Human rights do not belong solely to humans. Animals also have the right to human rights.
The term animal rights itself began to emerge in the early 1970s, when there were many phenomena of animal abuse and methods of slaughtering animals that were considered not to pay attention to the animal side.
Attention to animal rights throughout the world is celebrated every October 4 as World Animal Day.
In Indonesia, it could be said that this term is not yet familiar enough. Animals also have the right to live side by side with humans on earth, as well as the right to live without suffering from various forms of torture by humans.
In Islam, the context of animal rights is often related to procedures and behavior in slaughtering animals.
It is not uncommon for videos to go viral regarding animal slaughter which is considered to be very torturous to animals. So how do Islamic teachings actually view animal rights?
Islam is the religion of rahmatan lil alamin. This means that grace and compassion are not only given to all humans on earth, but also apply to other living creatures such as animals.
Allah created living creatures, both animals and plants, for noble purposes and humans can take advantage of them.
In the perspective of animal rights according to Islam, humans act as a caliphate on earth who have responsibility for animals, meaning that they cannot make animals objects of exploitation that humans are free to treat as they please.
The increasingly intensive campaign for animal rights should be a reflection for humans, especially Muslims, about how they should treat God's creatures. Have humans treated him well, especially as Muslims?
Animal rights law in Islam
Islamic teachings regulate not only the relationship between humans and Allah, but regulate the relationship between humans and humans and nature.
Islam clearly teaches love for animals and teaches that animals should not be used according to human desires. Long before animal rights campaigns emerged, Islamic law already regulated more clearly how to treat animals.
As told in a hadith, the Prophet forbade his people from killing four kinds of animals, namely ants, bees, hoopoe birds, and shurad birds which are a type of sparrow.
According to Islam, a good deed done by humans to animals means the same as a good deed to fellow humans.
On the other hand, cruelty to animals is the same as cruelty to humans. It could be said that good deeds to animals are promised rewards by Allah in the afterlife.
Implementation of animal rights according to Islam
Islam is a complete teaching that regulates almost all aspects of life. In fact, there are many examples of human behavior regulated by Islam in treating animals in accordance with their human rights. The Prophet himself gave a direct example of how Islamic teachings must pay attention to animal rights.
For example, the Muslim prohibition against urinating or defecating in holes that could be a place for animals to live so as not to harm the small animals that live in them.
Then, another case example that was emulated by the Prophet was the Muslim order to give drink to thirsty animals, even if the animal was an unclean animal.
Islam also prohibits torturing animals by forcing them to pull heavy loads beyond the animal's capacity.
Islam allows the consumption of meat from animals that are slaughtered in a good and correct manner in accordance with the Shari'a, For example, use sharp knives and do not sharpen knives in front of the animal being slaughtered.
We can see how Islamic teachings treat animals with proportional affection. Islam also teaches not to carry out large-scale exploitation that creates the threat of extinction of certain animals.
The postulate of animal rights in Islam
Both the Quran and hadith explain in detail how humans should treat animals well in accordance with animal rights.
In an authentic hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet once told a story about a prostitute who gave drink to a thirsty dog. This good behavior should be emulated by every Muslim.
In the Quran there is also a popular story in Surah An Nahl about Prophet Sulaiman's treatment of a group of ant colonies, where the son of the Prophet Daud made way for the ants to enter the hole before Prophet Sulaiman's soldiers stepped on them.
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