Fatwa ID: 04147

Answered by: Maulana Belaal Ahmed

Question

Does Islam allow the killing of harmful animals?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Islam teaches us the rights of animals and how one should treat the animals. We learn from the Hadith of Saheeh Muslim:

Sayyidina Abdullah Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) passed by a group of people who had tied up a hen and were shooting at it. When they saw Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him), they fled. So Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) said, “Who did this [to the hen]? The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) cursed those who do this.” And in another narration, he said, “Allah curses those who do this. Indeed the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) cursed those who use anything in which there is a soul as a target.”[1]

Hence, we learn from the ahadith that to kill or harm animals is a great sin and the Prophet (PBUH) cursed such people.

However, in regards to killing harmful animals, if one is in danger from a harmful animal and fears that he may be attacked, then he may kill the harmful animal. We learn this from the following Hadith:

Aisha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "I heard Allah's Messenger (SAW) as saying: Four are the vicious (birds, beasts and reptiles) which should be killed in the state of Ihram or otherwise: kite (and vulture), crow, rat, and the voracious dog."[2]

In the abovementioned Hadith, we see that even if one is in the state of ihram then one is allowed to kill said harmful animals and won't be liable. Although normally in ihram, any type of hunting or killing is not allowed at all. The reason for the following command is because they are harmful animals.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Belaal Ahmed

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham