WHO TAKES THE SOULS OF ANIMALS AND WHAT IS THEIR FATE?

QUESTION

When animate beings other than humans, namely animals and birds, die, where do there souls go? Does the Angel of death take them, or what exactly happens to them?

Praise be to Allaah, may He be glorified, tells us that the Angel of death takes the souls of the sons of Adam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: “The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought back to your Lord.”” [as-Sajdah 32:11].

With regards to the souls of animals and birds, there is no text that speaks about them in the Qur’an or Saheeh Sunnah, as far as we know. Rather what has been narrated concerning that is a hadeeth that is not sound (saheeh). This is a report that was narrated by al-‘Aqeeli in ad-Du’afa’: “The life span of all animals, lice, fleas, locusts, horses and mules, all of them, cattle and so on, their life spans are all connected to their tasbeeeh [glorification of Allaah]. When their tasbeeh comes to an end, Allaah takes their souls, and the Angel of death has nothing to do with that.” Al-Albaani said in as-Silsilah ad-Da’eefah (4/188): it is mawdoo’ (fabricated).

Hence some of the scholars said that the Angel of death is the one who takes the souls of all creatures, whilst others said that Allaah takes their souls Himself and causes their life to cease. (at-Tadhkih by al-Qurtubi, p.75; al-Fawaakih ad-Dawaani, 1/100)

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (RH) is of the view that asking about that is unnecessary. He (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is the Angel of death appointed to take the souls of animals?

He replied: What would you think if I said that the Angel of Death is or is not appointed to take the souls of animals: what benefit is there in knowing this? Did the Sahabah (Companions) ask the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) abut that, when they were more eager than others to seek, and the Messenger was more able than others to answer; yet despite they did not ask? Rather Allaah (may He be glorified and exalted) says: 

“Say: ‘The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought back to your Lord.”” [as-Sajdah 32:11]. 

 He (the Angel of death) is appointed to take the souls of the son s of Adam; with regard to the souls of creatures other than the sons of Adam, nothing is proven. And Allaah knows best.

The point is, for you and anyone else who is listening, that delving deeply into such matters is wrong, because the Messenger said: “Those who go to extremes (in their words and deeds) are doomed.” And on one occasion he said: “Those who go to extremes (in their words and deeds) are doomed, those who go to extremes (in their words and deeds) are doomed, those who go to extremes (in their words and deeds) are doomed”, three times. With regard to such matters of the unseen, you should take that which has been proven  and leave that which has not been mentioned…with regard to such matters of the unseen, we should take that which has been proven to us, and as for the rest, we should keep quiet about it; if it was important for us, or if there were any interest to be served by knowing it, Allaah would have explained it. Allaah (may He be exalted) said to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):  

“And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the reminder and the advice (the Qur’an), that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them.” (an-Nahl16:44).

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not leave anything that we need but explained it to us. (Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 11/146).

Secondly: With regard to the fate of the souls of these animals, it was narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq in his Musannaf, by ibn Jubayr, and by al-Bayhaqi in al-Ba’th from Abu Hurairah, that he said concerning the verse (interpretation of the meaning),

 “There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered” [al-An.aam 6:38]: 

All creatures will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, animals, beast, birds and everything. Then Allaah’s justice on that day will reach such an extent that Allaah will settle the score for the horneless animal with the horned one. Then He will say, ‘Be dust,’ at which point the disbeliever will say: ‘Would that I were dust!’ [an-Naba’ 78:40]. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/255].

Al-Albaani said in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (4/466): This was narrated by as-Suyooti in ad-Durr al-Manthoor (6/310), but he did not say anything about its isnaad as he usually does. According to Ibn Jareer (30/17) it is qawiy (strong).

And Allaah knows best

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