What is the Ruling on Hitting Animals?

Uploaded Jan 14, 2024

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Question

We live in a very rugged mountainous area, and we mostly use animals in all our transportation, such as: camels, donkeys, mules, and so on, even when we go to school which is about ten kilometers from the village. And we hit it painfully so that it walks and travels the distance to school quickly. So, what is the ruling on hitting animals to move faster and cover a designated distance, or intentionally hitting them? Note that I read a Hadeeth of the Messenger ﷺ that animals will take their revenge on humans on the Day of Resurrection. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with goodness.

Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen

All praises be to Allah, there is no doubt that an animal has a soul and has feelings; it aches. And it is painful and difficult for it to do that which exceeds its capabilities. So, it’s not permissible for a Muslim to burden an animal with what it can’t endure, whether that which it carries, a road it can’t travel, or other things which are difficult for it. As for hitting it, it is permissible when needed, provided that it is not severe. It is established that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the Hadeeth of Jabir in the story of his camel, that the Messenger ﷺ followed him, and he hit the camel. So, fundamentally, hitting an animal is allowed if it’s for a necessity and not severe. And the evidence for that from the Sunnah is the Hadeeth of Jabir. However, if it is done unnecessarily, it is severe beating, or it is a beating that leads the animal to something that is difficult for it, then it is not permissible.

Additional references

The Series of Fatawa of Nur ‘Ala Al-Darb for his eminence the scholar Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Ibn Uthaymeen Tape: 1 Fatwa: 2