Ruling on eating the meat of the crow and the hoopoe

This message reached us from Mashal, or rather, the telegram reached us from Mashal Abdul-Rahman al-Thaqafi. The listener, Mashal, says: Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good, about the meat of the crow and the hoopoe, and the meat of the *munayif*—or around the *munayif*... actually, the telegram is not clear. He says: Is it forbidden or lawful, this meat? And if it is forbidden, why? Please inform us, thanking you for your cooperation?
The Shaykh: The crow?
The presenter: Yes... the crow and the hoopoe.
Answer: This is not permissible; their meat is not permissible and is not lawful. The crow eats carrion, and for this reason the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered it to be killed, like the mouse, the scorpion, the snake, and the vicious dog. None of these is permissible to eat, and their meat is forbidden; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered it to be killed due to its impurity and harm, which indicates its prohibition. Likewise, the hoopoe is forbidden to be killed, so it is not permissible to kill it or eat it. Yes.
The presenter: But regarding the hoopoe, is there a reason for the prohibition of eating it?
The Shaykh: Because permitting its eating is a means to killing it, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing it. Yes.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing it, it indicated the prohibition of eating it; because making its eating lawful is a means to killing it. And the crow was ordered to be killed due to its impurity and harm; therefore, it is forbidden, like the snake, the scorpion, and the vicious dog, and the like of that. All types of dogs are forbidden, yes, according to the correct opinion of the scholars. Yes.