Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Slavery: Difference between revisions
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As was common amongst all states and faith communities found in Europe and Asia in Late Antiquity, the Muslim tradition specifically allows slavery. In fact slaves and the taking of slaves make up an important part of the [[sira]] about Muhammad's life; slaves were a form of [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad and Booty|booty]] and almost always the most valuable part, so the taking of slaves formed a huge part of the impetus behind the prophet's military campaigns. As is extremely clear from the rest of the tradition, female slaves taken by Muslim [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Mujahids|mujaahideen]] must submit sexually to their new masters, and sex with them is specifically permitted, as is the beating of disobedient slaves. | As was common amongst all states and faith communities found in Europe and Asia in Late Antiquity, the Muslim tradition specifically allows slavery. In fact slaves and the taking of slaves make up an important part of the [[sira]] about Muhammad's life; slaves were a form of [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad and Booty|booty]] and almost always the most valuable part, so the taking of slaves formed a huge part of the impetus behind the prophet's military campaigns. As is extremely clear from the rest of the tradition, female slaves taken by Muslim [[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Mujahids|mujaahideen]] must submit sexually to their new masters, and sex with them is specifically permitted, as is the beating of disobedient slaves. The two legitimate sources of slaves agreed upon by the Ulama were captives taken in war, and children born to slaves (unless the slave-owner was the father). Nevertheless, the tradition also makes the freeing of slaves a virtue to be rewarded by Allah, but no scholar in the classical period ever extrapolated this to a general abolitionist sentiment, as the tradition is far too clear on the fact that Muhammad took many, many slaves and was actually very supportive of the institution. Mainly due to pressure from European colonial powers, slavery was eventually made illegal throughout the Muslim world in the 19th and 20th centuries, and is now considered forbidden in the modern context by most scholars, though a minority, such as Saudi Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, argue that slavery remains Islamically legitimate. | ||
{{Main|Slavery in Islamic Law}} | |||
=Qur'an= | =Qur'an= | ||
==Some are favoured by Allah while others are slaves== | |||
==Allah | {{Quote|{{Quran|16|71}}|And Allah hath favored some of you above others in provision. Now those who are more favored will by no means hand over their provision to those (slaves) whom their right hands possess, so that they may be equal with them in respect thereof. Is it then the grace of Allah that they deny?}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|16|75}}|Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favors from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not.}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|16|75}}|Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favors from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not.}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran| | {{Quote|{{Quran|30|28}}|He gives you this example, drawn from your own lives: do you make your slaves full partners with an equal share in what We have given you? Do you fear them as you fear each other? This is how We make Our messages clear to those who use their reason.}} | ||
== | ==Taking war captives== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|47|4}}|Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks until, when ye have routed them, then making fast of bonds; and afterward either grace or ransom till the war lay down its burdens. That (is the ordinance). And if Allah willed He could have punished them (without you) but (thus it is ordained) that He may try some of you by means of others. And those who are slain in the way of Allah, He rendereth not their actions vain.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|8|67}}|It is not for any prophet to have captives until he hath made slaughter in the land. Ye desire the lure of this world and Allah desireth (for you) the Hereafter, and Allah is Mighty, Wise.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran | {{Quote|{{Quran|33|50}}|'''O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you''' your wives to whom you have given their due compensation '''and those your right hand possesses from what Allah has returned to you [of captives]''' and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers. '''We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those their right hands possess''', [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.}} | ||
{{ | ==Sex with Female Slaves or Captives== | ||
{{Main|Rape in Islamic Law}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran| | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|23|1|6}}|Successful indeed are the believers Who are humble in their prayers, And who shun vain conversation, And who are payers of the poor-due; '''And who guard their modesty - Save from their wives or the (slaves) that their right hands possess''', for then they are not blameworthy}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|70|29|30}}|And those who guard their chastity, Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed,}} | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|70|29|30}}|And those who guard their chastity, Except with their wives and the (captives) whom their right hands possess,- for (then) they are not to be blamed,}} | ||
==Slave masters determine | {{Quote|{{Quran|33|50}}|'''O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those your right hand possesses from what Allah has returned to you [of captives]''' and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers. '''We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those their right hands possess''', [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.}} | ||
==Slave masters determine whether their slaves may marry== | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|24|32}}|And marry such of you as are solitary and the pious of your slaves and maid-servants. If they be poor, Allah will enrich them of His bounty. Allah is of ample means, Aware.}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|24|32}}|And marry such of you as are solitary and the pious of your slaves and maid-servants. If they be poor, Allah will enrich them of His bounty. Allah is of ample means, Aware.}} | ||
==Permission to marry slaves who already have husbands== | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|4|22|24}}|And marry not women whom your fathers married,- except what is past: It was shameful and odious,- an abominable custom indeed. Prohibited to you (For marriage) are:- Your mothers, daughters, sisters; father's sisters, Mother's sisters; brother's daughters, sister's daughters; foster-mothers (Who gave you suck), foster-sisters; your wives' mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in,- no prohibition if ye have not gone in;- (Those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful;-'''Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess''': Thus hath Allah ordained (Prohibitions) against you: Except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property,- desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if, after a dower is prescribed, agree Mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you, and Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.}} | |||
==Poor believers may marry from among the believing slave women== | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|4|25}}|And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls. And Allah is most knowing about your faith. You [believers] are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their people and give them their due compensation according to what is acceptable. [They should be] chaste, neither [of] those who commit unlawful intercourse randomly nor those who take [secret] lovers. But once they are sheltered in marriage, if they should commit adultery, then for them is half the punishment for free [unmarried] women. This [allowance] is for him among you who fears sin, but to be patient is better for you. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.}} | |||
==Better to marry a believing slave than a free disbeliever== | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|221}}|Do not marry idolatresses until they embrace faith. A faithful slave girl is better than an idolatress, though she should impress you. And do not marry [your daughters] to idolaters until they embrace faith. A faithful slave is better than an idolater, though he should impress you. Those invite [others] to the Fire, but Allah invites to paradise and pardon, by His will, and He clarifies His signs for the people so that they may take admonition.}} | |||
==Freeing slaves is a good deed== | ==Freeing slaves is a good deed== | ||
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{{Quote|{{Quran|24|33}}|And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste till Allah give them independence by His grace. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), write it for them if ye are aware of aught of good in them, and bestow upon them of the wealth of Allah which He hath bestowed upon you. Force not your slave-girls to whoredom that ye may seek enjoyment of the life of the world, if they would preserve their chastity. And if one force them, then (unto them), after their compulsion, lo! Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful.}} | {{Quote|{{Quran|24|33}}|And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste till Allah give them independence by His grace. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), write it for them if ye are aware of aught of good in them, and bestow upon them of the wealth of Allah which He hath bestowed upon you. Force not your slave-girls to whoredom that ye may seek enjoyment of the life of the world, if they would preserve their chastity. And if one force them, then (unto them), after their compulsion, lo! Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful.}} | ||
== | ==Be good to your slaves== | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran| | {{Quote|{{Quran|4|36}}|Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, '''and those whom your right hands possess'''. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful.}} | ||
=Hadiths= | =Hadiths= | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|46|724}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "A pious slave gets a double reward." Abu Huraira added: By Him in Whose Hands my soul is but for Jihad (i.e. holy battles), Hajj, and my duty to serve my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave.}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|46|724}}|Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "A pious slave gets a double reward." Abu Huraira added: By Him in Whose Hands my soul is but for Jihad (i.e. holy battles), Hajj, and my duty to serve my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave.}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|46|727}}|Narrated Abu Musa: | |||
The Prophet said, "The Mamluk (slave) who worships his Lord in a perfect manner, and is dutiful, sincere and obedient to his Saiyid (master), will get a double reward."}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|46|730}}|Narrated 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband's house and children and is responsible for them; a slave ('Abu) is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges."}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|46|730}}|Narrated 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband's house and children and is responsible for them; a slave ('Abu) is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges."}} | ||
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{{Quote|1=[http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/26067/sex%20with%20servant Islam Q&A - Fatwa #26067]|2=It is rare nowadays to find slaves in the shar’i sense in which it is permissible to be intimate with them etc. That is because most of the Muslims have long since given up the obligation of jihad for the sake of Allaah, in addition to their position of weakness and humiliation before their kaafir enemies, so that many of the majority-Muslim nations have signed the protocol that expressly forbids slavery and strives to put an end to it, which was agreed upon in the United Nations in 1953.}} | {{Quote|1=[http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/26067/sex%20with%20servant Islam Q&A - Fatwa #26067]|2=It is rare nowadays to find slaves in the shar’i sense in which it is permissible to be intimate with them etc. That is because most of the Muslims have long since given up the obligation of jihad for the sake of Allaah, in addition to their position of weakness and humiliation before their kaafir enemies, so that many of the majority-Muslim nations have signed the protocol that expressly forbids slavery and strives to put an end to it, which was agreed upon in the United Nations in 1953.}} | ||
== | ==Permission to Rape Captives and Slaves== | ||
{{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Rape}} | {{Main|Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Rape}}Many more hadith on this subject are quoted in the main article.{{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3432}}|Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that at the Battle of Hunain Allah's Messenger sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah's Messenger seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that:" And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (Quran 4:. 24)" (i. e. they were lawful for them when their 'Idda period came to an end).}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim|8| | {{Quote|{{Muslim|8|3383}}|Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: I have a slave-girl who is our servant and she carries water for us and I have intercourse with her, but I do not want her to conceive. He said: Practise 'azl, if you so like, but what is decreed for her will come to her. The person stayed back (for some time) and then came and said: The girl has become pregnant, whereupon he said: I told you what was decreed for her would come to her.}}{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|637}}|Narrated Buraida: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent `Ali to Khalid to bring the Khumus (of the booty) and I hated `Ali, and `Ali had taken a bath (after a sexual act with a slave-girl from the Khumus). I said to Khalid, "Don't you see this (i.e. `Ali)?" When we reached the Prophet (ﷺ) I mentioned that to him. He said, "O Buraida! Do you hate `Ali?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Do you hate him, for he deserves more than that from the Khumlus."}} | ||
==Muhammad's enjoyment of slave services== | |||
Muhammed regularly met with and commanded slaves without asking the slave's master to free the slave even though it was within his power to do so. | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|439}}|Narrated Sahl: Allah's Apostle sent someone to a woman telling her to "Order her slave, carpenter, to prepare a wooden pulpit for him to sit on."}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|439}}|Narrated Sahl: Allah's Apostle sent someone to a woman telling her to "Order her slave, carpenter, to prepare a wooden pulpit for him to sit on."}} | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|636}}|Narrated Abu Mas'ud: There was an Ansari man called Abu Shu'aib who had a slave butcher. Abu Shu'aib said to him, "Prepare a meal sufficient for five persons so that I might invite the Prophet besides other four persons." Abu Shu'aib had seen the signs of hunger on the face of the Prophet and so he invited him. Another man who was not invited, followed the Prophet. The Prophet said to Abu Shu'aib, "This man has followed us. Do you allow him to share the meal?" Abu Shu'aib said, "Yes."}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|636}}|Narrated Abu Mas'ud: There was an Ansari man called Abu Shu'aib who had a slave butcher. Abu Shu'aib said to him, "Prepare a meal sufficient for five persons so that I might invite the Prophet besides other four persons." Abu Shu'aib had seen the signs of hunger on the face of the Prophet and so he invited him. Another man who was not invited, followed the Prophet. The Prophet said to Abu Shu'aib, "This man has followed us. Do you allow him to share the meal?" Abu Shu'aib said, "Yes."}} | ||
{{Quote|Ishaq:144|A rock was put on a slave’s chest. When Abu Bakr complained, they said, ‘You are the one who corrupted him, so save him from his plight.’ I will do so,’ said Bakr. ‘I have a black slave, tougher and stronger than Bilal, who is a heathen. I will exchange him. The transaction was carried out.}} | {{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=144}}<br>{{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol.1|page=318}}|A rock was put on a slave’s chest. When Abu Bakr complained, they said, ‘You are the one who corrupted him, so save him from his plight.’ I will do so,’ said Bakr. ‘I have a black slave, tougher and stronger than Bilal, who is a heathen. I will exchange him. The transaction was carried out.}} | ||
==Slaves Owned by Muhammad== | ==Slaves Owned by Muhammad== | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|648}}|...In those days it was rumored that Ghassan, (a tribe living in Sham) was getting prepared their horses to invade us. My companion went (to the Prophet on the day of his turn, went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door violently, asking whether I was sleeping. I was scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. I asked him: What is it? Have Ghassan come? He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Apostle had divorced all his wives. I said, Hafsa is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.' So I dressed myself and offered the Fajr prayer with the Prophet. Then the Prophet entered an upper room and stayed there alone. I went to Hafsa and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Didn't I warn you? Have Allah's Apostle divorced you all?' She replied, 'I don't know. He is there in the upper room.' I then went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping. Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation. So I went to the upper room where '''the Prophet was and requested to a black slave of his''': "Will you get the permission of (Allah's Apostle) for Umar (to enter)? The slave went in, talked to the Prophet about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: "Will you get he permission for Umar? He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, behold, the slave called me saying, "Allah's Apostle has granted you permission." So, I entered upon the Prophet and saw him lying on a mat without wedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fires. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: "Have you divorced your wives?' He raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative. And then while still standing, I said chatting: "Will you heed what I say, 'O Allah's Apostle! We, the people of Quraish used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..."}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|3|43|648}}|...In those days it was rumored that Ghassan, (a tribe living in Sham) was getting prepared their horses to invade us. My companion went (to the Prophet on the day of his turn, went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door violently, asking whether I was sleeping. I was scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. I asked him: What is it? Have Ghassan come? He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Apostle had divorced all his wives. I said, Hafsa is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen some day.' So I dressed myself and offered the Fajr prayer with the Prophet. Then the Prophet entered an upper room and stayed there alone. I went to Hafsa and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Didn't I warn you? Have Allah's Apostle divorced you all?' She replied, 'I don't know. He is there in the upper room.' I then went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping. Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation. So I went to the upper room where '''the Prophet was and requested to a black slave of his''': "Will you get the permission of (Allah's Apostle) for Umar (to enter)? The slave went in, talked to the Prophet about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: "Will you get he permission for Umar? He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, behold, the slave called me saying, "Allah's Apostle has granted you permission." So, I entered upon the Prophet and saw him lying on a mat without wedding on it, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fires. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: "Have you divorced your wives?' He raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative. And then while still standing, I said chatting: "Will you heed what I say, 'O Allah's Apostle! We, the people of Quraish used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..."}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|53|344}}|Narrated 'Ali: Fatima complained of what she suffered from the hand mill and from grinding, when she got the news that '''some slave girls of the booty had been brought to Allah's Apostle'''. She went to him to ask for a maid-servant, but she could not find him, and told 'Aisha of her need. When the Prophet came, Aisha informed him of that. The Prophet came to our house when we had gone to our beds. (On seeing the Prophet) we were going to get up, but he said, 'Keep at your places,' I felt the coolness of the Prophet's feet on my chest. Then he said, "Shall I tell you a thing which is better than what you asked me for? When you go to your beds, say: 'Allahu Akbar (i.e. Allah is Greater)' for 34 times, and 'Alhamdu Lillah (i.e. all the praises are for Allah)' for 33 times, and Subhan Allah (i.e. Glorified be Allah) for 33 times. This is better for you than what you have requested."}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|53|344}}|Narrated 'Ali: Fatima complained of what she suffered from the hand mill and from grinding, when she got the news that some slave girls of the booty had been brought to Allah's Apostle. She went to him to ask for a maid-servant, but she could not find him, and told 'Aisha of her need. When the Prophet came, Aisha informed him of that. The Prophet came to our house when we had gone to our beds. (On seeing the Prophet) we were going to get up, but he said, 'Keep at your places,' I felt the coolness of the Prophet's feet on my chest. Then he said, "Shall I tell you a thing which is better than what you asked me for? When you go to your beds, say: 'Allahu Akbar (i.e. Allah is Greater)' for 34 times, and 'Alhamdu Lillah (i.e. all the praises are for Allah)' for 33 times, and Subhan Allah (i.e. Glorified be Allah) for 33 times. This is better for you than what you have requested."}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|541}} See also [https://sunnah.com/nasai/35/67 Sunan an-Nasa'i 35:67]|Narrated Abu Huraira: When we conquered Khaibar, we gained neither gold nor silver as booty, but we gained cows, camels, goods and gardens. Then we departed with Allah's Apostle to the valley of Al-Qira, and at that time '''Allah's Apostle had a slave called Mid'am who had been presented to him by one of Banu Ad-Dibbab'''. While the slave was dismounting the saddle of Allah's Apostle an arrow the thrower of which was unknown, came and hit him. The people said, "Congratulations to him for the martyrdom." Allah's Apostle said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the sheet (of cloth) which he had taken (illegally) on the day of Khaibar from the booty before the distribution of the booty, has become a flame of Fire burning him." On hearing that, a man brought one or two leather straps of shoes to the Prophet and said, "These are things I took (illegally)." On that Allah's Apostle said, "This is a strap, or these are two straps of Fire."}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|5|59|541}} See also [https://sunnah.com/nasai/35/67 Sunan an-Nasa'i 35:67]|Narrated Abu Huraira: When we conquered Khaibar, we gained neither gold nor silver as booty, but we gained cows, camels, goods and gardens. Then we departed with Allah's Apostle to the valley of Al-Qira, and at that time '''Allah's Apostle had a slave called Mid'am who had been presented to him by one of Banu Ad-Dibbab'''. While the slave was dismounting the saddle of Allah's Apostle an arrow the thrower of which was unknown, came and hit him. The people said, "Congratulations to him for the martyrdom." Allah's Apostle said, "No, by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, the sheet (of cloth) which he had taken (illegally) on the day of Khaibar from the booty before the distribution of the booty, has become a flame of Fire burning him." On hearing that, a man brought one or two leather straps of shoes to the Prophet and said, "These are things I took (illegally)." On that Allah's Apostle said, "This is a strap, or these are two straps of Fire."}} | ||
{{Quote|{{ | {{Quote|{{Al Nasai||2|12|1126}} (graded sahih)|It was narrated that Aishah said: | ||
"I noticed that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was missing and '''I thought he had gone to visit one of his concubines''', so I looked for him and found him prostrating and saying: 'Rabbighfirli ma asrartu wa ma a'lant (O Allah, forgive me for what (sin) I have concealed and what I have done openly).'"}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|281}}|Narrated Ibn Abbas: ... I returned to my house, astonished (and distressed) that I did not know for what purpose I had gone out. Then I became sick (fever) and said to Allah's Apostle "Send me to my father's house." So he sent a slave with me, and when I entered the house, I found Um Rum-an (my mother) downstairs while (my father) Abu Bakr was reciting something upstairs.}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|281}}|Narrated Ibn Abbas: ... I returned to my house, astonished (and distressed) that I did not know for what purpose I had gone out. Then I became sick (fever) and said to Allah's Apostle "Send me to my father's house." So he sent a slave with me, and when I entered the house, I found Um Rum-an (my mother) downstairs while (my father) Abu Bakr was reciting something upstairs.}} | ||
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===Hadith Referring to Aisha's Slave=== | ===Hadith Referring to Aisha's Slave=== | ||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|6|60|274}}|Narrated Aisha: That night I kept on weeping the whole night till the morning. My tears never stopped, nor did I sleep, and morning broke while I was still weeping, Allah's Apostle called 'Ali bin Abi Talib and Usama bin Zaid when the Divine Inspiration delayed, in order to consult them as to the idea of divorcing his wife. Usama bin Zaid told Allah's Apostle of what he knew about the innocence of his wife and of his affection he kept for her. He said, "O Allah's Apostle! She is your wife, and we do not know anything about her except good." But 'Ali bin Abi Talib said, "O Allah's Apostle! Allah does not impose restrictions on you; and there are plenty of women other than her. If you however, '''ask (her) slave girl''', she will tell you the truth." 'Aisha added: So Allah's Apostle called for Barira and said, "O Barira! Did you ever see anything which might have aroused your suspicion? (as regards Aisha). Barira said, "By Allah Who has sent you with the truth, I have never seen anything regarding Aisha which I would blame her for except that she is a girl of immature age who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough of her family unprotected so that the domestic goats come and eat it."}} | |||
{{Quote|{{cite web|url=https://sunnah.com/urn/417980 |title=Malik's Muwatta: Book 51 Hadith 8 |publisher= |author=Imam Malik |date= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831031248/http://sunnah.com/urn/417980 |deadurl=no}}|Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said that Muhammad ibn Ibrahim at-Taymi had informed him that Abu Salama ibn Abd ar-Rahman said "Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Aswad ibn Abdal-Yaghuth used to sit with us and he had a white beard and hair. One day he came to us and he had dyed them red, and the people said to him, 'This is better.' He said. "'''A'isha the wife of the Prophet''', may Allah bless him and grant him peace, '''sent her slave girl Nukhayla to me yesterday'''. She swore that my hair would be dyed and she informed me that Abu Bakr as- Siddiq used to dye his hair." " | {{Quote|{{cite web|url=https://sunnah.com/urn/417980 |title=Malik's Muwatta: Book 51 Hadith 8 |publisher= |author=Imam Malik |date= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831031248/http://sunnah.com/urn/417980 |deadurl=no}}|Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said that Muhammad ibn Ibrahim at-Taymi had informed him that Abu Salama ibn Abd ar-Rahman said "Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Aswad ibn Abdal-Yaghuth used to sit with us and he had a white beard and hair. One day he came to us and he had dyed them red, and the people said to him, 'This is better.' He said. "'''A'isha the wife of the Prophet''', may Allah bless him and grant him peace, '''sent her slave girl Nukhayla to me yesterday'''. She swore that my hair would be dyed and she informed me that Abu Bakr as- Siddiq used to dye his hair." " | ||
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{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|367}}|Narrated 'Abdul 'Aziz: Anas said, 'When Allah's Apostle invaded Khaibar, we offered the Fajr prayer there yearly in the morning) when it was still dark. The Prophet rode and Abu Talha rode too and I was riding behind Abu Talha. The Prophet passed through the lane of Khaibar quickly and my knee was touching the thigh of the Prophet . He uncovered his thigh and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet. When he entered the town, he said, 'Allahu Akbar! Khaibar is ruined. Whenever we approach near a (hostile) nation (to fight) then evil will be the morning of those who have been warned.' He repeated this thrice. The people came out for their jobs and some of them said, 'Muhammad (has come).' (Some of our companions added, "With his army.") We conquered Khaibar, '''took the captives''', and the booty was collected. Dihya came and said, ''''O Allah's Prophet! Give me a slave girl from the captives.' The Prophet said, 'Go and take any slave girl.'''' He took Safiya bint Huyai. A man came to the Prophet and said, 'O Allah's Apostles! You gave Safiya bint Huyai to Dihya and she is the chief mistress of the tribes of Quraiza and An-Nadir and she befits none but you.' So the Prophet said, 'Bring him along with her.' So Dihya came with her and when the Prophet saw her, he said to Dihya, ''''Take any slave girl other than her from the captives.'''' Anas added: The Prophet then manumitted her and married her..."}} | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|8|367}}|Narrated 'Abdul 'Aziz: Anas said, 'When Allah's Apostle invaded Khaibar, we offered the Fajr prayer there yearly in the morning) when it was still dark. The Prophet rode and Abu Talha rode too and I was riding behind Abu Talha. The Prophet passed through the lane of Khaibar quickly and my knee was touching the thigh of the Prophet . He uncovered his thigh and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet. When he entered the town, he said, 'Allahu Akbar! Khaibar is ruined. Whenever we approach near a (hostile) nation (to fight) then evil will be the morning of those who have been warned.' He repeated this thrice. The people came out for their jobs and some of them said, 'Muhammad (has come).' (Some of our companions added, "With his army.") We conquered Khaibar, '''took the captives''', and the booty was collected. Dihya came and said, ''''O Allah's Prophet! Give me a slave girl from the captives.' The Prophet said, 'Go and take any slave girl.'''' He took Safiya bint Huyai. A man came to the Prophet and said, 'O Allah's Apostles! You gave Safiya bint Huyai to Dihya and she is the chief mistress of the tribes of Quraiza and An-Nadir and she befits none but you.' So the Prophet said, 'Bring him along with her.' So Dihya came with her and when the Prophet saw her, he said to Dihya, ''''Take any slave girl other than her from the captives.'''' Anas added: The Prophet then manumitted her and married her..."}} | ||
{{Quote|{{Tabari| | {{Quote|{{citation|title=The History of al-Tabari|trans_title=Ta’rikh al-rusul wa’l-muluk|volume=vol. VIII|ISBN=0-7914-3149-5|year=1997|publisher=SUNY Press|author=al-Tabari (d. 923)|editor=Michael Fishbein|url=https://archive.org/details/HistoryAlTabari40Vol/History_Al-Tabari_10_Vol/page/n2028/mode/2up|page=}}<br>{{citation|title=تاريخ الرسل والملوك|author=أبو جعفر الطبري|url=https://app.turath.io/book/9783|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol.3|page=3}}|The Messenger of God began taking herds and | ||
property bit by bit and conquering Khaybar fortress by fortress.The first of their fortresses that he conquered was the fortress of Na'im. Mahmud b. Maslamah was killed at it-a millstone was hurled on him from it and killed him. Next was al-Qamus, the | |||
fortress of lbn Abi al-Huqayq. The Messenger of God took some of its people captive, including Safiyyah bt. Huyayy b. Akhtab (the wife of Kinanah b. al-Rabi' b. Abi al-Huqayq) and two daughters of | |||
her paternal uncle. The Messenger of God chose Safiyyah for himself. Dihyah al-Kalbi had asked the Messenger of God for Safiyyah; when the latter chose her for himself, he gave Dihyah her two | |||
cousins. The captives of Khaybar were divided among the Muslims.|See also: Ishaq:511}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|53|373}}|Narrated 'Amr bin Taghlib: Allah's Apostle gave (gifts) to some people to the exclusion of some others. The latter seemed to be displeased by that. '''The Prophet said, "I give to some people, lest they should deviate from True Faith''' or lose patience, while I refer other people to the goodness and contentment which Allah has put in their hearts, and 'Amr bin Taghlib is amongst them." 'Amr bin Taghlib said, "The statement of Allah's Apostle is dearer to me than red camels." | {{Quote|{{Bukhari|4|53|373}}|Narrated 'Amr bin Taghlib: Allah's Apostle gave (gifts) to some people to the exclusion of some others. The latter seemed to be displeased by that. '''The Prophet said, "I give to some people, lest they should deviate from True Faith''' or lose patience, while I refer other people to the goodness and contentment which Allah has put in their hearts, and 'Amr bin Taghlib is amongst them." 'Amr bin Taghlib said, "The statement of Allah's Apostle is dearer to me than red camels." | ||
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See also {{Muslim|15|4112}} and {{Bukhari|9|89|296}} above for hadiths where Muhammad sold slaves whose masters had promised to free them. | See also {{Muslim|15|4112}} and {{Bukhari|9|89|296}} above for hadiths where Muhammad sold slaves whose masters had promised to free them. | ||
===Slave owners sold women who had bourne them children until the Caliphate of Umar=== | |||
A number of sahih hadith narrate from a companion of Muhammad, Jabir bin `Abdullah, that while Muhammad was alive they used to sell slave-women who had borne them children (ummahat al walad). | |||
{{Quote|{{Ibn Majah||3|19|2517}}|Jabir bin `Abdullah was heard to say: | |||
“We used to sell our slave women and the mothers of our children (Umahat Awaldina) when the Prophet (ﷺ) was still living among us, and we did not see anything wrong with that.”}} | |||
The same Arabic phrase, ummahat al-walad, meaning slave concubines who had bourne their master's children, appears also in another narration via a different chain from Jabir. It adds that the practice was not forbidden until the time of Umar, the 2nd Caliph. Umar's ruling is also mentioned in [https://sunnah.com/bulugh/7/13 another hadith] narrated from his son, Ibn Umar, in the Bulugh al-Maram hadith collection. | |||
{{Quote|{{Abu Dawud||3943|Hasan}}|Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: | |||
We sold slave-mothers during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and of AbuBakr. When Umar was in power, he forbade us and we stopped.}} | |||
===Give your slaves food and clothing like your own and do not ask too much of them=== | |||
{{Quote|{{Bukhari|1|2|29}}|Narrated Al-Ma'rur: | |||
At Ar-Rabadha I met Abu Dhar who was wearing a cloak, and his slave, too, was wearing a similar one. I asked about the reason for it. He replied, "I abused a person by calling his mother with bad names." The Prophet said to me, 'O Abu Dhar! Did you abuse him by calling his mother with bad names You still have some characteristics of ignorance. Your slaves are your brothers and Allah has put them under your command. So whoever has a brother under his command should feed him of what he eats and dress him of what he wears. Do not ask them (slaves) to do things beyond their capacity (power) and if you do so, then help them.' "}} | |||
===Muhammad disapproves of Ibn Mas'ud beating his slave=== | ===Muhammad disapproves of Ibn Mas'ud beating his slave=== | ||
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===Free a Slave Who is Beaten or to Expiate Certain Sins=== | ===Free a Slave Who is Beaten or to Expiate Certain Sins=== | ||
Contrary to apologetics, Islam | Contrary to apologetics, the extent to which Islam brought exceptional treatment of slaves by ancient standards is exagerated. Before Islam, Zoroastrian law had protections for slaves against violence, and it was considered a virtue to free a slave, who could also buy their own freedom.<ref>Irani, K.M. & Silver, M. (editors), [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ce7WjBvjENEC&pg=PA87&lpg=PA87 Social Justice in the Ancient World], Connecticut:Greenword Press, 1995, p.87</ref> It was also common in ancient Rome to free slaves, so much so that Augustus [[w:Lex Aelia Sentia|had a law enacted]] to prevent manumission of slaves younger than 30 years old. In Islam, slaves are to be freed when there is violence against them, or to expiate certain sins. | ||
{{Quote|{{Muslim|15|4079}}| Zadhan reported that Ibn Umar called his slave and he found the marks (of beating) upon his back. He said to him: | {{Quote|{{Muslim|15|4079}}| Zadhan reported that Ibn Umar called his slave and he found the marks (of beating) upon his back. He said to him: | ||
I have caused you pain. He said: No. But he (Ibn Umar) said: You are free. He then took hold of something from the earth and said: There is no reward for me even to the weight equal to it. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who beats a slave without cognizable offence of his or slaps him (without any serious fault), then expiation for it is that he should set him free.}} | |||
{{Quote|{{Muslim|15|4084}}| Suwaid b. Muqarrin reported that he had a slave-girl and a person (one of the members of the family) slapped her, whereupon Suwaid said to him: | {{Quote|{{Muslim|15|4084}}| Suwaid b. Muqarrin reported that he had a slave-girl and a person (one of the members of the family) slapped her, whereupon Suwaid said to him: | ||
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A slave-girl belonging to the house of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) committed fornication. He (the Prophet) said: Rush up, Ali, and inflict the prescribed punishment on her. I then hurried up, and saw that blood was flowing from her, and did not stop. So I came to him and he said: Have you finished inflicting (punishment on her)? I said: I went to her while her blood was flowing. He said: Leave her alone till her bleeding stops; then inflict the prescribed punishment on her. And inflict the prescribed punishment on those whom your right hands possess (i.e. slaves).}} | A slave-girl belonging to the house of the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) committed fornication. He (the Prophet) said: Rush up, Ali, and inflict the prescribed punishment on her. I then hurried up, and saw that blood was flowing from her, and did not stop. So I came to him and he said: Have you finished inflicting (punishment on her)? I said: I went to her while her blood was flowing. He said: Leave her alone till her bleeding stops; then inflict the prescribed punishment on her. And inflict the prescribed punishment on those whom your right hands possess (i.e. slaves).}} | ||
===Umar struck a slave girl for wearing jilbab like free women=== | |||
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/FP152371/04_152374/page/n353/mode/1up?view=theater Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 6382 and 6383] | |||
([https://archive.org/details/WAQ25781WAQ/erwaa6/page/n201/mode/2up?view=theater both graded Sahih by al-Albani] and [https://archive.org/details/FP152371/04_152374/page/n353/mode/1up?view=theater by Sa'd al Shathri])|2=Narrated Anas ibn Malik: | |||
Umar saw a slave-girl wearing a veil, so he struck her. He said, "Do not emulate free women."<BR /><BR /> | |||
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: | |||
A female slave came to Umar ibn al Khattab. He knew her through some of the emigrants, or the Ansar. She was wearing a jilbab (cloak) which veiled her. He asked her: "Have you been freed?" She said: "No." He said: "What about the jilbab? Pull it down off your head. The jilbab is only for free women from among the believing women." She hesitated. So he came at her with a whip and struck her on the head, until she cast it off her head.}} | |||
A hadith collected by al Bayhaqi (d. 1066 CE) is commonly translated such that Umar's slave-girls' (bare) breasts were shaking, though this is unclear in the Arabic of this hadith. An alternative interpretation is that his slave-women had uncovered hair which was falling on their breasts: | |||
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/stream/FP78881/skb02#page/n319/mode/1up Al-Bayhaqi's Sunan al-Kubra 3222] (graded sahih [https://archive.org/stream/FP78881/skb02#page/n319/mode/1up by al Bayhaqi] and hasan [https://archive.org/stream/WAQ25781WAQ/erwaa6#page/n203/mode/1up by al-Albani])|2= | |||
عن أنس بن مالك قال كن إماء عمر رضي الله عنه يخدمننا كاشفات عن شعورهن تضرب ثديهن<BR />Narrated Anas ibn Malik: | |||
"The female slaves of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, were serving us with uncovered hair that was hitting their breasts.”}} | |||
The shaking breasts interpretation may also be plausible, however, since various reports such as [https://www.islamweb.net/en/fatwa/367498/slave-women-did-not-walk-bare-breasted-during-lifetime-of-prophet-sallallaahu-alayhi-wa-sallam this one] about Imam Malik (d. 795 CE) suggests that slave women in his time went about with uncovered breasts: "He (i.e. Al-Imam Malik ibn Anas) strongly disapproved of the behaviour of the slave women of Madinah in going out uncovered above the lower garment. He said, 'I have spoken to the Sultan about it, but I have not received a reply." He said, "Beat the slave women if they do that.'" | |||
===Ibn Umar touches girl in slave market and says "she is but an item for sale"=== | |||
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/FP152371/11_152381/page/n308/mode/1up?view=theater Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 21448] (graded sahih [https://archive.org/details/FP152371/11_152381/page/n309/mode/1up?view=theater by Sa'id al Shathri]); also in Musannaf of Abd al Razzaq 20241|2=Narrated Mujahid: | |||
I was walking in the market with Ibn Umar when we came across slave-traders gathered around a slave-girl, and they were examining her. When they saw Ibn Umar, they withdrew and said, "Ibn Umar has come". Ibn Umar approached her and touched part of her body. He said: "Where are the owners of this slave-girl? She is but an item for sale."}} | |||
===Ibn Umar inspected slave-girls for sale by touching their breasts and buttocks=== | |||
Ibn Umar was a companion and the son of the 2nd Capliph, Umar. | |||
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/FP152371/11_152381/page/n309/mode/1up?view=theater Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 21449] (graded sahih [https://archive.org/details/WAQ25781WAQ/erwaa6/page/n200/mode/1up?view=theater by al-Albani] and [https://archive.org/details/FP152371/11_152381/page/n309/mode/1up?view=theater by Sa'id al Shathri])|2=Narrated Nafi: | |||
"Ibn Umar narrated to me that when he wanted to buy a slave-girl, he would place his hand on her buttocks and between her thighs, and he sometimes probed her legs."}} | |||
{{Quote|1=[http://web.archive.org/web/20150909140424/http://library.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?bk_no=673&pid=332183&hid=9985 Al-Bayhaqi's Sunan Al-Kubra 9885]|2=Nafe’e narrated that whenever Ibn Umar wanted to buy a slave-girl, he would inspect her by analysing her legs and placing his hands between her breasts and on her buttocks.}} | |||
A very early hadith compilation was the [[w:Musannaf_of_Abd_al-Razzaq|Musannaf of Abd al-Razzaq]] collected by Abd al-Razzaq (b. 744 CE) and rediscovered in 1972 after it was long thought lost. | |||
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/waq15649/07_15655/page/n285/mode/1up?view=theater Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 13203]|2=Mujahid said that once Abdullah Ibn Umar came to a market where some traders wanted to buy a slave girl. Ibn Umar exposed her calves, then put his hands between her breasts and shook them. Afterwards he told the traders to buy that slave girl as there was no defect in her.}} | |||
{{Quote|1=[https://archive.org/details/waq15649/07_15655/page/n285/mode/1up?view=theater Musannaf Abd al-Razzaq 13204]|2=Narrated Mujahid: | |||
"Ibn Umar placed his hand between her breasts, then shook them.}} | |||
===Conversion of Slaves to Islam=== | ===Conversion of Slaves to Islam=== | ||
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===Marrying Slaves=== | ===Marrying Slaves=== | ||
{{Quote|{{ | {{Quote|{{Abudawud|11|2073}}|Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If any slave marries without the permission of his masters, he is a fornicator."}} | ||
===Observing Hijab=== | ===Observing Hijab=== | ||
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The Prophet (peace be upon him) brought Fatimah a slave which he donated to her. Fatimah wore a garment which, when she covered her head, did not reach her feet, and when she covered her feet by it, that garment did not reach her head. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw her struggle, he said: There is no harm to you: Here is only your father and slave.}} | The Prophet (peace be upon him) brought Fatimah a slave which he donated to her. Fatimah wore a garment which, when she covered her head, did not reach her feet, and when she covered her feet by it, that garment did not reach her head. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw her struggle, he said: There is no harm to you: Here is only your father and slave.}} | ||
===Muhammad gave girls like property (or booty) to his companions=== | ===Muhammad gave girls like property (or booty) to his companions=== | ||
{{Quote|Ibn Ishaq/ | {{Quote|{{citation|title=The Life of Muhammad|trans_title=Sirat Rasul Allah|ISBN=0-19-636033-1|year=1955|publisher=Oxford UP|author1=Ibn Ishaq (d. 768)|author2=Ibn Hisham (d. 833)|editor=A. Guillaume|url=https://archive.org/details/GuillaumeATheLifeOfMuhammad/page/n1/mode/2up|page=593}}<br>{{citation|title=سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا|author1=ابن إسحاق|author2=ابن هشام|url=https://app.turath.io/book/23833|publisher=al-Maktabah al-Shamilah|volume=vol. |page=}} | ||
|The apostle gave Ali a girl called Rayta; and he gave Uthman a girl called Zaynab; and he gave Umar a girl whom Umar gave to his son Abdullah.}} | |||
=See Also= | |||
[[Slavery in Islamic Law]] | |||
[[Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad]] | |||
{{Translation-links-english|[[Korán, hadísy a učenci: Otroctví|Czech]]}} | {{Translation-links-english|[[Korán, hadísy a učenci: Otroctví|Czech]]}} | ||
=External Links= | |||
*[http://www.answering-islam.org/ReachOut/slavetrade.html Arabs and Slave Trade] | *[http://www.answering-islam.org/ReachOut/slavetrade.html Arabs and Slave Trade] | ||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-BRkNwpczg Friendly Exmuslim - Hijab's Dishonesty about Slavery in Islam] - ''YouTube Video'' | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zexn9IrMmNI HarrisSultanAthiest - Islam and Slavery] - How Islam Enslaved Africa - ''YouTube Video'' | |||
=References= | |||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
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[[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]] | [[Category:Shariah (Islamic Law)]] | ||
[[Category:Sex]] | [[Category:Sex]] | ||
[[ar:القرآن_والحديث_والعلماء:_العبودية]] |
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As was common amongst all states and faith communities found in Europe and Asia in Late Antiquity, the Muslim tradition specifically allows slavery. In fact slaves and the taking of slaves make up an important part of the sira about Muhammad's life; slaves were a form of booty and almost always the most valuable part, so the taking of slaves formed a huge part of the impetus behind the prophet's military campaigns. As is extremely clear from the rest of the tradition, female slaves taken by Muslim mujaahideen must submit sexually to their new masters, and sex with them is specifically permitted, as is the beating of disobedient slaves. The two legitimate sources of slaves agreed upon by the Ulama were captives taken in war, and children born to slaves (unless the slave-owner was the father). Nevertheless, the tradition also makes the freeing of slaves a virtue to be rewarded by Allah, but no scholar in the classical period ever extrapolated this to a general abolitionist sentiment, as the tradition is far too clear on the fact that Muhammad took many, many slaves and was actually very supportive of the institution. Mainly due to pressure from European colonial powers, slavery was eventually made illegal throughout the Muslim world in the 19th and 20th centuries, and is now considered forbidden in the modern context by most scholars, though a minority, such as Saudi Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, argue that slavery remains Islamically legitimate.
Qur'an
Some are favoured by Allah while others are slaves
Taking war captives
Sex with Female Slaves or Captives
Slave masters determine whether their slaves may marry
Permission to marry slaves who already have husbands
Poor believers may marry from among the believing slave women
Better to marry a believing slave than a free disbeliever
Freeing slaves is a good deed
As in earlier and contemporary near eastern cultures[1], a slave could agree a contract to purchase his or her freedom:
Be good to your slaves
Hadiths
Slavery Permitted
These Hadiths show how Islam explicitly and implicitly permits slavery.
Permission to Rape Captives and Slaves
Many more hadith on this subject are quoted in the main article.
Muhammad's enjoyment of slave services
Muhammed regularly met with and commanded slaves without asking the slave's master to free the slave even though it was within his power to do so.
ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol.1, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 318, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
Slaves Owned by Muhammad
The Slaves' Names
Muhammad Bought More Slaves Than he Sold
Origins of Mahran's (The "Ship"'s) Nickname
Hadiths Referring to Muhammad's Slaves
Hadith Referring to Aisha's Slave
Yahya said that he heard Malik say about dyeing the hair black, 'I have not heard anything certain on that, and other colours than that are preferable to me." Yahya said, "Not to dye at all is permitted, Allah willing, and there is no constraint on people concerning it." Yahya said that he had heard Malik say, "There is no clear indication in this hadith that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not dye his hair. Had the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, dyed his hair, A'isha would have sent a message to that effect to Abd ar-Rahman ibn al-Aswad."
Slaves Enslaved by Muhammad
property bit by bit and conquering Khaybar fortress by fortress.The first of their fortresses that he conquered was the fortress of Na'im. Mahmud b. Maslamah was killed at it-a millstone was hurled on him from it and killed him. Next was al-Qamus, the fortress of lbn Abi al-Huqayq. The Messenger of God took some of its people captive, including Safiyyah bt. Huyayy b. Akhtab (the wife of Kinanah b. al-Rabi' b. Abi al-Huqayq) and two daughters of her paternal uncle. The Messenger of God chose Safiyyah for himself. Dihyah al-Kalbi had asked the Messenger of God for Safiyyah; when the latter chose her for himself, he gave Dihyah her two
cousins. The captives of Khaybar were divided among the Muslims.أبو جعفر الطبري, تاريخ الرسل والملوك, vol.3, al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, p. 3, https://app.turath.io/book/9783, See also: Ishaq:511
Slaves Traded by Muhammad
One Arab for Two Blacks
Slaves Sold by Muhammad
Slave Transactions Initiated by Muhammad
Miscellaneous
Bilal Bought in Exchange for a Black Non-Muslim Slave
Attempts to Free Slaves Sometimes Discouraged and Thwarted by Muhammad
See also Sahih Muslim 15:4112 and Sahih Bukhari 9:89:296 above for hadiths where Muhammad sold slaves whose masters had promised to free them.
Slave owners sold women who had bourne them children until the Caliphate of Umar
A number of sahih hadith narrate from a companion of Muhammad, Jabir bin `Abdullah, that while Muhammad was alive they used to sell slave-women who had borne them children (ummahat al walad).
The same Arabic phrase, ummahat al-walad, meaning slave concubines who had bourne their master's children, appears also in another narration via a different chain from Jabir. It adds that the practice was not forbidden until the time of Umar, the 2nd Caliph. Umar's ruling is also mentioned in another hadith narrated from his son, Ibn Umar, in the Bulugh al-Maram hadith collection.
Give your slaves food and clothing like your own and do not ask too much of them
Muhammad disapproves of Ibn Mas'ud beating his slave
Free a Slave Who is Beaten or to Expiate Certain Sins
Contrary to apologetics, the extent to which Islam brought exceptional treatment of slaves by ancient standards is exagerated. Before Islam, Zoroastrian law had protections for slaves against violence, and it was considered a virtue to free a slave, who could also buy their own freedom.[5] It was also common in ancient Rome to free slaves, so much so that Augustus had a law enacted to prevent manumission of slaves younger than 30 years old. In Islam, slaves are to be freed when there is violence against them, or to expiate certain sins.
Reward for Freeing Muslim Slaves
Female Slaves can be Flogged and Sold if they have Illegal Sexual Intercourse
Umar struck a slave girl for wearing jilbab like free women
Umar saw a slave-girl wearing a veil, so he struck her. He said, "Do not emulate free women."
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
A hadith collected by al Bayhaqi (d. 1066 CE) is commonly translated such that Umar's slave-girls' (bare) breasts were shaking, though this is unclear in the Arabic of this hadith. An alternative interpretation is that his slave-women had uncovered hair which was falling on their breasts:
Narrated Anas ibn Malik: "The female slaves of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, were serving us with uncovered hair that was hitting their breasts.”
The shaking breasts interpretation may also be plausible, however, since various reports such as this one about Imam Malik (d. 795 CE) suggests that slave women in his time went about with uncovered breasts: "He (i.e. Al-Imam Malik ibn Anas) strongly disapproved of the behaviour of the slave women of Madinah in going out uncovered above the lower garment. He said, 'I have spoken to the Sultan about it, but I have not received a reply." He said, "Beat the slave women if they do that.'"
Ibn Umar touches girl in slave market and says "she is but an item for sale"
Ibn Umar inspected slave-girls for sale by touching their breasts and buttocks
Ibn Umar was a companion and the son of the 2nd Capliph, Umar.
A very early hadith compilation was the Musannaf of Abd al-Razzaq collected by Abd al-Razzaq (b. 744 CE) and rediscovered in 1972 after it was long thought lost.
Conversion of Slaves to Islam
Marrying Slaves
Observing Hijab
Muhammad gave girls like property (or booty) to his companions
ابن إسحاق; ابن هشام, سيرة ابن هشام ت السقا, vol., al-Maktabah al-Shamilah, https://app.turath.io/book/23833
See Also
Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Muhammad
Translations
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External Links
- Arabs and Slave Trade
- Friendly Exmuslim - Hijab's Dishonesty about Slavery in Islam - YouTube Video
- HarrisSultanAthiest - Islam and Slavery - How Islam Enslaved Africa - YouTube Video
References
- ↑ Brockopp, J. (2000) "Early Maliki Law", Brill: Leiben, p.170
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Zad al-Ma'ad, Part 1, pp. 114-116
- ↑ Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Zad al-Ma'ad, Part 1, p. 160
- ↑ Ibn Qayyim, Pages 115-116; al-Hulya, Volume 1, Page 369, quoted from Ahmad 5:222
- ↑ Irani, K.M. & Silver, M. (editors), Social Justice in the Ancient World, Connecticut:Greenword Press, 1995, p.87