Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayawan fi al-Hadith al-Nabawi

Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayawan fi al-Hadith al-Nabawi (Encyclopedia of Birds and Animals in the Prophetic Hadith) is a thematic reference work by Abd al-Latif Ashur that compiles and analyzes Islamic traditions and jurisprudence concerning the animal kingdom Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…+1.

Purpose and Background

In his introduction, Ashur notes that numerous hadiths concerning animals circulate widely among people, ranging from authentically transmitted reports to baseless narrations Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…. He composed the encyclopedia to provide a systematic and critical examination of the animal world in the Prophetic tradition, establishing the authenticity of relevant reports and clarifying their legal and moral implications Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…. The author dedicated the book to the memory of his deceased son, Ala' Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….

Introductory Themes

Before detailing specific species, the author outlines the Quranic and legal status of animals in Islam, observing that the Quran invited reflection upon animal life long before modern biology, with multiple surahs named after animals (such as Surat al-Baqarah, Surat al-An'am, Surat al-Nahl, Surat al-Naml, Surat al-Ankabut, Surat al-Adiyat, and Surat al-Fil) Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…+1.

Ashur underscores the comprehensive Islamic ethical framework for animal welfare (al-rifq bil-hayawan), emphasizing that Islamic legislation anticipated institutional animal protection movements by centuries while embedding these duties into religious law and jurisprudence Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…. Key legal principles addressed in the introduction include:

• The reward for feeding and hydrating creatures, grounded in the hadith فِي كُلِّ كَبِدٍ رَطْبَةٍ أَجْرٌ ("There is a reward for [serving] every living being with a moist liver") Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….
• The severe prohibition against animal abuse, such as starving animals, mutilation (al-muthlah), branding or striking them on the face, and trapping animals to serve as targets (qatl al-sabr) Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…+1.
• The illegality of blood sports and animal fighting, such as bullfighting and inciting animals against one another (al-tahrish bayn al-baha'im) Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….
• Regulations on overburdening riding beasts and maintaining proper care across standard jurisprudential topics like purification, alms (zakat), sacrificial offerings (hady and udhiyyah), hunting (sayd), and liability for damages (daman) Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…+1.

Structure and Methodology

The encyclopedia is organized alphabetically by the Arabic alphabet into chapters (abwab), ranging from Bab al-Hamzah to Bab al-Ya' Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…. It covers domestic animals, wild beasts, birds, reptiles, and insects mentioned in classical texts Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….

For each individual entry, the author adheres to a consistent four-part structure:

1. Linguistic analysis: Clarifying the names, plural forms, Arabic agnomens (kuna), derived vocabulary, and classical proverbs associated with the animal Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw…+1.
2. Natural characteristics: Describing the habits, physical traits, and behaviors (taba'i') of the species Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….
3. Hadith compilation: Presenting the Prophetic traditions mentioning the creature, accompanied by source documentation (takhrij) and evaluation of chain authenticity Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….
4. Legal rulings: Delineating the jurisprudential rulings (ahkam fiqhiyya) deduced from the traditions, such as dietary permissibility, ritual purity, or ownership regulations Mawsuat al-Tayr wal-Hayaw….