Fatwa ID: 06098
Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah
Question:
There are various charities in the UK for many causes. Is it permissible to give sadaqa to WWF to support Tigers worldwide, considering Tigers can be potentially dangerous to human beings?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Various charities are set up to assist, empower and strengthen specific people, people, animals etc.
Allah (عز و جل) has said;
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ ﴿٣٨﴾
“There is not an animal that lives on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but they form communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Lord in the end”
(Surah Anam, Verse 38).
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira ( رضى الله عنه )said;
The people said,
يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّ لَنَا فِي الْبَهَائِمِ لأَجْرًا
“O Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?”. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied:
فِي كُلِّ ذَاتِ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ ”.
“Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being)”. 1
Likewise, Sayyiduna Sahl Ibnul Hanzaliyyah ( رضى الله عنه ) narrated that;
مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِبَعِيرٍ قَدْ لَحِقَ ظَهْرُهُ بِبَطْنِهِ، فَقالَ:
The Messenger of Allah (سبحانه و تعالى) came upon an emaciated camel and said:
اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِي هَذِهِ البَهائِمِ المُعْجَمَةِ، فارْكَبُوها صالِحَةً، وكُلُوها صالِحَةً
Fear Allah regarding these mute animals. Ride them when they are in good condition and feed them when they are in good condition. 2
Also, Sayyiduna Anas ( رضى الله عنه ) narrated that Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said;
مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَغْرِسُ غَرْسًا أَوْ يَزْرَعُ زَرْعًا فَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ إِنْسَانٌ أَوْ طَيْرٌ أَوْ بَهِيمَةٌ إِلَّا كَانَت لَهُ صَدَقَة
“There is none amongst the Muslims, who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him”. 3
In the aforementioned case, it would be permissible to give sadaqah to WWF to maintain the welfare of the tigers which need looking after, caring, and catering for.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Sahih Bukhari, Hadith Number 2466, 132/3, Dar Tuqin Najah, 1422 H.
2 Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 2548, 23/3, Al-Maktabatul Asriyyah, Beirut, Lebanon.
3 Sunan Tirmizi, (Bashshar) Hadith 1382, 59/3, Darul Gharbil Islami, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998.
