The Seal of Prophets - His Personality and Character — Page 32
32 The Seal of Prophets Chapter 6 The Prophet’s Treatment of Animals The Holy Prophet sa was extremely kind even to animals. Once on a journey, he heard cries of a small bird in distress. He turned to his companions and asked what had happened to the bird. One of them said that he had taken two eggs from her nest. The Holy Prophet sa said: “Return them immediately. ” In another narration of the same incident it is said that two chicks and not eggs had been taken, and the Holy Prophet sa said to his companions that no mother should ever be pained on account of her offspring. The Holy Prophet sa once narrated an incident to his companions: “A man who was thirsty in a desert discovered a well full of water. He climbed down and drank his fill Upon corning out, he observed a dog panting with thirst, perhaps about to die. He went back in and filled his shoes with water, then holding them in his teeth, returned to the surface and quenched the thirst of the dog. The Holy Founder sa said: “God has told me that this man was pardoned for all his previous sins. ” In another narration it is said that it was a prostitute who did this. Her whole life was full of sins, but she was pardoned in the sight of God for an act of kindness to an animal. One of his companions asked if they would be rewarded for acts of mercy to animals. He said: “Yes, all those animals who have wet livers. ” The word ‘wet’ in Arabic is used to indicate softness and sensibility. I have translated it literally but the