A short lesson for little hearts, with two stories the Prophet (peace be upon him) shared about how we should treat animals.
Come sit close, my love. Look around you for a moment. Did you know that Allah made every single animal you see – the cat sleeping by the window, the birds singing in the tree outside, even that tiny ant carrying a crumb across the floor? Every one of them is a creature of Allah, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told his companions beautiful stories about how kind we should be to them. He was so gentle with animals, sweetheart, that he used to stop just to pet a cat or care for a tired camel. Tonight I want to share two of his stories with you, and afterwards we will talk about what they mean for our family.
1. The Thirsty Dog
A long time ago, a man was walking under a burning sun. He felt so thirsty his throat hurt. Finally he found a well, climbed all the way down, drank his fill, and climbed back up feeling much better. But when he reached the top, he saw a little dog panting and licking the dry dirt – so thirsty it could barely stand. The man could have walked away. He had already had his drink. But he felt so sorry for that dog. So he climbed all the way back down into the well, filled his shoe with water, held the shoe carefully in his teeth as he climbed up, and gently gave the dog a drink. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told us that Allah was so pleased with that man for his small kindness that He forgave all his sins. Imagine that, sweetheart – one cup of water for a thirsty animal opened the doors of mercy for a whole person.
What it means for us: You see, my love? Even one small kindness to a thirsty animal is enormous in the eyes of Allah. Nothing we do for His creatures is too small to count.
Read the full hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 2269 →
2. The Cat Who Was Forgotten
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also told us a sadder story, so we would learn from it. He told us about a woman who had a cat – and she locked it up. She did not feed it. She did not give it water. And she would not even let the cat go outside to find food for itself. That little cat became very hungry and very thirsty, and it never recovered. The Prophet said this was a very serious thing in the sight of Allah. Why? Because every creature Allah made has a right to kindness – and when we take a creature into our care, we promise Allah we will look after it well.
What it means for us: When we have a pet at home, sweetheart, we are making a promise to Allah – that we will give it food, fresh water, a safe place to sleep, and gentle hands. Caring for our animals is part of being a good Muslim, and it is part of how we say thank You to Allah for the creatures He made.
Read the full hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 2271 →
A Little Thought Before Bed
So tomorrow, when you see a bird, a cat, or even a little bug crossing the sidewalk, remember these stories. Allah is watching how we treat His creatures. And every time you choose to be gentle instead of rough, or kind instead of careless, it is written down for you as a beautiful deed.
Ya Allah, give me a soft heart for every animal You made, and let me always be a friend to Your creatures. Ameen.