The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has urged Muslims to practise compassion and kindness towards all animals, including stray animals and wildlife.
His Royal Highness made the call in conjunction with the Friday sermon titled ‘Ihsan Terhadap Makhluk Allah SWT’, which was delivered at mosques across Selangor yesterday. He also encouraged the public to reflect on the message and understand the values highlighted in the sermon.
In a post shared on the Selangor Royal Office’s Facebook page, Sultan Sharafuddin said humans, as stewards of the earth, carry a responsibility to care for and protect the environment. This includes preserving animals, plants, hills, seas and rivers.
He said these elements were among the signs of Allah SWT’s greatness and therefore needed to be protected and preserved for the future.
Sultan Sharafuddin also stressed that interactions between humans and other living creatures should be guided by compassion and responsibility. Islam, he said, places strong emphasis on treating animals with care, including ensuring they have access to food and water and avoiding any form of mistreatment.
The Ruler cited Prophet Muhammad’s teachings on kindness towards animals as an important reminder for Muslims to uphold good treatment of all creatures.
However, he acknowledged that circumstances may arise where wildlife threatens public safety or causes damage to property. In such situations, appropriate measures may be taken to prevent harm, in accordance with the objectives of Maqasid Syariah, particularly the protection of life and property.
Sultan Sharafuddin said compassion towards animals and the responsibility to safeguard people should not be viewed as conflicting principles. Instead, both reflect the balanced approach of Islamic teachings, which call for kindness while recognising the need to protect human safety and property.
