Horses In Islam

It all started when the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Muslim knights from the Arabian peninsula spread the Words of Allah (Subhana Wa Ta'ala) and His beloved messenger through the region.

Defeating the enemies, their empires and strongholds, thus making the horses one of the weapons of Islam, and the Muslims as their masters.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) had love and respect for horses and he had 22 in all during his lifetime.

Urwah al-Bariqi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

"Great good is attached to the forelock of horses until the Day of Judgment by which both reward (in the Hereafter) and booty (in this world) are gained."(Bukhari)

"The best of horses is black with a white forehead and having a white upper lip, next to that a black horse with white forehead and white legs. If it is not black, then it is bay (reddish brown approaching chestnut) horse with these marks." (Tirmidhi)

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,

"Don't cut short the forelocks of horses, nor of their tails, because the tails keep off the flies, and regarding manes, they keep them warm, and blessings are interwoven with the hairs of their forehead" (Abu Dawood)

"Everything with which a man plays is unlawful except his shooting with arrows, his training with his horse, his sporting with his wife, and verily these are of the truths." (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah)

The Arabian Stallion

The existence of this magnificent horse goes back during the time of Prophet Ismael Bin Ibrahim in the Arabian desert...

Allah (Subhana Wa Ta'ala) created this horse from the 4 winds: spirit from the North, strength from the South, speed from the East, and intelligence from the West. While doing so, He exclaimed,

"I create thee, Oh Arabian. To the forelock, I bind Victory in battle. On thy back, I set a rich spoil and a Treasure in thy loins. I establish thee as one of the Glories of the Earth...I give thee flight without wings."

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

"A horse may be kept for one of three purposes; for a man it can be a source of reward, for another it may be a means of living, and third it may be a burden (a source of committing sin)."

"As for the one for whom it is a source of reward, he is the one who keeps his horse for the sake of Allah; he ties it with a long rope in a pasture or in a garden." (Volume 4, Book 56, Number 839, Bukhari)

Horses play a unique role in Islamic tradition, as shown in Horses in Islam, connected to historical Islamic Facts.

Horses hold a special place in Islamic history. For more on the role of animals in Islam, explore the concept of hunting with a dog or falcon.

The proper care and respect for horses and other animals reflect the teachings found in Islam as a revealed religion. Understanding the value of these animals also teaches humility and avoidance of greed.