Hadiths on Treatment of Animals in Islam

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "A woman was punished (by God) because of a cat. She had not provided (the cat) with food or drink, nor had she set it free so that it might eat the insects of the earth." - Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1047


The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "While a man was walking along a road, he became very thirsty. He came to a well, got down into it, drank, and climbed out again. He then saw a dog panting and licking mud because of severe thirst. The man said to himself, 'This dog is suffering from the same state of thirst I did.' So he went down the well (again), filled his shoe (with water), held it in his mouth (as he climbed out), and gave the water to the dog. God thanked him for that deed and forgave him (his sins)." The people then asked the Prophet: "Is there a reward for us in serving animals?" He replied: "(Yes), there is a reward for serving any (living being)." Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadith 38

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Once while a prophet amongst the prophets was taking a rest underneath a tree, an ant bit him. He, therefore, ordered that his luggage be taken away from underneath that tree and then ordered that the dwelling place of the ants should be set on fire. God sent him a revelation: 'Wouldn't it have been sufficient to burn (the) single ant (that bit you)?'" - Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Hadith 536