Qur'an, Hadith and Scholars:Slavery: Difference between revisions

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). Never the less, 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. 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.

See the article [[Rape in Islamic Law]]

{{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|33|50}}|'''O Prophet! Lo! We have made lawful unto thee''' thy wives unto whom thou hast paid their dowries, '''and those whom thy right hand possesseth of those whom Allah hath given thee as spoils of war''', and the daughters of thine uncle on the father's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the father's side, and the daughters of thine uncle on the mother's side and the daughters of thine aunts on the mother's side who emigrated with thee, and a believing woman if she give herself unto the Prophet and the Prophet desire to ask her in marriage - a privilege for thee only, not for the (rest of) believers - '''We are Aware of that which We enjoined upon them concerning their wives and those whom their right hands possess''' - that thou mayst be free from blame, for Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.}}

{{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,}}