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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Your Questions Answered (volume 7) Q. 30: Rights of Animal in Islam Can you briefly allude to the rights of all living thing besides man? A: It is a lengthy topic. However, a few main points are given below: Wild Animals: Hunting for pleasure or sport is haram (unlawful.) It is allowed only if the aim is to eat its meat or to trade its meat and/or hide.

Domesticated animals: It is wajib to look after them properly by feeding them and protecting them from cold or heat etc. It is haram to hit them on the face or head. It is not allowed to brand them on face.

According to the traditions narrated from the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the Imams (a.s.), a domesticated animal has seven rights on its owner: When he gets down, he should begin with feeding it and giving it water before himself eating; If during a journey, he passes by a stream or pond of water, he should take the animal to it; He should not hit on its face, because it glorifies the praise of its Lord; Not to ride it except in the way of Allah {i.e.

for lawfijl purposes}; Not to put heavy load on it beyond its normal strength; Not to make it run beyond its strength; Not to use its back as a seat for talking with friends/companions. Q. 31: HARAM MUSIC? Is music haram in religion? A: Yes, it is forbidden. I am sending to you a booklet, Music and Its Effects, which explains various aspects of this topic. However, it should be mentioned here that the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) spoke Arabic and his immediate audience were Arabs.

Therefore, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala used plain Arabic language for revelation and promulgation of the shari'ah. All the words were used in their normal and prevalent meanings except a few which were given new connotations, like salah and zakah which originally meant invocation and purification, respectively, and the shari'ah gave them new meanings as we know them. "Music" was not given any new meaning. Therefore, it is to be taken in its usual meaning.

Past scholars, never the less, had tried to define "music" as a prolonged voice with varying pitch. Nowadays, they explain it as a voice which arouses base desires and lust in the listeners. Some say that it is a voice that is more in keeping with gatherings of irreligious people. But I feel that the explanation given by late Ayatullah As-Sayyid Abul Qasim Al- Khou'i (and later adopted by ayatullah As-Seestani) is the best.