What is the ruling on cutting the ears and horns and castrating sheep for the sake of their beauty, preventing harm to them, and increasing their price, or applying medication to prevent the growth of horns?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
May peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, and after that:
We have a type of Syrian goat that has long ears, with each ear measuring more than thirty centimeters in length. When it drinks water, half of its ear falls into the water. When it eats feed, its ear gets dirty with the feed or dung. Then, when it drinks or eats from the feeder, this leads to the water or feed becoming dirty, and it may cause inflammation in its ear. For these reasons, some people cut part of the length of the ear, half or less. Also, for the sake of beautifying it, because it increases the price of this type of goat. It is known that this practice is free from pre-Islamic beliefs. Similarly, the horns are cut because they cause harm, and because cutting them adds beauty and increases the price. Therefore, they cut them or apply medication to them from a young age so that the horn does not grow. Likewise, castration is done for fattening and to improve the quality of the meat. What is the ruling on these actions of cutting the ears and horns and castrating sheep and goats? We hope for your answer, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : These are three things, as mentioned in the question. First: cutting the ears. And he saidThe questioner : that he does not intend by this what the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance did, such as the Bahirah and the like. Rather, he intends three things:
First: preventing harm or disease due to the length of these ears.
Second: beautification.
Third: increasing the value.
Our answer to this is to say: there is nothing wrong with it, on the condition that there is no pain inflicted on the animal. Because if there is no clear reason, this pain is not permissible. It is possible to numb the ear before cutting it, or to perform another procedure on it so that it is not harmed by the cutting.
As for cutting the horns, it is even easier, because the horns, as the questioner said, may cause harm. They may gore someone who opposes them or tries to prevent them from eating, or the like.
As for castration, it is also permissible if there is a benefit in it. However, it is obligatory to take the necessary measures to prevent the animal from feeling pain.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes? I mean, this is before you.
May peace and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you, and after that:
We have a type of Syrian goat that has long ears, with each ear measuring more than thirty centimeters in length. When it drinks water, half of its ear falls into the water. When it eats feed, its ear gets dirty with the feed or dung. Then, when it drinks or eats from the feeder, this leads to the water or feed becoming dirty, and it may cause inflammation in its ear. For these reasons, some people cut part of the length of the ear, half or less. Also, for the sake of beautifying it, because it increases the price of this type of goat. It is known that this practice is free from pre-Islamic beliefs. Similarly, the horns are cut because they cause harm, and because cutting them adds beauty and increases the price. Therefore, they cut them or apply medication to them from a young age so that the horn does not grow. Likewise, castration is done for fattening and to improve the quality of the meat. What is the ruling on these actions of cutting the ears and horns and castrating sheep and goats? We hope for your answer, and may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : These are three things, as mentioned in the question. First: cutting the ears. And he saidThe questioner : that he does not intend by this what the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance did, such as the Bahirah and the like. Rather, he intends three things:
First: preventing harm or disease due to the length of these ears.
Second: beautification.
Third: increasing the value.
Our answer to this is to say: there is nothing wrong with it, on the condition that there is no pain inflicted on the animal. Because if there is no clear reason, this pain is not permissible. It is possible to numb the ear before cutting it, or to perform another procedure on it so that it is not harmed by the cutting.
As for cutting the horns, it is even easier, because the horns, as the questioner said, may cause harm. They may gore someone who opposes them or tries to prevent them from eating, or the like.
As for castration, it is also permissible if there is a benefit in it. However, it is obligatory to take the necessary measures to prevent the animal from feeling pain.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes? I mean, this is before you.