The Ruling on Raising Pet Animals

Question:
This is a question from the listener, Nabil Nazim Mazahim, from Iraq, in the Sa'diyyah district. He says: I am among those who love raising pet animals, such as birds and others, but I am strongly opposed by my family regarding these actions. They claim that it is forbidden or disliked, and so on, and according to their claim, it brings evil and drives sustenance away from the house. Please guide me to the correct path in this matter, in accordance with our Shari'ah.
May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
We do not know of any harm in raising birds and the like, such as chickens and pigeons, just as sheep and others are raised. These are similar to them, so there is no harm in that. The claim that there is evil in them, or that they bring evil to houses, all of this has no basis. Rather, there is no harm in them, and there is nothing wrong with them. So, the birds that Allah has made permissible, there is nothing wrong with raising them, such as pigeons and chickens and the like, which are raised in the house and from which the owner of the house benefits by selling them or eating them. All of this has no harm in it, just as rabbits are raised, and sheep and their like are raised, such as camels and cows. All of this is permissible and there is no harm in it, provided there is no harm. If these birds do not harm the neighbors, rather they are clipped so they do not harm the neighbors, or they are flying, but they do not harm the neighbors, then there is no harm in that.