Answering lies about Islam and Prophet Muhammad
Did Islam Ignore Slavery and legalize its existence?
Practical examples from the lives of Muslims
First: In the era of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him
- When prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, reached Medina he started pairing one man from Medina and one from Mecca so that an atmosphere of brotherhood would cover the whole society. Some of the paired men consisted of one slave and one from the leaders for example
- Pairing in brotherhood between Belal Ibn Rabah (A black slave from Mecca), may Allah be pleased with him, and Abi Ruwayha Abdullah ibn AbelRahman Alkhathmi
- Pairing in brotherhood between Zaid Ibn Haretha (a freed slave of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) and his own uncle Hamza Ibn Abd El-Muttalib (A leader from Quraish and the Prophet’s uncle)
- Pairing in brotherhood between Kharega Ibn Zaid and Abu Bakr El-Seddik.
This pairing was a REAL brotherhood like the blood relation to the level of inheritance
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, chose his freed-slave Zaid Ibn Haritha as a spouse to his cousin Zainab Bint Jahsh. His goal was to empathize that no Muslim is better than another except by piety and raise the standards of slaves and abolish tribal fanaticism as his family was one of the leading families in Mecca while Zaid was a freed slave.
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, appointed his freed salve Zaid as the commander of the Muslim army to fight the Romans in the battle of Muttah. The army had some of the masters of Quraish like Abu Bakr and Omar Ibn Elkhattab who were later after the death of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, chosen as the Khalifs (Head of the Islamic State). By that the freed slave was not only equal to the masters but was appointed as leader to them. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said (as reported by Anas, May Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave whose head is like a raisin is placed in authority over you as long as he rules in accordance with the Book of Allah.." (Al- Bukhari – book of judgements (Ahkam)).
By that the freed slave was given the highest authority on Muslims as long as he is fit for the position. It was reported that Omar Ibn Elkhattab at the day he was chosen by Muslims as Khalif (Head of the Islamic State) said: “If Salim, the freed slave of Abi Huthayfa, was alive I would have chosen him as khalif".
In the battle of Badr, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, accepted ransom from the atheist war captives and released them, Some were freed without ransom. In the conquest of Mecca, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him told the people of Mecca (Who used to torture Muslims): "I speak to you in the same words as Yusuf (the Prophet Joseph) spoke unto his brothers: He said: "No reproach on you this day," [12:92] go your way, for you are freed ones."
In the Battle of Banu AlMustalik , Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, married a female slave and paid the ransom for her as she was the daughter of one of the leaders. She is Mother of the believers, Jouirya Bint AlHarith, may Allah be pleased with her. Because of this marriage, Muslims released all the captives of the war as they were then the Prophets’ in-Laws.
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged freeing female-slaves and marrying them. It is narrated by Abu Mussa AlAshari, may Allah be pleased with him that Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him said, "He who has a slave-girl and educates and treats her nicely and then manumits and marries her, will get a double reward." – A reward for educating and marrying and a reward for freeing (Source: Sahih Bukhari Book 49, Hadith 28).
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, set an example for this by freeing Mother of the believers Saffeya bint Huyyai Ibn Akhtab and married her.
Om Ayman was a female-slave who belonged to the father of prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, then she became his nanny. When his father died, Prophet Muhammad inherited her so he freed her. Ibn Saad in his book (Altabakat Alkoubra) narrated that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, used to call Om Ayman, (My mother) and would describe her saying: “my mother after my own mother had gone." What honour did he bestow on her to regard a freed female slave as his mother and treat her accordingly till the day he died?
Anas ibn Malik reported: “I served the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, for ten years. By Allah, he never even said a mild rebuke to me and he never said harshly for anything: Why did you do that? Why did you not do that?" (Source: Sahih Bukhari 5691, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi)
Anas ibn Malik also reported: “Any of the young servant girls among the people of Medina would take the hand of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and lead him wherever she wished." (Source: Sahih Bukhari 5724, Grade: Sahih)
The Prophet never abused his servants and he never struck anything with his hand, not even an animal, unless he was defending himself in battle. Aisha reported: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not strike a servant nor a woman, and he never struck anything with his hand." (Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 1984, Grade: Sahih)
Abu Musa Al-Ashari reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and set the captives free." (Source: Sahih Bukhari 5058, Grade: Sahih)
Second: In the era of righteous khalifs, may Allah be pleased with them
- The pious merchant, Abu Bakr Al-Seddik, may Allah be pleased with him, used to spent his money generously to save Muslims from their atheist torturers. He started with Belal Ibn Rabah, may Allah be pleased with him. He was a black slave of Omaya Ibn Khalaf, who tortured him savagely. Belal, may Allah be pleased with him, was actually one of the most suffering slaves at that time. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, offered to buy Belal, may Allah be pleased with him, but Omaya asked for an extremely high price, according to what is accustomed at that time. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, paid and saved Belal, may Allah be pleased with him, and immediately emancipated him. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, continued to buy more tortured Muslim salves and emancipate them for free.
- When Omar Ibn Elkhattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was the Muslims Khalif. The Muslim army led by Abu Obaida Ibn Al-Jarrah besieged Jerusalem. The Patriarch Sophronius agreed to surrender, on condition that he would submit only to the Caliph. Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, had a servant with him and only one camel so he decided to share the camel with his servant so that each one would ride the camel for a while then the other. When they were close to Jerusalem, it was the servant’s turn to ride the camel. The servant offered Omar to ride the camel so that when they both enter Jerusalem the Muslim caliph would be riding the camel. Omar refused and so they both entered Jerusalem, the servant riding the camel and the Muslim Caliph walking behind…In this humble state the pious Muslim caliph entered the conquered city of Jerusalem.
- Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, famously said: “Since when did you enslave the people though they were born from their mothers in freedom?" (Source: Futuh Masr 290)
- Every Friday, the righteous Caliph Othman Ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, would buy slaves to emancipate them for free for the sake of God. That is why, despite the fact that he was rich, in most cases he did not have slaves.
These examples are enough to clarify how Muslims treated slaves.
Third: Testimony of Non-Muslims
Gustave le Bon says in Hadaarat al-‘Arab (Arab Civilization) (p. 459-460): What I sincerely believe is that slavery among the Muslims is better than slavery among any other people, and that the situation of slaves in the east is better than that of servants in Europe, and that slaves in the east are part of the family. Slaves who wanted to be free could attain freedom by expressing their wish. But despite that, they did not resort to exercising this right."
