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Fatwa CenterPermission to Eat Animals in Islam
Question
I'd like to know the position of Islam towards the non-cruelty to animals, since the practices seem to contradict the mercy for the animals expressed in the Qur'an and by the Prophet himself. Since there was a survival need for eating meat in the harsh environment of the Arabian desert, Islam allowed it under the condition of a merciful death (the Halal. But,since nowadays, in many countries, there is no more need to survive by eating animals, isn't there a reason for Islam (according to the animal welfare defended by this religion) not only to allow the Muslims to avoid it but actually to encourage them not to do it (like many Sufists and Shias already do, nowadays)?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
To legislate that which is prohibited and that which is lawful is a right exclusively for The Almighty Lord and no created being whosoever can forbid something or make another thing lawful. It is the right of Allah Alone.
Allah Says (what means):
• {Say, "Have you seen what Allah has sent down to you of provision of which you have made [some] lawful and [some] unlawful?" Say, "Has Allah permitted you [to do so], or do you invent [something] about Allah?".} [Quran 10:59]
• {Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?".} [Quran 7:32]
So, the animals whose meat is lawful to us are part of This Grace of Allah that He provides to His servants. So, the people can enjoy much from these animals in many aspects. They can ride them, get food from them, etc., as prescribed by the Sharee’ah.
Allah Says (what means): {And of the grazing livestock are carriers [of burdens] and those [too] small. Eat of what Allah has provided for you and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.} [Quran 6:142]
In fact, everything on this earth is created for the people who can profit from it according to the Sharee’ah rulings without over exploitation or spoiling. Making the exploitation of some animals by eating their meat, riding them, etc. lawful to people is not limited to a given time or place or to the rich and not to the poor. Instead of asking Muslims to give up what Allah has made lawful to them, we advise our brother not to make a model of the non-Muslims for his life, liking what they like and disliking what they dislike, as this is choosing their side and being pleased with their way of life despite their disobedience to Allah.
Indeed, our religion is comprehensive and complete. We can derive from it all that is good for us in this worldly life and the Hereafter. After all, our religion is from Allah, The Creator of mankind, The Only One who knows that which is good for us. As for the rights of all sorts of animals, the stand of the Sharee’ah towards them is known. In fact, Islam is the religion of kindness and good treatment. This is, in a word, its way and method in everything. There are numerous pieces of evidence proving that Islam has given a great importance to the animals and how one should deal with them.
‘Abdullah Ibn Mas'ood 
narrated: “We were with the Prophet during a journey. He went to relieve himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones, and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Prophet came and said: “Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it.” He also saw an ant village that we had burnt. He asked: “Who has burnt this?” We replied: “We did.” He said: “No one punishes with fire except the Lord of the fire.” [Ahmad and Abu Daawood]
Ibn ‘Umar also narrated that the Prophet said: “Any person who kills a sparrow or a finch without a legal right will be asked by Allah about it.” Someone asked: “And what is its right?” The Prophet replied: “You should slaughter it according to the Sharee’ah, eat it but should not just behead it and throw it.” [An-Nasaa-i and Al-Haakim]
Ibn ‘Abbas also narrated that the Prophet passed by a donkey and noticed that its face was marked leaving a scar. He said “Allah cursed the one who did that.” [Muslim]
So, these verses and Ahadeeth are all sound pieces of evidence that Islam preaches and calls for kindness to animals and all other creatures and warns against mistreating all creatures whatever they are.
So, Islam is the comprehensive and complete way of life, which does not need any complementary articles or rules to apply in any field of life. So, Muslims do not need to take from others any lessons in these matters.
We advise our dear brother, yet again, to take the Islamic religion from its authentic sources and choose good pious people to be his model.
Allah knows best.
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