Question:
I read an article where a photogropher stated that they saw male lions being more than affectionate. This made me quite confused and wondered if homosexuality would exist in animal kingdom. Is it sinful for them like humans?
Answer:
Animals do many things we are forbidden, so you cannot draw analogy nor guidance from that. We are constantly reminded by Allah:
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لاَّ يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لاَّ يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لاَّ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُوْلَـئِكَ كَالأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ
{And most certainly have We destined for hell many of the invisible beings and men who have hearts with which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle – nay, they are even less conscious of the right way: it is they, they who are the [truly] heedless!} (Surat al-`Araf, 7:179)
As to whether it’s a sin for them, Allah knows best.
It is reported in a hadith:
Sayyiduna Amr ibn al-Aas 
mentions, “The earth will be flattened on the Day of Rising, Jinns, humans, animals and creatures will be resurrected. On the day, Allah will command the animals to take revenge (from the one who oppressed it) to such an extent that if a horned sheep tossed a hornless sheep, it will avenge it. When Allah resolves the matter of retaliation between animals, He will order them to turn into dust. When the disbeliever sees this, he will say, ‘If only I was also turned to dust.'” (Musnad Abu Dawud)
Taher Siddiqui
