A UAE fatwa says that road kill should be buried
A UAE fatwa last week has reminded the believers of the "great sin" of killing animals on the road.
The fatwa came to emphasize the two rulings from the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) in Abu Dhabi to not harm animals and if possible to bury them if dead, the UAE-based The National reported on Saturday.
"If you happen to come across road kill, or an animal or bird that died of natural causes, then take a moment and bury it," said a scholar or a mufti at the Fatwa center in Abu Dhabi.
And not only that, the fatwa explained that if an animal is killed by an accident, then charity through donations should be given out as repentance.
Raghad Auttabashi, one of the founders of Abu Dhabi’s al-Rahma Society of the UAE, stops whenever she spots an animal that has been hit by a car on the road.
"If they are dead, then I move them out of the way of the moving traffic with newspaper and a plastic bag," Auttabashi said, adding "but if they are still alive and struggling, then I take them to the vet to be saved or put to sleep so they don’t suffer."
She also pays to cremate an animal, and pays additional amounts costing her around $28 to euthanize a creature that cannot be saved.
"Even if you don’t like animals, there is no need to disrespect them by driving over their bodies," she said. "Just be a bit more considerate on the road."
Regular questions about pets
The mufti who issued the fatwa, who is not allowed to be named, told the newspaper that Muslims regularly ask about their relationship with animals, particularly their pets.
The Mufti said that his youngster becomes emotional whenever he passes by the grave he dug for his bird pet.
"There is nothing wrong with this," he said. "There is no ruling against cherishing your pet, even in its death."
Unfortunately, owing to a lack of disposal options, the newspaper said that many people end up throwing dead pets in the rubbish bin or taking them to the vet for cremation.
"If there is a patch of ground anywhere near," said the mufti, "then better to bury than cremate."