Do animals go to heaven?

Question

According to the Quran or holy scriptures, is it made clear that animals go to heaven or not? As an aside, does the definition include insects?

Answer 1

According to verse no.5 in surat Al-Takwir in Quran (chapter-81) and also chapter-6/verse-38, and many hadiths in Sunnah, animals are questioned at the day of judgement. But there is no evidence that they will enter heaven. In fact, there is at least two hadiths informing explicitly that all animals are turned into earth after being judged hereafter.

Answer 2

I have read in various sites that animals will not go to heaven because they will be turned to dust. But aren't humans also turned to dust? Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. does that necessarily mean that animals wouldn't go to heaven? What about their souls. Maybe the command to turn their bodies to dust also follows that their souls go directly to heaven since they are not actually sinners that need to go to hell. It seems that any transgression they caused is reconciled on judgement day and they could just go straight to heaven. I wish that anyway. When I see the elephants suffering in India, horses in Central Park suffering or dogs being abused or cats murdered for fun by cruel people, etc. How miserable to think that all they got was torment and no joy even in an afterlife. : (

Answer 3

Holy Quran does not overtly deal with the question of animal's place in afterlife. There are two verses which are often quoted in this regard. One states that animals and birds are communities just like people and that we haven't exempted anything in this book. It stops just here. The other one states that everything on the day of judgement will be questioned and every sheep without horns will settle its score with sheep with horn. I personally don't think that the meaning of the verse should be taken literally. Sheep with and without horns is a metaphorical way of differentiating between strong and weak and in no way stand for the class of non-humans.

The question, in earlier history, wouldn't have concerned Islamic scholars and historians at all. And must have only been addressed when Islam's spread began in order to accommodate people of different geographies and cultures. Now the question concerns to fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and faqih decides the place of animals in cosmology using his knowledge and reasoning power. Note that faqih of each sect is liable to give different answer in order to demarcate his own sect's position from those of others. This amounts to saying that whenever we will come across some answer to the question of animals place in afterlife, the answer will be partially political rather than a universal solution which could put the question at rest.

But this is the case with every Semitic religion. Religion at its inception couldn't possibly have an answer. They are always developed in the process of its spread. Thus it is only sign of the times that we now see Pope declaring that animals have a place in heaven. Similarly, we find Muslim mufti's overseas issuing fatwas regarding keeping dogs as pets and sea food as halal.

However, if you wish to seek an answer in confinements of sect which theoretically is most tolerant of animals, again, in terms of animals as pets and animals as consumable, then you need to read Imam Malik's texts. Then there's shafi and Jafferi sect which are somewhat tolerant of animals. Holy Prophet's cousin Ali's sermon are rich with animals' instances. He has devoted a whole sermon on peacock. And there are some rather mystical quotes regarding bees and ants.

So in the end, if you reiterate whether it has been made clear in holy scripture which is binding to all sects. The answer is No! It hasn't been made clear. As I said, it falls upon faqih and mujtahid to make it clear and not upon an ordinary Muslim individual (which is sad). If you ever happen to find a clear cut answer, remember, that the answer would be targeting only a particular sect and not Islam in general.

P.s. I am going to assume that you need an answer for research purpose or general knowledge rather than reinforcing your own religious's beliefs, whatever they be, to the effect of accumulating hate for others' beliefs.

Answer 4

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. We cannot find words to praise Him, as He only sees fit how laudation should be addressed to Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils within ourselves and the evils of our bad deeds. Whosoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whosoever He leads astray will never find guidance. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the One without any associate, and We bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger and bondman, peace and blessings be upon him, his kith and kin, his Companions and all those who follow their guidance until the Day of Judgment.

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Your Question: Do animals go to heaven?

Answer: No.

“Allaah will judge between His creation, jinn, humans and animals. On that Day the score will be settled between the hornless and the horned, until there are no outstanding issues left, then Allah will say, ‘Be dust!’ At the point the kaafir will say, ‘Would that I were dust!’”

There are some animals who will not be turned into dust, but eventually will go to Jannah. There are 10 animals who will go to Jannah.

1. Prophet Abraham's calf
2. The ram slaughtered instead of prophet Ismail
3. The camel which was a miracle of Prophet Saleh
4. The fish which swallowed prophet Jonah
5. Prophet Moses's cow
6. Prophet Uzair's donkey
7. Prophet Solomon's ant
8. Bilqis hoopoe bird
9. Seven Sleepers' dog named Oitmir
10. Our Prophet's camel named Qaswa

Answer 5

Sura 6 - Ayat 38

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَـٰٓئِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم‌ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍ‌ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ

Wama min dabbatin fee alardi wala tairin yateeru bijanahayhi illa omamun amthalukum ma farratna fee alkitabi min shayin thumma ila rabbihim yuhsharoon(a)

And there is not an animal moving in the earth nor a bird flying on its wings, but they are a nation like you; We have left out nothing in this Book – then towards their Lord they will be raised.

( As far as the mention that after the animal are settled score between them, and "The Kafira" being turned to dust. Kafira means: Of those who are Unbelievers, so this would not apply to all animalkind, just the nonbelieving animals.)

Answer 6

Why wouldn't animals go to heaven? Why would only an imperfect creation like humans have this advantage?

Think about it. Allah (swt) is the most merciful and most just.

This world does not belong to the imperfect humans

From the mess humans have created on this Earth, the cruelty they inflict on each other, other beings, and the Earth, do you really think that many humans will go to heaven?

They go to heaven and if you have any doubts, you can ask Allah(swt) to let animals in heaven.

You can ask Allah(swt) for anything.

For example, I pray that Allah(swt) makes sure hell is forever, and that He does not forgive people for their sins.

I pray that Allah(swt) does not show mercy to some. This is my right to pray for these wishes