A Reflection on the Nature of “Animal Right” from the Perspective of Islamic Jurisprudence and International Law
Keywords:
animal rights, concept of right, rightful, animal right, inbred rightAbstract
The term “right” has many meanings both lexically and technically. In Islamic jurisprudence and legal studies, there is also no consensus regarding its meaning; however, “privilege,” in the sense of exclusive entitlement, may be regarded as the most appropriate meaning of right. What attracts attention in all definitions is the exclusive attribution of “human beings” as “right-holders.” In all categories of rights, such as the right of custody, easement, usufruct, option, pre-emption, and similar rights, “right” is attributed to human beings. In modern law, animals are also considered to possess rights, and “animal rights” has become a common concept. The question is: what does “right” mean in the compound expression “animal right”? In response to this question, it should be stated that the use of the term right in animal rights is similar to its use in human rights. When one speaks of an animal right, it means that the animal also possesses that privilege. There is no obstacle to attributing rights to animals and considering animals as right-holders, whether from a lexical perspective, in terms of meaning, or with regard to the source of rights. This important point can be inferred and established from the perspectives of Islamic jurisprudence and international law.
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