religion deem it as unjust that the Almighty God demands tasks from His servants that are beyond their capacity: ﴾Allah does not task any soul beyond its capacity. [^3] ﴿ In addition, in their relationships between one another, people are not allowed to demand each other to perform tasks that are beyond their capacity (impracticable).
This principle is also true for the relation between man and animal; that is why man is not permitted to use the animal beyond its capacity or create a situation that it cannot tolerate.[^4] This principle enjoys so highly a status in Islamic thought that if not upheld, it would yield two critical results: First, non-acceptance of devotional acts: Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) asserts that God will not accept the prayers and Hajj of the person who spurs a mount to force it to move faster beyond its capacity.[^5] Second, Punishment: The Commander of the Faithful Imam “Ali (A.S.) reprimanded the caravan leader who had driven his mounts faster for arriving at destination sooner and deprived him of working in Kufa.[^6] Notice some functions of this principle concerning animals: 1.1.