Sunan an-Nasai 4442 — Warning Against Disfiguring Animals

Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4442

This hadith focuses on the disfigurement of animals. Ibn Umar says that he heard the Messenger of Allah state that Allah curses the person who disfigures an animal. The message is short, but its meaning is strong. Deliberately damaging an animal's body is treated as a grave wrong, not as harmless fun. The hadith supports a clear part of Islamic animal welfare: living creatures should not be mutilated, wounded, or physically altered through cruel treatment. It also warns against becoming careless about pain simply because the victim is an animal. A Muslim reading this hadith should understand that mercy and restraint matter in dealings with animals. The text itself does not list every possible case. It gives a broad warning against the act of disfigurement.