[Q 326] Is It Permissible to Sterilize Animals?

Question

Is it permissible to take a cat or dog for surgery that prevents them from becoming pregnant? This process is called sterilization of the cat.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

If there is an actual benefit in sterilizing a cat or dog through surgery, such as for the welfare of the animal or in order to avert any harm, then it is permissible.

For example, in order to protect the cat from a disease or to reduce its aggressive or violent behavior, then it is allowed.

However, to sterilize the animal for no such reason, i.e. there is no acquired benefit nor any removal of harm, is Haram (prohibited).

This is because such a surgery entails incisions and stitches, which cause the animal pain, and causing unnecessary pain to animals is prohibited in Islamic Law.

In Al-Muhit Al-Burhaniyy, it is stated:

وفي أضحية «النوازل» في إخصاء السنور إنه لا بأس به إذا كان فيه منفعة أو دفع ضرره. وفي «الواقعات» : لا بأس بإخصاء البهائم إن كان يراد به إصلاح البهائم

(Al-Muhit Al-Burhaniyy, Vol. 3, Pg. 376, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah)

In Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar, it is stated:

 “(و) جاز (خصاء البهائم) حتى الهرة، وأما خصاء الآدمي فحرام قيل والفرس وقيدوه بالمنفعة وإلا فحرام

Allamah Ibn Abidin commentates on the above passage in Radd-ul-Muhtar:

 “قوله (وقيدوه) أي جواز خصاء البهائم بالمنفعة.”

(Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar with Radd-ul-Muhtar, Vol. 6, Pg. 388, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut)

In Al-Fatawa Al-Hindiyyah, it is stated:

 وأما في خصاء غيرالفرس من البهائم فلا بأس به إذا كان فيه منفعة وإذا لم يكن فيه منفعة أو دفع ضرر فهو حرام كذا في الذخيرة. خصاء السنور إذا كان فيه نفع أو دفع ضرر لا بأس به كذا في الكبرى

(Al-Fatawa Al-Hindiyyah, Vol. 5, Pg. 357, Dar al-Fikr)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stressed the importance of mercy towards animals and taking good care of them. He forbade causing them any unnecessary pain.

The following two Prophetic reports capture this:

Hadith #1:

عن أسماء بنت أبي بكر رضي الله عنهما: أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم صلى صلاة الكسوف، فقال:دنت مني النار، حتى قلت: أي رب وأنا معهم، فإذا امرأة – حسبت أنه قال – ‌تخدشها ‌هرة، قال: ما شأن هذه؟ قالوا: حبستها حتى ماتت جوعا

Translation: Narrated by Sayyidah Asma bint Abi Bakr رضي الله عنهما:

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم offered the eclipse prayer and said (about a vision Allah showed him): The Hell-Fire neared me, to the point that I proclaimed: O Lord, will I be among them? Then, suddenly, a woman appeared who was being clawed by a cat. He asked: What’s the matter with her? They replied: This woman held the cat captive until it died of hunger.

(Sahih Bukhari, Book of Irrigation, Chapter on the Virtue of Providing Water, Vol. 2, Pg. 833, Dar Ibn Kathir)

Hadith #2:

 وعن ابن عمر وأبي هريرة قالا: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: “عذبت ‌امرأة في هرة أمسكتها حتى ماتت من الجوع فلم تكن تطعمها ولا ترسلها فتأكل من خشاش الأرض

Translation: Narrated by Sayyiduna Ibn Umar and Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنهما:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: A woman was punished in the hell-fire because of a cat she held captive until it died of hunger. She neither fed it nor released it so it could eat from the vermin of the earth.’

(Mishkat al-Masabih, Book of Zakat, Chapter on the Virtue of Charity, Vol. 1, Pg. 595, Al-Maktab al-Islamiyy)

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated answer

Date: 10th July 2024