Animals in Islamic tradition and Muslim cultures / Richard C. Foltz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Foltz, Richard C., 1961-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Animals--Religious aspects--Islam.

Animals.

Physical Description:

xiii, 192 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oneworld, 2006.

Summary:

From references to animals in the Qur'an to modern-day websites on Islamic vegetarianism, Richard C. Foltz presents the first comprehensive study of the role of animals in the Islamic tradition. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including classic texts in philosophy, literature and mysticism, Foltz traces the development of Islamic attitudes towards animals over the centuries and confronts the key ethical questions facing Muslims today.

Modern advances in science and technology and the increasing prevalence of techniques such as bioengineering and factory farming have forced many religions to reassess their traditional notions of animal rights and, as Foltz demonstrates, Muslims are increasingly asking their tradition to respond to such issues.

Scholarly yet accessible, this is an original and informative contribution to Islamic studies, and will be essential reading for anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim, with an interest in the significance of religion and culture for the contemporary animal rights debate.

Contents:

Introduction: Islam, Muslims, and Non-Human Animals 1

Muslims and Islam: Some Facts and Definitions 8

1 Animals in Islamic Source Texts 11

The Role of Arab Norms 12

Cosmic Hierarchy in the Qur'an 15

The Hadiths 17

Meat-eating and Slaughter 25

2 Animals in Islamic Law 29

Animals in the Classical Legal Texts 31

Laws Pertaining to Animals as Food 32

Obligations of Humans Towards Animals 32

Wild Animals 33

Domestic Animals 34

The Basis for Wildlife Conservation in Islamic Law 36

Hunting to Extinction 37

Wildlife Preserves in Islamic Law 39

The Need for a New Jurisprudence 41

Initiatives at Al-Azhar 44

3 Animals in Philosophy and Science 47

Animals in Islamic Philosophy 47

The Case of the Animals versus Man 49

Alive, Son of Awake 53

Scientific Works on Animals 54

The Book of Animals 55

The Lives of Animals 59

4 Animals in Literature and Art 65

Animals in Muslim Literature 66

Animals in Arabic Literature 66

Kalila and Dimna 68

The Thousand and One Nights 70

Animals in Persian Literature 72

The Parrot Book 72

Sufi Literature 76

The Conference of the Birds 77

Jalal al-din Rumi 78

Other Sufi Sources 80

Animals in Art 82

5 Contemporary Muslim Views on Animal Rights 85

B. A. Masri 89

Said Nursi 94

Advocacy on the Internet 97

Not a Mainstream View 99

Contemporary Muslim Views on Wildlife Conservation 100

6 Towards an Islamic Vegetarianism 105

Islamic Vegetarianism on the Rise 110

Compassion for Animals 114

Determining Lawful Foods: A Growing Challenge for Muslims 116

Islamic Social Justice and Animal Rights 120

To Kill or Not to Kill? 121

Food for Thought 125

7 Muslim Attitudes Towards Dogs 129

Dogs in Muslim Literature 135

Dogs in Sufi Literature 139

Some Modern-Day Muslim Defenders of Dogs 141.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1851683976

1851683984

OCLC:

61529256

Publisher Number:

9781851683970

9781851683987