The Holy Prophet (sas) was extremely kind even to animals. Once on a journey, he heard cries of a small bird in distress. He turned to his companions and asked what had happened to the bird. One of them said that he had taken two eggs from her nest. The Holy Prophet (sas) said: “Return them immediately.” In another narration of the same incident it is said that two chicks and not eggs had been taken, and the Holy Prophet (sas) said to his companions that no mother should ever be pained on account of her offspring.
The Holy Prophet (sas) once narrated an incident to his companions: “A man who was thirsty in a desert discovered a well full of water. He climbed down and drank his fill Upon corning out, he observed a dog panting with thirst, perhaps about to die. He went back in and filled his shoes with water, then holding them in his teeth, returned to the surface and quenched the thirst of the dog. The Holy Founder (sas) said: “God has told me that this man was pardoned for all his previous sins.” In another narration it is said that it was a prostitute who did this. Her whole life was full of sins, but she was pardoned in the sight of God for an act of kindness to an animal.
One of his companions asked if they would be rewarded for acts of mercy to animals. He said: “Yes, all those animals who have wet livers.” The word ‘wet’ in Arabic is used to indicate softness and sensibility. I have translated it literally but the connotation is that any animal with sensibility and sensitivity to pain is to be treated kindly, and God would reward for all such acts of kindness.
Once the Holy Prophet (sas) saw someone milking a goat and was worried if any milk was left for its kids. He admonished the man to always leave enough milk for the hungry kids.
He prohibited his companions from killing any bird or animal, just for the sake of killing. He said: “You will be answerable to God for killing purposelessly and without justification.” When asked what would be the justification, he said: “You may only kill animals when you need their meat”. He then reminded them that even in killing they must not be bereft of mercy: “Kill in a manner that the animal feels least pain.”
Some people ask me if the modem style of slaughtering is Islamic, which is first stunning the animal, and then slaughtering it. In answer I say that it is not un-Islamic. I do not agree with orthodox Muslim scholars who say that this system was unknown to early Islam. These instruments which help alleviate the pain of animals were not available in those days. However, the principle, that even in killing you should show mercy, was enunciated by the Holy Founder (sas) of Islam himself.