Islamic slaves law

In Islam slaves acquired a great space as compared to other religion, It is only

Islams in which slaves became a great historical man like Hazrat Bilal who was
oppointed the first Mu’azzin of Islam appointed by Prophet Muhammad( S.A.W)
and another slaves Hazrat Ziad bin Haris was only Sa’haba who was mentoined
in Quran , Qutabidin aibak who was slave of Muhmmad ghoori but today he was
listed in great historical kings,this is all the result of encourageness of slave
in Islam ,which give the basic rights and freedom to slaves.

Who can be enslaved

First we should know who can be enslaved in Islamic law

There were two type of people who can be enslaved legally in Islamic law

1The people who was defeated in war and captive by Muslim

2 The people whose ancestor was slave from long time

Slaves trading and slave Gift are also practiced but Islamic law declared it
illegal. 1

Freedom of slaves
There were some certain circumstances in Islamic where slaves can be freed

The Makatab
it is a contractual right of freedom in which slaves can buy his freedom from his
master in the exchange of certain money

The Mudabbar
A slave will be free when his master died ( Note! if his master gave him a will
in life)

1
“Slavery in Islam, BBC,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/slavery_1.shtml
(December 14, 2019).

Ibid……
The Umm walid
A female slaves who was pregnant from his master will be free when her master
died 2

Freedom of slaves under the light of Holy Quran and

hadith

There are many places in Quran the word slave are mentioned. In Quran Allah
give the order of freedom of Slaves. Allah declared the freedom of slaves the
righteous path in all good deeds of human.

As Allah says in Quran, “Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the
east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in God, the Last Day, the
angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to
the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free
the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers  (Salat) and give the obligatory
charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and
they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These
are the truthful; these are the righteous .” 3

Freedom of slaves is also best act of paying Ka’fara (the punishment of wrong
doing).

According to Quran, “No believer shall kill another believer, unless it is an

accident. If one kills a believer by accident, he shall atone by freeing a
believing slave, and paying a compensation to the victim's family, unless they
forfeit such a compensation as a charity. If the victim belonged to people who
are at war with you, though he was a believer, you shall atone by freeing a
believing slave. If he belonged to people with whom you have signed a peace
treaty, you shall pay the compensation in addition to freeing a believing slave.
If you cannot find a slave to free, you shall atone by fasting two consecutive
months, in order to be redeemed by God. God is Knower, Most Wise.” 4

Prophet Muhammed (S. A. W) also gave the teaching of freedom of slave.

According Sahai Bukhari Prophet( S.A.W) said “There are three categories of
people against whom I shall myself be a plaintiff on the Day of Judgment. Of
2

3
“Slavery and Islam, “submission. Org,
https://submission.org/Slavery_and_Islam.html (December 14, 2019).
4
Ibid…
these three, one is he who enslaves a free man, then sells him and eats this
money.” 5

In another Hadith Muhammad S. A. W said “Whoever frees a slave, Allah will

save all the parts of his body from the Fire, as he has freed the body-parts of the
slave”. 6

Slave Rights in Islamic law

Islamic law gave certain rights to slave

 A slave may not be mistreated but treated well like a brother

The Prophet said, “Your slaves are your brothers. God has set them as a
trial under your authority. Therefore whoever has mastery over one of his
brothers should feed him from what he eats himself, and should clothe him
with what he wears himself, and should not burden him with tasks beyond
his strength, and should assist him in doing whatever hard work he asks
him to do.” 7
 There should be no distinction between slave and master
 Slave may not be call a slave
“As The Holy Prophet said, No one is allowed to say this is my slave or
that is my maid. You should say this is my young man, and that is my
young lady.” 8
 Slave may have own slave
 Slave may have own property
 Male Slave may allowto get married
 The Witness of slave may be accepted
 Slave may take legal action if any one mistreated or abuse him
 The punishment of slave may be half in case of any mistake as compare to
free man
 A child can not be separated from mother while it is 7 years old
 No one can force a female slave for sexual intercourse
 Master are allowed to sex with their slaves without Nikkah (social
agreement in Islamic law) 9
5
Muhammad Ashari, Academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/people/search?
utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Islam+and+slavery# (December05,2019
6
Ibi d…..
7
“ The Right Of your Slave, “Al _Islam. Org, https://www.al-islam.org/divine-
perspective-rights/right-n-21-right-your-slave (December 14, 2019).
8
Ibi d…..
9
“Slavery in Islam, “ BBC,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/slavery_1.shtml
( December 14, 2019).

Biblography
1. “Slavery in Islam, “ BBC,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/slavery_1.shtml
( December 14, 2019
2. “ The Right Of your Slave, “Al _Islam. Org, https://www.al-
islam.org/divine-perspective-rights/right-n-21-right-your-slave (December
14, 2019).

3. “Slavery and Islam, “submission. Org,

https://submission.org/Slavery_and_Islam.html (December 14, 2019).

4. Muhammad Ashari, Slavery Academia.edu,

https://www.academia.edu/people/search?utf8=%E2%9C
%93&q=Islam+and+slavery# (December05,2019

5. Humaira Malik, “Rights of Slave In Islam and abolition of Slaver time-

line, “Academia.edu, “https://www.academia.edu/people/search?utf8=
%E2%9C%93&q=Islam+and+slavery# (December 05,2019)