Crow Eating and Reward

Crow is not only halal ,but one gets reward for eating crow.

Fatwa Rashidiya,page 597.

Question: In those places where people consider consumption of Crow as Haram and bad, if some one eats crow meat at such place, will he get rewards?

Answer: yes ( by Mawlana Rashid Ahmed Gangohi)

Deobandi argument is that to keep a Mubah( permssible) thing as Halal in eye of people , this act, if done , will bring reward. But the same deobandi sect says that to celeberate mawlid to educate people about life of prophet is Biddah!

I don't want to stop all those who eat crow to get rewards and neither will I recommend it to some one. Please consult your local scholar and find out the condition of local crow population.

All this is permisisble, but celeberating mawlid is a biddah. ( fatwa rashidiya)

The Deobandi tawil( interpretation) is that since eating crow is permissible( Mubah), and if a mubah act is thought to be Haram, then to keep it halal in the eyes of people , one must eat it and if done for this purpose , then we will get reward.

Strangely ,the list of halal animals present on their website does NOT have crow!

I ask Deobandis , why is that Istighatha , Mawlid , Urs and many other acts which are permissible in Islam is called shirk , biddah and kufr by deobandis? To make the matter more devastating , Deobandi fatwa book says , to hug and shake hands only on Eid ul fitr and eid ul Azha is an act of Biddah!

I have never seen any one in my life eating crow. Why don’t deobandis make an attempt to keep this mubah ( permissible) act alive? Why don’t they eat crows? Imagine if all Indian Deobandis start eating crow! Soon , crow will be listed in the ‘ endangered species ‘ list!

The Ahlus sunnah make every attempt to keep all those acts alive which brings people closer to Islam., which helps people to know more about life and teachings of prophet and to inform people about the great scholars of Islam.

Ummul Mu’mineen, Sayyidah Hafsa (Radi Allahu Anha) states that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

“There are five Faasiq (detestable) animals whose killing is justified, i.e. scorpion, crow, kite (large hawk), rat and the voracious attacking dog.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitabul-Hajj, Vol. 1)

From this and many other Ahadeeth, it is evident that the crow is a despised animal and the killing of it is permissible. In another Hadeeth, Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radi Allahu Anhuma) has said,

“Who can consume crow whereas the Holy Prophet (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) has called it destestable! Oath on Allah! It is not from the animals which are Halaal for consumption.”(Sunnan ibn Majah, pg. 234)

This proves that the crow is not Halaal to consume. However, there is another bird from the crow species known as “Zaag” or “Guraab-e-Zaree” which is Halaal for consumption.

The crows, which are commonly found in places, are not Zaag and they are impermissible for consumption. Imaaam Sarkhasi (Alaihir Rahmah) states,

“However, the Guraabe-Zaree which eats grains and seeds is Halaal and permissible for consumption because it is not naturally detestable and like pigeons, it is fond of humans.” (Al-Mabsoot, Vol. 11, pg. 226)

Allama Ibn Hajar Asqalaani (Alaihir Rahmah) states:

“The Ulama have agreed that the small type of crow which eats grains is excluded from the command of killing the crows. This bird is known as Guraab-e-Zaree and Zaag. The Ulama have also ruled it to be Halaal for consumption.” (Fathul Baari, Vol. 4, pg. 57)

Differences between the Common Crow and Zaag: Describing the common crow, Allama Qazweeni (Alaihir Rahmah) states:

“The bird travels far distances and eats walnuts fondly. It tries to peck out the eyes of horses, camels and humans and does not stop doing so even if it is hit. It also pecks on the back of tortoises and camels and injures them. … When the crow becomes sick, it eats the excretions of humans.” (Ajaa'ibul-Makhlooqaat, Vol. 2, pg. 146-7)

In the description of the Zaag, Allama Damiri (Alaihir Rahmah) writes:

“Zaag is a bird from the crow species and it is also known as Guraabe-Zaree (crow of the fields). It is black and is smaller in size to the common crow. It's beak and feet are red and it is also called Guraabe-Zaitoon because it eats olives. It has a good appearance and form.” (Hayaatul-Haiwaan, Vol. 2, pg. 2)

Therefore, there are four differences between the common crow and Zaag:-

(1) The Zaag is smaller in size than the common crow.

(2) Like pigeons, the Zaag is fond of humans.

(3) The beak and feet of a Zaag is red in colour. (4) The common crow eats filth, but the Zaag does not.

In short, the Zaag is Halaal whilst the common crow is Haraam for consumption.

The Hadeeth of Rasoolullah (Sallal Laahu Alaihi Wasallam) and rulings of the Ulama of Islam are testimony to the fact that the common crow is Haraam to eat. However, one of the spiritual heads of Darul-Uloom Deoband, Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi ruled that the eating of the common crow is not only allowed but Thawaab as well!

The common crow, which is also known as Zaag-e-Maroof, is Haraam but the “pride” of Deoband writes:

Question: The place where the majority of people accept the common crow to be Haraam and abuse those who eat it, in such a place will those who eat this crow gain Thawaab or neither Thawaab nor punishment?

Answer: They will gain Thawaab. [end] (Fataawa Rasheedia, pg. 493)

So my dear Muslims, if you want to know how the common crow tastes, ask your local Deobandis who follow Maulvi Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi. Maybe they found a recipe for crow biryani!!! What a severe offence against the Shari’ah of Islam! May Allah Ta'ala save us from this. Aameen.