Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
Crows that predominantly eat seeds and vegetation are Halal (permitted) to eat whereas crows that predominantly eat carrion (flesh of dead animals) are Haram (prohibited).
Hadith
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ كُلِّ ذِي نَابٍ مِنَ السِّبَاعِ، وَعَنْ كُلِّ ذِي مِخْلَبٍ مِنَ الطَّيْرِ
(Sayidina Abdullah) Ibn Abbas (May Allah Most High be pleased with them both) said the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited every predatory animal with cuspids and every bird with talons. (Sahih Muslim, 1934 – 16).
The Hadith above prohibits (Haram) animals that have canines (cuspids) or talons. However, this hadith is understood to refer to animals that hunt with canines and talons. If this were not the interpretation then we would have to consider animals that are clearly Halal to be Haram.
For example, camels have canine teeth but are certainly Halal. This is established in numerous Hadith narrations and is noted by many scholars:
(وَلَا يَحِلُّ) (ذُو نَابٍ يَصِيدُ بِنَابِهِ) فَخَرَجَ نَحْوُ الْبَعِيرِ (أَوْ مِخْلَبٍ يَصِيدُ بِمِخْلَبِهِ) أَيْ ظُفْرِهِ فَخَرَجَ نَحْوُ الْحَمَامَةِ. (الدر المختار شرح تنوير الأبصار)
An animal with canine teeth that hunts with them is not Halal. This excludes camels and the like (from prohibition). Nor (is an) animal that has talons and hunts with the talon (Halal). Meaning the nail, this excludes pigeon and the like (from prohibition). (Imam Ala al-Deen al-Haskafi, al-Durr al-Mukhtaar).
وَهُوَ سَبُعٌ لَهُ نَابٌ أَوْ مِخْلَبٌ يَصِيدُ بِهِ احْتِرَازًا عَنْ نَحْوِ الْبَعِيرِ وَالْحَمَامَةِ. (رد المحتار على الدر المختار)
It is a predatory animal that has canines or claws with which it hunts. This excludes camels and pigeons. (Imam Ibn Abideen, Radd al-Muhtaar).
Based upon the above texts, birds that do not hunt with their talons are generally Halal (permitted). However, Hanafi scholars have provided a nuanced ruling for crows. If a crow is the type of crow that predominantly eats carrion, then it is prohibited. However, if a crow predominantly eats seeds and vegetation, then it is Halal.
Types of crow
وَالْغُرَابُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَنْوَاعٍ: نَوْعٌ يَأْكُلُ الْجِيَفَ فَحَسْبُ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُؤْكَلُ وَنَوْعٌ يَأْكُلُ الْحَبَّ فَقَطْ فَإِنَّهُ يُؤْكَلُ وَنَوْعٌ يَخْلِطُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَهُوَ أَيْضًا يُؤْكَلُ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ. (البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق)
There are three types of crow. One that eats carrion only, this is not eaten (permitted). One that eats only grain, this is eaten (permitted). A type that mixes the two, and it is eaten (permitted) according to (Imam) Abu Hanifah. (Imam Zayn al-Deen Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Nujaym, al-Bahr al-Raiq).
(وَلاَ يَحِلُّ الغُرَاب الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ الجِيَفَ) لأنّه بأكلها صار كسباع الطير، وأمّا غراب الزرع فحلال كما سيأتي. (فتح باب العناية بشرح النقاية)
It is not lawful (Halal to eat) crows that eat carrion. This is because by eating it (carrion) they became similar to predatory birds. (Imam Ali al-Qari, Fath Bab al-Inayah).
وَمَا لَا مِخْلَبَ لَهُ مِنْ الطَّيْرِ فَالْمُسْتَأْنِسُ مِنْهُ كَالدَّجَاجِ وَالْبَطِّ وَالْمُتَوَحِّشُ كَالْحَمَامِ وَالْفَاخِتَةِ وَالْعَصَافِيرِ والقبج وَالْكُرْكِيِّ وَالْغُرَابِ الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ الْحَبَّ وَالزَّرْعَ وَالْعَقْعَقِ وَنَحْوِهَا حَلَالٌ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ. (بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع)
Those birds that do not have talons are Halal by consensus. The domesticated among them like; chicken and duck (are Halal). The undomesticated like; pigeon, collared dove, sparrow, partridge, crane, crow that eats seeds and vegetation, magpie and the like (are Halal too). (Imam Abu Bakr al-Kaasaani, Badai al-Sanai).
Conclusion
Many people in our communities believe that crow is absolutely Haram (prohibited). As seen above, this is not the case as there are details regarding whether or not crow is halal or haram to eat. Further, this misconception is a result of people not actually studying Islam. Rather, such people base their understanding on hearsay. However, doing this is a serious error and demonstrates great neglect regarding one’s religion.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (16.08.23)
