Does the Prophet's command to kill the kite include falcons, buzzards, and vultures? Is it permissible to hunt them for pleasure? And can one adopt the Maliki school of thought, which permits eating falcons, despite the Prophet's prohibition against eating "every bird of prey with talons"?

The question comprises three parts:

1. The Kite and What is Analogous to It: Some scholars have analogized all harmful predatory birds, such as the vulture, falcon, and hawk, to the kite and crow in terms of the permissibility of killing them. They argue that the mention of the crow and kite was a notification of what is higher than them or similar in meaning. However, Imam Malik and those who agreed with him held that only birds explicitly mentioned in the hadith—namely, the crow and the kite—may be killed, and their killing is stipulated only when they cause harm. Based on the first opinion, everything that is harmful like the kite and crow is analogous to them.

2. The Ruling on Killing Kites and Birds for Hunting Pleasure: It is not permissible to kill them merely for amusement and pleasure. It is permissible to hunt an edible animal with the intention of dhakah (lawful slaughter) or for a legitimate purpose such as teaching hunting, not merely for sport or pleasure. As for the fawasiq (the noxious creatures that the Sharia commanded to kill), they are killed to repel their harm and mischief, not merely for spectacle or play.

3. The Ruling on Following the Maliki School in Permitting the Consumption of All Predatory Birds: It is true that the majority of scholars prohibit the consumption of all predatory birds, while the Malikis permit it. However, it is not permissible to follow the Maliki school on this matter merely for pleasure, as that is considered seeking out dispensations (tata'u al-rukhs) which is prohibited. It is permissible to adopt an opinion that one is confident in due to the strength of its evidence.