Behaviour Towards Animals

Muhammad was very kind to animals. He forbade people to keep animals in their working equipment for a long time and said, "Don't make the backs of animals your chairs." Animal fights were also made unlawful. Another custom was to tie up an animal and practice arrow shooting on it. This was also prohibited.

 

Once Muhammad saw a donkey on the road with a brand on its face, and said, "God's curse is on him who branded it." As people had to brand their camels and sheep in order to know them, they were told to brand them on parts which were
not so tender.

 

Muhammad was so kind and gentle that he advised his companions to be nice and considerate even at the time of slaughtering animals for food. He asked them to slaughter them with the sharpest weapon, causing the minimum pain and suffering to the animal. He also forbade them to sharpen the weapon in front of the animal or when the animal was ready for slaughter, but told them to do these preliminaries before the animal was brought for slaughter.'