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KINDNESS TO ANIMALS

127

“A man was walking along a path feeling very thirsty. He reached a well and went down into it, drank from it and came out. Then he saw a dog with its tongue lolling out trying to suck up mud because of its extreme thirst. The man thought: ‘This dog is suffering from thirst as I suffered.’ So he descended once more into the well, filled his leather sock with water and came up holding it by his teeth and gave the dog a drink. Allah was thankful for his deed and forgave his sins. The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, are we rewarded for kindness to animals also?’ He answered: ‘There is a reward for kindness to every living thing.’”

We are also informed that: “Allah was thankful for his deed, forgave his sins and admitted him to Paradise.”

We are also informed: “An extremely thirsty dog was walking around a well, when a loose woman of the Bani Israel saw it. She lowered her leather sock into the well, drew up some water and gave the dog a drink. For this she was forgiven her sins.”

Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said this.