Animal Rights in Islam - Research Paper Example

Animals should not be exploited under any circumstances1. Whether animals can talk or whether they can reason cannot be a matter of consideration, because animals have equal capacity like human beings to feel pain, sorrow, love, frustration, fear and pleasure. As human beings, people have the moral obligation to think twice before engaging in any sort of activities that will damage the environment and basic needs of animals2. People who support the rights of animals believe that animals have worth that is inherent and it is completely separate from their usefulness and service to human beings.

They believe that every living being on earth has the will to live and so should be given rights and freedom to live life on their own terms that is devoid of pain and suffering3. Animal rights is not only a subject for philosophy, it is a moral issue that challenges the traditional belief of the society that animals are born on this planet only to serve human kind in various manner. Ingrid Newkirk who is the founder of PETA (People for the ethical treatment of animals) said that “When it comes to pain, love, joy, loneliness, and fear, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.

Each one values his or her life and fights the knife.” Human beings because of their own prejudices refuse to believe that other living beings have equal rights and so do not hesitate to eat the meat of animals4. Human beings have the tendency to show respect and love to animals according to their own convenience and moral thinking. While in some cases they show moral support to certain animals, at other times they turn blind eye to the cruelty and suffering inflicted on animals. For example, people demonstrate anger when they hear about “puppy mills”, because they feel that dogs are not given proper treatment by the operators of such places.