And he also said: { Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years. }1 Also, the Prophet Muhammad has forbidden punishment with fire.2 He once listed murder as the second of the major sins,3 and he even warned that on the Day of Judgment, { The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed.4 }5 Muslims are even encouraged to be kind to animals and are forbidden to hurt them. Once the Prophet Muhammad said: { A woman was punished because she imprisoned a cat until it died. On account of this, she was doomed to Hell. While she imprisoned it, she did not give the cat food or drink, nor did she free it to eat the insects of the earth. }6 He also said that a man gave a very thirsty dog a drink, so God forgave his sins for this action. The Prophet was asked: “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” He said: { There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human. }7 Additionally, while taking the life of an animal for food, Muslims are commanded to do so in a manner that causes the least amount of fright and suffering possible. The Prophet Muhammad said: { When you slaughter an animal, do so in the best way. One should sharpen his knife to reduce the suffering of the animal. }8 What Does Islam Say about Terrorism? Chapter 3 General Information on Islam A Brief Illustrated Guide To Understanding Islam 60 (1) Narrated inSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #3166, andIbn Majah, #2686. (2) Narrated inAbu-Dawood, #2675. (3) Narrated inSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #6871, andSaheeh Muslim, #88. (4) This means killing and injuring. (5) Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #1678, andSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #6533. (6) Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #2422, andSaheeh Al-Bukhari, #2365. (7) This saying of Muhammad has been mentioned in more detail on page 50. Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2244, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2466. (8) Narrated inSaheeh Muslim, #1955, andAl-Tirmizi, #1409.
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