Will animals be judged on the Day of Judgement?
Yes, animals will be gathered on the Day of Judgement and wrongs between them will be settled, but they won't be judged like humans. According to many scholars, once justice is done they will turn to dust, because they were never given the responsibility of choosing faith.
Animals will be gathered
The Quran says animals are communities like us and will return to their Lord:
Surah at-Takwir adds, among the scenes of that Day, "when the wild beasts are gathered" (Quran 81:5).
Justice even between animals
The Prophet ﷺ said that rights will be given back to their owners on the Day of Resurrection, so much so that the hornless sheep will get its due from the horned sheep that butted it (Sahih Muslim 2582). This shows how complete Allah's justice is: no harm is forgotten, even between creatures who don't pray or fast.
Then they become dust
Animals are not tested with commands and prohibitions, so they don't go to Hell for sins or earn Paradise for good deeds. Many scholars of tafsir, based on reports from Abu Hurayrah and others, explain that after the settling of scores, Allah will tell the animals, "Be dust," and they will become dust. At that moment the disbeliever will say, "Oh, I wish that I were dust" (Quran 78:40).
Some scholars say certain animals may be in Paradise, and some say Allah may give a believer whatever pets they love there. That is in Allah's hands. See Will my dog go to heaven in Islam?
What it means for how we treat animals
Animals won't be held to account, but people will be held to account for how they treated them. The Prophet ﷺ said a woman entered the Fire because of a cat she locked up, neither feeding it nor letting it eat from the earth (Sahih al-Bukhari 3318). Kindness to animals is worship, and cruelty is a sin. See Can I donate to an animal shelter as a Muslim? and What are the signs of the Day of Judgement?
- Animals will be gathered on the Day of Judgement (Quran 6:38, 81:5).
- Wrongs between them will be settled (Sahih Muslim 2582).
- They aren't judged for faith; many scholars say they then become dust.
- Humans will answer for how they treated animals.
People also ask
What will we wear in Jannah?
In Jannah we will wear green garments of silk and brocade with bracelets of gold, silver and pearls, and clothes never wear out. What the Quran says.
Read the full answer →Do good deeds of non-Muslims count in Islam?
Yes, non-Muslims' good deeds count in Islam: rewarded in this world, and kept in full by anyone who becomes Muslim. Faith is key for the Hereafter.
Read the full answer →What will we eat in Jannah?
In Jannah, believers will eat fruit, bird meat and whatever they desire, and drink from rivers of water, milk, honey and non-intoxicating wine.
Read the full answer →Is Jannah a real place?
Yes, Muslims believe Jannah is a real place, not a symbol. It already exists and believers will live there in body and soul, forever.
Read the full answer →Who are the people of al-A'raf?
The people of al-A'raf wait on a high wall between Paradise and Hell; the best-known view is that their good and bad deeds were exactly equal.
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