Q-1: What does Islam say about keeping plants at home and taking good care of
them?
The keeping of plants in one’s house for adornment is an absolutely personal preference
and choice; and Islam neither encourages it nor discourages it. But if one does keep plants
in one’s home for adornment, then one should indeed take care of them.
Rights of Plants and Animals in Islam
February 23, 2019 0
God – be He exalted -has not made any of His creatures worthless.
There is no denying the importance of plants and animals as living resources of
enormous benefit, without which neither man nor other species could survive.
God – be He exalted -has not made any of His creatures worthless: every single form of
life is the product of a special and intricate development by God, and warrants special
respect.
As a living genetic resource, each species and variety is unique and irreplaceable. Once
lost, it is lost forever.
By virtue of their unique function of producing food from the energy of the sun, plants
constitute the basic source of sustenance for animal and human life on earth.
God has said,
Then let man consider his nourishment: that We pour down the rain in
showers, and We split the earth in fragments, and therein make the grain to
grow, and vines and herbs, and olives and palms, and gardens of dense
foliage, and fruits and fodder- provision for you and your cattle. (`Abas 80:24-
32)
In addition to their importance as nourishment, plants enrich the soil and protect it
from erosion by wind and water. They conserve the water by detaining its runoff; they
moderate the climate and produce the oxygen which we breathe.
They are also of immense value as medicines, oils, perfumes, waxes, fibers, timber, and
fuel. God has said in the Glorious Quran,
Have you seen the fire you kindle? Was it you who grew its timber or did We
grow it? We have made it a reminder, and a comfort for the desert-
dwellers. (Al-Waqi`ah 56:71-73)
Animals in turn provide sustenance for plants, for one another, and for man. Their dung
and their bodies enrich the soil and the seas. They contribute to the atmosphere by
respiration and by their movements and migrations contribute to the distribution of
plants.
They provide food for one another and provide mankind with leather, hair and wool,
medicines and perfumes, and means of conveyance, as well as meat, milk, and honey.
And for their highly developed senses and perceptions and their social
interrelationships, animals are accorded special regard in Islam.
For God considers them living societies exactly like mankind. God has declared in the
Glorious Quran,
“There is not an animal on the earth, nor any being that wings its flight, but
is a people like unto you. (Al-An`am 6:38)
The Glorious Quran mentions the aesthetic functions of these creatures as objects of
beauty in addition to their other functions. Since peace of mind is a religious
requirement which needs to be fully satisfied, those things which cause it should be
amply provided and conserved.
God has made in plants and animals that which excites wonder and joy in man’s soul so
as to satisfy his peace of mind, a factor which is essential for man’s proper functioning
and full performance.
The Glorious Quran also mentions other functions which these creatures perform and
which man may not perceive, namely the functions of worshipping God, declaring if His
praise and bowing down to Him as they are compelled by their very nature to do.
God has said,
Do you not see that to God bow down in worship all things that are in the
heavens and on the earth -the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the
trees, the animals… (Al-Hajj 22:11)
and God says,
The seven heavens and the earth and all the beings therein proclaim His
glory: There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, but you understand not
how they declare His glory. (Al-Israa 17:44)
and He says,
To God bow all beings in the heavens and the earth -with good will or in spite
of themselves. (Ar-Ra`d 13:15)
Islam emphasizes all measures for the survival and perpetuation of these creatures so
that they can fully perform the functions assigned to them. The absolute destruction of
any species of animals or plant by man can in no way be justified; nor should any be
harvested at a rate in excess of its natural regeneration.
This applies to hunting and fishing, forestry and wood-cutting for timber and fuel,
grazing, and all other utilization of living resources. It is imperative that the genetic
diversity of living beings be preserved–both for their own sake and for the good of
mankind and all other creatures.
The Prophet Muhammad (upon him be blessings and peace), was sent by God “as a
mercy to all beings. (Al-Anbiyaa 21:107)
He has shown us through his commandments and teachings, how to tend and care for
these creatures.
He said,
“The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Show mercy to those on earth, and
He Who is in heaven will show mercy unto you. (Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi)
He commanded mankind to provide for the needs of any animals under their care, and
he warned that a person who causes an animal to die of starvation or thirst is punished
by God in the fire of hell. (Al-Bukhari)
Furthermore, he directed human beings to provide for needy animals in general, telling
of a person whose sins God pardoned for the act of giving water to a dog in desperate
thirst. Then when the people asked, O Messenger of God is there a reward in doing
good to these animals? He said, “There is a reward in doing well to every living
thing. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Hunting and fishing for food is permitted in Islam; however, the Prophet peace be upon
him) cursed anyone who uses a living creature as a target, taking a life for mere
sport. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Likewise he forbade that one prolong an animal’s slaughter. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
He declared,
“God has prescribed the doing of good toward every thing: so when you kill, kill with
goodness, and when you slaughter, slaughter with goodness. Let each one of you
sharpen his blade and let him give ease to the animal he is slaughtering. (Muslim and
Abu Dawud)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade that a fire be lit upon an anthill,
and related that an ant once stung one of the prophets, who then ordered that the
whole colony of ants be burned. God revealed to him in rebuke, “Because an ant stung
you, you have destroyed a whole nation that celebrates God’s glory.” (Al-Bukhari and
Muslim)
He once ordered a man who had taken the nestlings of a bird from their nest to return
them whence he got them, to their mother which was trying to protect them. (Abu
Dawud)
He forbade that one needlessly and wrongfully cut down any tree which provides
valuable shelter to humans or animals in the desert,”” and the aim of this prohibition
may be understood as prevention of the destruction of valuable habitat for God’s
creatures.
On the basis of the Prophetic commands and prohibitions, Muslim legal scholars have
ruled that God’s creatures possess inviolability (hurmah) which pertains even in war:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the killing of bees and any captured
livestock, for killing them is a form of corruption included in what God has prohibited in
His saying, “And when he turns away, he hastens through the land to cause
corruption therein and to destroy the crops and cattle: And God loves not
corruption.” (Al-Baqarah 2:205)
For they are animals with the spirit of life, so it is not lawful to kill them in order to gall
the enemy idolaters… And they are animals possessing inviolability just as do women
and children.
It is a distinctive characteristic of Islamic law that all animals have certain legal rights,
enforceable by the courts. Muslim jurists have written:
“The rights of livestock and animals with regard to their treatment by man: These are
that he spend on them the provision that their kinds require, even if they have aged or
sickened such that no benefit comes from them; that he not burden them beyond what
they can bear; that he not put them together with anything by which they would be
injured, whether of their own kind or other species, and whether by breaking their
bones or butting or wounding; that he slaughter them with kindness if he slaughters
them, and neither flay their skins nor break their bones until their f bodies have become
cold and their lives have passed away; that he not slaughter their young within their
sight; that he set them apart individually; that he make comfortable their resting places
and watering places; that he put their males and females together during their mating
seasons; that he not discard those which he takes in hunting; and neither shoot them
with anything that breaks their bones nor bring about their destruction by any means
that renders their meat unlawful to eat. (‘Izz ad-Din ibn `Abd as-Salam, Qawa `id al-
Ahkamfi Masalih al-Anam. )
Islam looks upon these created beings, both animals and plants, in two ways:
1) As living beings in their own right, glorifying God and attesting to His power and
wisdom;
2) As creatures subjected in the service of man and other created beings, fulfilling vital
roles in the development of this world.
Plants:
“Then let man consider his nourishment: that We pour down the rain in showers, and We split the earth in
fragments, and therein make the grain to grow, and vines and herbs, and olives and palms, and gardens of
dense foliage, and fruits and fodder- provision for you and your cattle.”
Sustenance and nourishment for animals, and humans.
Plants enrich the soil and protect it from erosion
They conserve the water by impeding its runoff.
Habitat for other living things.
They moderate the climate and produce the oxygen, and store CO2.
Medicines (Periwinkle childhood leukemia, yew tree anticancer), oils, perfumes, waxes, fibres, timber,
and fuel.
The prophet Mohammed peace be upon him said: “If on the day of resurrection, and there is in the hand of one of you
a sapling, then let him or her plant it”
It is forbidden to cut down trees even in the time of war.
“The is nothing in this Earth except that it exalts Allah with His Grace, but we do not comprehend their praise
(of Him)” – Al-Issra’ 44
“See you not that to Allah prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun,
and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawab (moving living creatures,
beasts, animals etc.), and many of mankind? But there are many (men) on whom the punishment is justified.
And whomsoever Allah disgraces, none can honour him. Verily! Allah does what He wills”. Al –Hajj 18
ج ُر
َ الش
َّ ل َو ِ وم َوا ْل
ُ جبَا ُ ُّج
ُ م ُر َوالن َ ق َ س َوا ْلُ م ْ الش
َّ ِ من فِي اأْل َ ْر
ض َو َ ت َو ِ ما َوا َ الس
َّ من فِي َ هُ َج ُد لُ س ْ ه َي َ َّم تَ َر أَنَّ الل ْ َأَل
شاء َ َما يَ َلُ ه يَ ْفع َ َّم إِنَّ الل ْ م
ٍ ك ِر ُّ ه مِن ُ َ ما لَ ف َ ه
ُ َّن الل ه
ِ ِ ي
ُ ن م
َ و
َ اب
ُ ذَ عَ ْ
ل ا ه
ِ ي
ْ َ لع َ ق
َّ ح
َ ر
ٌ ِي ث َ
ك و
َ اس
ِ ن
َّ ال ِن
َ م
ّ رٌ ِي ث َ
ك و
َ ُّاب و
َ د
َّ َوال
Al Hajj – 18
Animals:
Provide sustenance for plants (fertilizers), for one another, and for man.
Pollination, and distribution of plants.
Provide food for one another and provide mankind with leather and wool, medicines and perfumes, and
means of transportation, as well as milk, and honey and other by-products.
aesthetic functions of these creatures
ECOLOGICAL balance – keystone species,
Worshiping Allah – Spiritual INTRINSIC VALUE – WHALES Singing
“The is nothing in this Earth except that it exalts Allah with His Grace, but we do not comprehend their praise
(of Him)” – Al-Issra’ 44
“There is not an animal on the earth, nor any being that wings its flight, but is a people like unto you.” – Al-
An’aam 38
Absolute destruction of any species of animals or plant is unjustified; harvesting rates should not excess
the rate or its natural regeneration.
This applies to hunting and fishing, forestry and wood-cutting for timber and fuel, grazing, and all other
utilization of living resources.
It is imperative that the genetic diversity of living beings be preserved–both for their own sake and for the
good of mankind and all other creatures.
The prophet Mohammed peace be upon him said: “The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Show
mercy to those on earth, and He Who is in heaven will show mercy unto you.”
Taught mercy to animals:
o The woman who was sent to Hell for torturing a cat to death.
o The prostitute who was granted forgiveness and paradise for giving water to a dog.
o The practice of sharpening and hiding the blade when slaughtering and being quick to ease the
animal.
o Forbidding killing for sport. Cursed who ever used living things as a practice target.
o Not to startle a mother bird by taking its young
o Forbidding the killing of livestock in the time of war.
o Animals have a sacredness of life similar to that of humans.
“The rights of livestock and animals with regard to their treatment by man: These are that he spend on them the
provision that their kinds require, even if they have aged or sickened such that no benefit comes from them; that he
not burden them beyond what they can bear; that he not put them together with anything by which they would be
injured, whether of their own kind or other species, and whether by breaking their bones or butting or wounding; that
he slaughter them with kindness if he slaughters them, and neither flay their skins nor break their bones until their
bodies have become cold and their lives have passed away; that he not slaughter their young within their sight; that
he set them apart individually; that he make comfortable their resting places and watering places; that he put their
males and females together during their mating seasons; that he not discard those which he takes in hunting; and
neither shoot them with anything that breaks their bones nor bring about their destruction by any means that renders
their meat unlawful to eat.”
في كل كبد رطب أجر The Prophet Mohammed peace be upon him said: “and in doing good to any living thing there is
a reward”
Islam looks upon these created beings, both animals and plants, in two ways:
1. As living beings in their own right, glorifying God and attesting to His power and wisdom;
2. As creatures subjected in the service of man and other created beings, fulfilling vital roles in the development of
this world.
Hence the binding obligation to conserve and develop them both for their own sake and for their value as unique and
irreplaceable living resources for the benefit of one another and of mankind.
