Categories of animals that are not lawful and which of them may be killed
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Categories of animals that are not lawful and which of them may be killed
His Eminence the Shaykh: What is the ruling on killing an animal, with details, and what is the criterion for harm?
Animals are divided into three categories, and I mean by that: those that are not lawful, and those that are lawful, which is well known; they are slaughtered and eaten.But the non-lawful is divided into three categories: The first category: that which the Lawgiver has commanded to be killed.
And the second: That which He has forbidden to be killed.
And the third: That about which He has been silent.
As for that which the Lawgiver has commanded to be killed, kill it.And among this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Five pests are to be killed in the state of ihram and in the sacred precinct: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the rat, and the vicious dog) These five, and whatever is similar to them in harm or more harmful than them, are commanded to be killed because of the harm they cause.
The second is that which the Lawgiver has forbidden to be killed, such as the prohibition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from killing the ant, the bee, the hoopoe, and the bat.
This is also well known, and this is not to be killed.
The third: That about which He has been silent,So the scholars differed on this, and some of them said: there is no harm in killing it, although it is not recommended to kill it; leave it alone.And some of them said: It is forbidden to kill it; because if you kill it, you prevent the glorification of Allah from it.Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Isra: 44] As long as it does not harm you and you have not been commanded to kill it, leave it alone. There is no doubt that the better course is not to kill it, because you are either safe or sinful, and a sane person does not expose himself to sin.
But this third category, which has not been commanded to be killed and about which there is no prohibition, if it attacks you and harms you, kill it. If it is of the kind that is forbidden to be killed, kill it as a defensive act. How is defensive killing done?Meaning: By the easiest means first. For example, is the ant forbidden to be killed or not? It is forbidden to be killed. Do not spray pesticide on it directly; try to drive it away. Either by recitation, because some people recite over ants and they leave, or with something whose smell they dislike and they leave. We have tried that (with gasoline) pour (gasoline) on it, and afterwards it leaves and does not come back. But the pesticide that kills it immediately, do not use it; because it is forbidden to be killed, and if something is forbidden to be killed and you kill it, it is a defensive killing.
His Eminence the Shaykh: What is the ruling on killing an animal, with details, and what is the criterion for harm?
Animals are divided into three categories, and I mean by that: those that are not lawful, and those that are lawful, which is well known; they are slaughtered and eaten.But the non-lawful is divided into three categories: The first category: that which the Lawgiver has commanded to be killed.
And the second: That which He has forbidden to be killed.
And the third: That about which He has been silent.
As for that which the Lawgiver has commanded to be killed, kill it.And among this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): (Five pests are to be killed in the state of ihram and in the sacred precinct: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the rat, and the vicious dog) These five, and whatever is similar to them in harm or more harmful than them, are commanded to be killed because of the harm they cause.
The second is that which the Lawgiver has forbidden to be killed, such as the prohibition of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from killing the ant, the bee, the hoopoe, and the bat.
This is also well known, and this is not to be killed.
The third: That about which He has been silent,So the scholars differed on this, and some of them said: there is no harm in killing it, although it is not recommended to kill it; leave it alone.And some of them said: It is forbidden to kill it; because if you kill it, you prevent the glorification of Allah from it.Allah the Exalted said:
The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِBut this third category, which has not been commanded to be killed and about which there is no prohibition, if it attacks you and harms you, kill it. If it is of the kind that is forbidden to be killed, kill it as a defensive act. How is defensive killing done?Meaning: By the easiest means first. For example, is the ant forbidden to be killed or not? It is forbidden to be killed. Do not spray pesticide on it directly; try to drive it away. Either by recitation, because some people recite over ants and they leave, or with something whose smell they dislike and they leave. We have tried that (with gasoline) pour (gasoline) on it, and afterwards it leaves and does not come back. But the pesticide that kills it immediately, do not use it; because it is forbidden to be killed, and if something is forbidden to be killed and you kill it, it is a defensive killing.