What happens to the spirits of animals after they die and will those animals enter Heaven?

What happens to the spirits of animals after they die and will those animals enter Heaven?

Dear Brother / Sister,

As spirit is eternal, spirits of all animals will stay eternally in a world exclusive to them. Prophet Solomon’s hoopoe and the Seven Sleepers’ dog, named Qitmir, will enter Heaven together with both their spirits and bodies.

The spirits of other animals will enter Heaven, too. And moreover, it is stated that each creature in Heaven will have a body which they will use from time to time. Only Allah knows how their lives in Heaven will be and where and how they will stay. Our perception is incapable of the real essence of the Hereafter.
What will be the situation of animals in Hereafter?

Which animals will enter Heaven?

The following information on this issue is narrated in the book titled Mishkatu’l Anwar by Imam Muqatil:

These ten animals will enter Heaven:

1. Prophet Abraham’s calf.
2. The ram slaughtered instead of prophet Ismail.
3. The camel which was a miracle of Prophet Saleh.
4. The fish which swallowed Prophet Jonah.
5. Prophet Moses’ cow.
6. Prophet Uzair’s donkey.
7. Prophet Solomon’s ant.
8. Bilqis’s hoopoe bird.
9. Seven Sleepers’ dog named Qitmir.
10. Our Prophet’s camel named Qaswa. 1

In addition, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, in his work named Munajat which is “The Third Ray”, says:

“Yes, the true friend of the Eternal One should be eternal, and the conscious mirror of the Enduring One should be enduring.
It is understood from sound narrations that the spirits of animals will live eternally, and that certain individual animals, like the Hudhud (Hoopoe) of Solomon (PUH) and his ant, Salih’s (PUH) she-camel, and the dog of the Companions of the Cave, will go to the eternal realm with both their spirits and their bodies, and that each species will have a single body that may be utilized from time to time. This is also demanded by wisdom and reality, and mercy and dominicality.” 2
That is to say; since souls will stay eternal, souls of all animals will stay eternal, too. However, like these animals which will enter Heaven, some special beings will go to the eternal realm with both their spirits and bodies. Moreover, it is stated that each species will have a single body that they will use from time to time. 
Yes, though there are different narrations on the issue, the main ones of the animals to enter Heaven are those we have mentioned above. Only Allah knows how their lives in Heaven will be and where and how they will stay. Our perception is incapable of the real essence of the Hereafter.
1. Durratu’n Nasihin, p. 57.
2. The Rays, p. 45.

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