Briefly, it is not only their fellow human beings that the
beloved of God must treat with mercy and compassion, rather must they show
forth the utmost loving-kindness to every living creature. For in all physical
respects, and where the animal spirit is concerned, the selfsame feelings are
shared by animal and man. Man hath not grasped this truth, however, and he
believeth that physical sensations are confined to human beings, wherefore is
he unjust to the animals, and cruel.
And yet in truth, what difference is there when it cometh to
physical sensations? The feelings are one and the same, whether ye inflict pain
on man or on beast. There is no difference here whatever. And indeed ye do
worse to harm an animal, for man hath a language, he can lodge a complaint, he
can cry out and moan; if injured he can have recourse to the authorities and
these will protect him from his aggressor. But the hapless beast is mute, able
neither to express its hurt nor take its case to the authorities. If a man
inflict a thousand ills upon a beast, it can neither ward him off with speech
nor hale him into court. Therefore is it essential that ye show forth the
utmost consideration to the animal, and that ye be even kinder to him than to
your fellow man.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
