Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (13/527)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Section

This section concerns the maintenance of animals. The plural of bahīmah (animal) is bahāʾim. The term may be used either unrestrictedly or with a qualification: one may say bahāʾim, or bahīmat al-anʿām (the livestock animals). When qualified as bahīmat al-anʿām, it refers to the four categories mentioned by Allah, the Most High, in Surat al-Anʿām:

“And of the livestock are some for carrying burdens and some for slaughter. Eat of what Allah has provided for you, and do not follow in the footsteps of Satan; indeed, he is to you a clear enemy—eight mates: two of sheep and two of goats…” [al-Anʿām: 142–143]

Then He, the Most High, says: “And of camels two and of cattle two.” [al-Anʿām: 144]

Thus, when the expression bahīmat al-anʿām is used, it denotes these four categories.

But when anʿām is used without qualification, it refers to all animals. They are so called from buhm (inarticulateness), because these animals cannot express what they feel within themselves. When they are hungry or thirsty, they do not speak and say, “I want water or fodder.” The most they can do is make a prolonged sound. But do they have a language known among themselves? Yes. By Allah’s permission, all animals have a language understood among those of their own kind. Hence David and Solomon said: “We have been taught the language of birds.” [al-Naml: 16] The reason maintenance is obligatory for animals is ownership.

He is responsible for providing fodder for his animals, giving them water, and whatever is needed for their wellbeing. He must not burden them with what they are unable to bear, nor take from their milk that which would harm their offspring. If he is unable to maintain them, he is compelled to sell them, lease them out, or slaughter them, if they are animals whose meat may be eaten.

His statement: “He is responsible for providing fodder for his animals, giving them water, and whatever is needed for their wellbeing,” means that he is obliged to provide fodder, water, and whatever is needed for their wellbeing. The evidence is the Prophet’s saying: “It is sufficient sin for a man to neglect those whom he supports.” (1) The Prophet ﷺ also informed us that “a woman entered the Fire

(1) Reported by Ahmad, 2:160, and Abu Dawud, Zakat, chapter on maintaining ties of kinship, no. 1692, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr. Al-Albani graded it sahih (authentic) in al-Irwa, 3:406.

فَصْلٌ هذا الفصل في نفقة البهائم، والبهائم جمع بهيمة، وهي تقال مطلقة ومقيدة، فيقال: بهائم، ويقال: بهيمة الأنعام، فإذا قيدت ببهيمة الأنعام فتكون من الأصناف الأربعة التي ذكرها الله ﷿ في سورة الأنعام، فقال سبحانه: ﴿وَمِنَ الأَنْعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا كُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ *ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ مِنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ﴾ [الأنعام: ١٤٢، ١٤٣] الآية، ثم قال سبحانه: ﴿وَمِنَ الإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ﴾ [الأنعام: ١٤٤]، فبهيمة الأنعام عند الإضافة يراد به هذه الأصناف الأربعة. وأما إذا أطلقت الأنعام فالمراد بها كل الدواب، وسميت بذلك من البُهم؛ لأن هذه البهائم لا تستطيع أن تعبِّر عما في نفسها، فإذا جاعت أو عطشت لا تتكلم، وتقول: أريد ماءً أو علفاً، بل غاية ما عندها أن تمد صوتها، لكن هل لها لغة معروفة فيما بينها؟ نعم، كل البهائم ـ بإذن الله ـ لها لغة معروفة فيما بينها من جنسها، ولهذا قال داود وسليمان ﵉: ﴿عُلِّمْنَا مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ﴾ [النمل: ١٦]، وسبب وجوب النفقة على البهائم هو الملك. وَعَلَيْهِ عَلَفُ بَهَائِمِهِ، وَسَقْيُهَا، وَمَا يُصْلِحُهَا، وَأَنْ لَا يُحَمِّلَهَا مَا تَعْجَزُ عَنْهُ وَلَا يَحْلِبُ مِنْ لَبَنِهَا مَا يضُرُّ وَلَدَهَا، فَإِنْ عَجَزَ عَنْ نَفَقَتِهَا أُجْبِرَ عَلَى بَيْعِهَا، أَوْ إِجَارَتِهَا، أَوْ ذَبْحِهَا، إِنْ أُكِلَتْ. قوله: «وعليه علف بهائمه، وسقيها، وما يصلحها» أي: يجب عليه العلف والسقي وما يصلحها، ودليله قوله ﷺ: «كفى بالمرء إثماً أن يضيع من يقوت» (١)، وأخبر ﷺ: «أن امرأة دخلت النار

(١) أخرجه أحمد (٢/ ١٦٠)، وأبو داود في الزكاة/ باب في صلة الرحم (١٦٩٢) عن عبد الله بن عمرو ﵄، وصححه الألباني في الإرواء (٣/ ٤٠٦).