Assalaamu alaykum. I was just wondering; do animals supplicate? I mean, when we are being tormented, we ask Allaah to help and to relieve our pain, so do animals do this when they are being tormented? Can they ask for help? I feel that this question has not been answered. May Allaah reward you.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

We have previously received a similar question from you, and we referred you to fataawa 134248 and 53336 underlining that the animals recite Tasbeeh (saying Subhaan Allaah [glory to Allaah]) and supplicate Allaah, The Exalted, like all other creatures; they are nations and communities like human beings.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "A Prophet of Allaah once came out with his people and proceeded to an open place in the desert to pray for the rains to come. Suddenly, he saw an ant standing raising some of its legs towards the sky (invoking Allaah for rain). So he said to his people, 'Go back, for your prayer has been answered for the sake of the ant.'" [Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak] Al-Haakim commented, saying, "Its chain of narration is saheeh (sound), but it was narrated by other than Al-Bukhari and Muslim."

It also indicates that Allaah, The Exalted, may answer the supplications of the animals and cause His mercy to descend because of them.

Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "They do not cheat in weights and measures, but they will be stricken with famine, severe calamity, and the oppression of their rulers. They do not withhold the zakah of their wealth, but rain will be withheld from the sky, and were it not for the animals, no rain would fall on them..." [Ibn Maajah]

As for the question as to whether they ask Allaah to relieve their pain when they are being tormented, we do not know of this, and having knowledge of such a matter is of no real benefit, nor is it important to know.

Allaah knows best.