Charity to other animals-hadith

The prophet said, 'A good deed done to a beast is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to human beings'. (This Hadith is narrated by Imam Bukharie and Imam Muslim).

The Prophet Mohammad also said, 'It is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power'. (Muslim).

The Prophet Muhammad was once performing ablution (Wudhu) for prayers from a pot of water. A cat passed there and turned its eyes at the pot of water with a thirsty look. The Prophet realised at once that the cat was very thirsty, so he stopped the ablution and placed the pot before the cat. Only after the cat had fully quenched its thirst, did the Prophet resume the ablution. By this action, the Prophet has shown that quenching the thirst of even a small dumb animal is a noble act full of virtue and should be given first attention before one prepares for offering prayers to God.

Once a man asked the Prophet, 'Is there a reward for the charity that we give to animals? He answered, 'For every being possessing a moist liver, there is a reward'. (Bukhari and Muslim).

ahadith (hadiths)