Whenever you ride lean animals...

Whenever you ride lean animals, use them according to their capacity; if the land is dry pick up their speed and if it is green, leave them to graze.[^22] If you are moving on a verdant land, be tolerant to the animal to graze, but if you are travelling on a dry land, pick up your speed.[^23] For this reason, in some Islamic sources directing animals through the [right] pathway is regarded as among their rights so that they would not be harmed out of unfamiliarity with the path (The right thing for the rider to do is to say to the pedestrian: [move out of] the way!).[^24] Therefore, only man’s need for fast movement is not enough to force the animal to move fast; rather, it should be noted that this kind of movement would not do any harm to the animal.[^25] 2.

Utilization and Welfare of Animals According to religious instructions, constant use of animal is not permissible; the animal should be given intervals to rest.[^26] It was on this basis that when the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) performed his morning prayer on journey, he would dismount his camel and let it rest for a while.[^27] Similarly, in praise of the one who rested his animal after climbing up steep slopes, he said: Anyone who dismounts an animal when riding in mountain passes, is like the one who frees a slave in the way of God.

[^28] Some supportive instructions of Islam in this regard are as follows: 1.2. Avoidance of Sitting on the Back of Animals for a Long Time : the user of the animal is not allowed to keep sitting on its…