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Answering lies about Islam and Prophet Muhammad

Did Islam Ignore Slavery and legalize its existence?

Slaves in the Holy Quran, the Noble Sunnah and in the history of the disciples, may Allah be pleased with them

NOT ONE verse in the Holy Quran or in the Noble Sunnah commands a Muslim to enslave people. On the contrary, there are many verses in the Holy Quran and many Hadiths that orders Muslims to free slaves such as:

In the Holy Quran
God says in the Holy Quran: "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." (Surah An-Nisa verse 36)

In the above verse God connected being kind to slaves and the necessity of worshipping him alone (without polytheism) and regarded them as equal duties.

In the Sunnah of prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him

  • Al-Ma'rur bin Suwaid, May Allah be pleased with him, reported: “I saw Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him, wearing a nice gown, and his slave was also wearing one similar to it. I asked him about it, and he said that he had exchanged harsh words with a person during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and put him to shame by making a reference to his mother. That person came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and made mention of that to him. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah , peace and blessings be upon him, said, "You are a person who has remnants of the 'Days of Ignorance' in you. Your slaves are your brothers. Allah has placed them under your authority. He who has his brother under him, should feed him from whatever he eats, and dress him with whatever he wears, and do not burden them (assign burdensome task to them) beyond their capacity; and if you burden them then help them." [Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

    In the above Hadith Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, considered the slaves and the masters as equals and brothers and built on this the prohibition of depriving them from something that the masters enjoy from food, drink or clothing. He declared that it is ownership in the common sense but actually authority that God gave the masters on their slaves. Just as the authority given to parents on their children so it is actually a social duty given to the masters who will be accountable for their actions that they have to perform correctly in a way that God accepts.

  • In the same context, prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said Narrated AbuHurayrah: "The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: None of you must say: "My slave" (abdi) and "My slave-woman" (amati), and a slave must not say: "My lord" (rabbi or rabbati). The master (of a slave) should say: "My young man" (fataya) and "My young woman" (fatati), and a slave should say "My master" (sayyidi) and "My mistress" (sayyidati), for you are all (Allah's slave and the Lord is Allah, Most High. (Sunan Abi Dawud – Book of General Behavior)

  • In the same context, prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Gabriel advised me about treating my slaves with gentleness so much that I thought that people will not be employed or enslaved."
    Narrated by Albaihaqui from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, as: "My friend Gabriel advised me about treating my slaves with gentleness so much that I thought he would soon establish a deadline for freeing them." Alsayyuti mentioned it in his book (Algame Alsakheer page 282)

    In the above hadith prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, eloquently summarized Islam’s vision towards slavery. He explains on one side to what extent Islam empathizes the importance of kindly treating slaves and from the other side Islam’s strategy to eradicate slavery.

In the history of the disciples, may Allah be pleased with them

  • Abu 'Umar Zadhan said, "We were with Ibn 'Umar when he summoned a slave of his whom he had beaten and he uncovered his back. 'Does it hurt?' he asked. 'No,' he replied. Then he set him free. He picked up a stick from the ground and then said, 'I do not have a reward (for him) worth as much as this stick.' I asked, 'Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman, why do you say this?' He replied, 'I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "The expiation of someone who beats a slave more than he deserves or slaps his face is that he must set him free." (Sahih (Al-Albani) – Source: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 180)

  • It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "There are four things which become binding if they are spoken: divorce, manumission, marriage and vows."
    It was narrated from ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him: "There are three in which jesting is like seriousness: divorce, marriage and manumission."
    Abu’l-Darda’ said: "There are three matters in which jesting is just as valid as saying them seriously: divorce, marriage and manumission."