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Some Manifestations of Allah`s Love for Humankind
Author : Dr. Hassan Abu_Arqoub
Date Added : 25-03-2025

Some Manifestations of Allah`s Love for Humankind

 

Anyone who examines the noble verses of the Quran and the honorable Hadiths will find an abundance of love in them, proving that Islam is a religion of love. This stands as a refutation of the extremists of our time who perceive religion as hatred, enmity, killing, and destruction. The true essence of Islam follows a completely different path and never aligns with such a distorted understanding. This article is an attempt to clarify that Islam is indeed a religion of love.

The Holy Quran has guided us in several verses to the manifestations of Allah’s Love and honored mankind. As mentioned literally in the following verse: "And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on land and sea, and provided them with good things, and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference." [Al-Isra/70].

Among the manifestations of this honor, which encompasses all human beings, is that mankind has been given authority over other creatures, including plants, birds, animals, and inanimate objects—the entire universe has been subjected to human service. Additionally, humans have been distinguished with a beautiful form, an appealing appearance, intelligence, and the ability to invent and create.

Therefore, Allah The Almighty Created everything on earth for the benefit of humankind so that they may utilize its creatures and resources. Allah Says (What means): "He is the One who created for you all that is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven and fashioned it into seven heavens, and He has perfect knowledge of all things." [Al-Baqarah/29]. The purpose is not only for worldly benefit but also for spiritual and eternal guidance. These creations serve as signs pointing to The Existence and Oneness of Allah. Thus, human benefit from these creations extends to both this world and the hereafter.

Moreover, Allah, The Almighty, has detailed some of these blessings that He intended for humankind to benefit from in His Saying (What means): "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the ships that sail in the sea for the benefit of people, what Allah sends down from the sky of water—giving life thereby to the earth after its death and dispersing therein every moving creature—and the directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the sky and the earth are signs for a people who use reason." [Al-Baqarah /164].

The creation of The Heavens and the earth and everything within them is for the benefit of humankind. Allah, The Almighty, details these blessings in a manner that highlights His favor upon His servants. The alternation of night and day is among the greatest blessings—night provides rest and tranquility, while the day is for work and livelihood. Ships sailing through the sea allow humans to travel and benefit from the bounties of the ocean. Rain sent from the sky nourishes the earth, providing water for drinking, growing crops, and sustaining livestock. The presence of various animals serves multiple purposes—some for carrying loads, others for swift travel, and some for food. Clouds bring rain and provide shade from the heat. All these blessings were created for humankind to live happily on this earth. They are clear signs of Allah’s love for humanity, as well as undeniable proof of His existence, oneness, and absolute power.

Anyone who reflects on the verses concerning the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) will clearly see manifestations of Allah’s love for humanity. Allah Honored Adam by making him a vicegerent (Khalifah) on earth, a status not given to any other creature. Allah Says (What means): "And [mention] when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority (Khalifah)." [Al-Baqarah /30]. Moreover, Allah Granted Adam immense knowledge that even the angels could not attain. He taught Adam the names of all things, demonstrating the superiority of human intellect and learning, as stated in the following verse (What means): "And He taught Adam the names—all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said: "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful." They said, 'Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who are the Knowing, the Wise." [Al-Baqarah/31-32] This noble knowledge was then passed down to Adam’s descendants. Furthermore, Allah, The Most Exalted commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam in honor of him and his offspring. All the angels obeyed except Iblis, who refused out of arrogance, as stated in the Holy Quran (What means): "And [mention] when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam’; so they prostrated, except for Iblis. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers." [Al-Baqarah/34]. Thus, Allah’s selection of Adam for vicegerency, the gift of knowledge, and the command for the angels to prostrate before him are all clear indications of His immense love and honor for humankind.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

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Summarized Fatawaa

What are the conditions for a valid Udhiyah?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
First: The age of the animal must meet the Sharia requirements. These requirements vary depending on the type of sacrifice:
 
Camels: Must have completed five years and entered their sixth.
 
Cows: Must have completed two years and entered their third.
 
Goats: Must have completed two years and entered their third. As for Sheep, they must have completed one year and entered their second.
 
Some scholars have permitted goats that have completed one year and entered their second.
 
The Hanafi school, along with an opinion in the Maliki school, permits sacrificing sheep that are at least six months old, provided they are healthy and physically substantial. According to the Shafi’i school, it is permissible if the sheep sheds its front teeth (ajdha') before reaching one year [Al-Iqna’, by Al-Shirbini (Vol.2/P.588)].
 
Second: Soundness and freedom from defects. The animal must be free from any defect that causes a decrease in its meat or market value. This is based on the hadith narrated by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
 
"Four [defects] are not permissible in sacrifices: A one-eyed animal whose blindness is evident, a sick animal whose illness is evident, a lame animal whose lameness is evident, and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones." [Reported by Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi, who graded it as authentic].
 
These defects are detailed as follows:
 
Evident Lameness: It is not permissible to sacrifice a lame animal if the lameness is severe enough to prevent it from walking to the pasture or seeking food, as this leads to a decrease in its meat. However, slight lameness that does not hinder its grazing is overlooked.
 
Evident Blindness (One-eyed): It is not permissible to sacrifice a sheep, cow, or camel that has a white film over its eye blocking light, or one that has lost an eye entirely. Weak vision that does not affect its ability to eat does not prevent the sacrifice from being valid.
 
Evident Illness: An animal with a clear sickness that prevents it from eating or moving is not valid. This includes severe mange (Jarab) that spoils the meat.
 
Extreme Emaciation: An animal so thin that there is no marrow left in its bones is invalid. The standard for emaciation that invalidates the sacrifice is that which spoils the quality of the meat to the point that people would find it undesirable even in times of plenty.
 
Additional Considerations:
These are the defects mentioned in the Prophetic tradition, and any defect that causes emaciation or reduces the meat or value is compared to them by analogy. This includes animals that are mentally unstable (diseased), those with mange, or those with a missing ear. In contrast, a slit or pierced ear does not affect the validity of the sacrifice. And Allah the Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on offering a sheep as a sacrifice (Udhiyah) if its fat-tail is sound, except that when it was young, the tip of its fat-tail was cut so that it would grow larger? And what is the ruling in case of doubt regarding the amount that was cut?

 
In the Name of Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Cutting a minor, insignificant portion from the tip of an animal's fat-tail (al-alyah) to encourage it to grow larger is not considered a defect, and it does not prevent the animal from being valid for sacrifice (Udhiyah).
 
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Muhtaj (Vol.9/P.352): "There is some scholarly deliberation regarding the common practice of cutting the tip of the fat-tail so that it grows larger. It could potentially be likened to a partial cut of the ear—supported by the jurists' general rule: 'even if it is a small amount.' On the other hand, if it is an exceptionally minor cut, it might have no effect on validity. This is explicitly clarified by the juristic exception to the general rule, which states that cutting a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm. This latter view is more well-founded.
 
Furthermore, I found that some scholars investigated this matter and concluded: 'It should not affect validity if a custom-sanctioned portion of its fat-tail is removed during its youth to make it grow larger and look better, just as castrating a male animal causes no harm.' However, applying this unconditionally contradicts the established texts of the jurists, as understood from what I have laid out; thus, the restriction I specified is what must be relied upon."
 
Similarly, it is mentioned in Nihayat al-Muhtaj (8/135): "If a small piece is cut from the fat-tail to help it grow larger, the most well-founded view is that the sacrifice remains valid, as was given in a formal legal verdict (Fatwa) by my father [Shihab al-Din al-Ramli], may Allah be pleased with him. This is proven by the jurists' maxim: 'The loss of a tiny piece from a large limb causes no harm.'"
 
In cases where there is doubt as to whether the portion cut was large or small, the animal is still deemed valid for sacrifice. It is noted in Hashiyat al-Shubramallisi ‘ala Nihayat al-Muhtaj (Vol.8/P.135):
 
"This matter requires careful consideration, but the closer and more correct view is that it is valid. This is because soundness is the default state for the animal from which the piece was cut, and it aligns with what usually occurs—namely, that the part removed to help the fat-tail grow larger is naturally very small." And Allah the Almighty Knows Best.

Is an animal that results from crossbreeding between two types of livestock (an'ām) valid [for sacrifice]?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
An animal that results from crossbreeding between two types of livestock (an'ām) is valid [for sacrifice], with consideration given to the higher of the two required ages. Thus, in the case of an animal crossbred between sheep (ḍa'n) and goats (ma'z), only one that has reached two years of age is valid [for sacrifice]. And Allah, the Most High, knows best.

What are the legal and religious consequences for a charitable organization in the event that a sacrificial animal is damaged or spoiled after slaughter?

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
Charitable organizations entrusted with slaughtering sacrificial animals (uḍḥiyyah) and distributing their meat on behalf of their owners are obligated to safeguard the meat from spoilage, damage, theft, and any other harm. This is because such organizations act as agents (wukalā') on behalf of those offering the sacrifice, and an agent holds what is entrusted to them in trust (amānah) — whether they receive a wage for their work or act on a voluntary basis.
If the sacrificial animal is damaged after slaughter during the processes of packaging, transportation, or storage due to negligence or oversight — whether on the part of the organization's own staff overseeing the operation, or on the part of third parties contracted by the organization such as transport or shipping companies — then liability falls upon the negligent party, who is required to compensate for the value of the sacrifice. It is not permissible to cover such compensation from the organization's other donor funds.
However, if the damage to the sacrificial animal occurs without any negligence in its preservation and storage on the part of any party involved in the transportation, shipping, or storage process, and is instead attributable to force majeure circumstances beyond their control, then no financial liability is borne by any party in such a case. And Allah Almighty knows best.

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