Translated from the Urdu by Ayyaz Mahmood Khan
First ever serialisation of the newly translated Volume II of Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad’sra outstanding biography, Seerat Khatamun Nabiyyin, on the life and character of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa.
Now we take up the second aspect of this question, which relates to the manumission of existing slaves, which was a prime objective of Islam and the Founder of Islamsa. Hence, it should be known, that in this regard two methods have been employed by Islam; firstly, the “recommendatory method” and secondly, the “coercive method.” By the united effects of both these practices, the liberation movement was given strength. First we take up the recommendatory method. In the very beginning, when the Holy Prophetsa initially made his claim and he still resided in Makkah, the following divine revelation was sent down:
Then, He states:
It is narrated in a Hadith:
Then, it is narrated in a Hadith:
Meaning, “Bara’ bin ‘Azibra relates that a Bedouin presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Inform me of such a deed that if I perform it, I may be directly admitted into paradise.’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘You have used very few words, but inquired of a matter which is rather great. You should free a slave and if you are unable to do so alone, then do so with the help of others.”4
Then, it is narrated in a Hadith:
Aside from these emphatic recommendations, the manumission of slaves has been established as law in the Islamic doctrine as atonement for various lapses and sins. This can be understood as falling between the recommendatory method and coercive method. Hence, Allah the Exalted states in the Holy Qur’an:
Meaning, “The punishment of an individual who kills a believer by mistake is that he shall free a Muslim slave and pay blood money to be handed over to his heirs, unless they remit it by themselves. But if such an individual is unable to find a slave to be freed, then he shall fast for two consecutive months.”6
Then, He states:
Meaning, “If the person slain be of a people that is hostile to you and at war with you, but the person (i.e., the one slain) be a believer, then the punishment of the offender shall be the freeing of a Muslim slave. But if such an individual is unable to find a slave, then he shall fast for two consecutive months.”7
Then, He states:
Then, He states:
These are the different methods of expiation, which Islam has prescribed for the manumission of slaves. Moreover, as per its custom, taking into consideration a variance in circumstances, Islam has prescribed two or three alternatives and given Muslims the choice to follow whichever course of action is easiest and best. Furthermore, it is with great wisdom that in these verses, wherever God the Exalted has alluded to the freeing of slaves, He has also added that if an individual is unable to find a slave, then the following method should be employed. This proves that the actual intent of Islam was to ultimately do away with the practice of slavery all together. Hence, as an alternative to the practice of freeing a slave, the words, “If an individual is unable to find a slave,” definitely demonstrate that there is no doubt in the fact that the prime objective of Islam was to free existing slaves.
Then, it is narrated in a Hadith:
Now we take up the method of freeing slaves by compulsion. In this respect, Islam has proposed various methods. It is related in a Hadith:
The very same Hadith is related by Ibni ‘Umarra as well, in which he mentions that if an individual beats his slave and then sets him free, he shall receive no spiritual reward for this action. The reason being, that the freeing of a slave has been prescribed as the punishment for a master who beats his slave.13 In other words, one method employed by the Holy Prophetsa to free slaves by compulsion was to prescribe the punishment that if a master beats his slave he must then release him immediately.
Then, it is narrated in a Hadith that once a few slaves fled from the idolaters of Makkah and reached the Holy Prophetsa. Upon this, the idolaters requested the Holy Prophetsa to return these slaves to them. Various Muslims also interceded on their behalf, but the Holy Prophetsa became displeased. As such, the words of this Hadith are as follows:
Then, it is related in a Hadith:
Meaning, “Ibni ‘Abbasra relates that the Holy Prophetsa would say, ‘If a person marries his bond-woman, even if he does not free her, but a child is born to him from the bond-woman, she will be considered free by default thereafter.’”17 In another narration it is related that an Ummul-Walad18 wife shall be considered free, even in the case of a stillbirth.19
ENDNOTES
1. Al-Balad (90:13-14).
2. Al-Baqarah (2:178).
3. Sahihul-Bukhari, Kitabu Kaffaratil-Iman, Babu Qaulillahi Ta‘ala Aw Tahriru Raqabah, Hadith No. 6715.
4. Mishkatul-Masabih, Kitabul-‘Itq, Al-Fasluth-Thani, Qadimi Kutub Khanah, Aram Bagh, Karachi.
5. Sahihul-Bukhari, Kitabun-Nikah, Babu Ittikhadhis-Sarariyyi Wa Man A‘ataqa Jariyah, Hadith No. 5083.
6. An-Nisa’ (4:93).
7. An-Nisa’ (4:93).
8. An-Nisa’ (4:93).
9. Al-Ma’idah (5:90).
10. Al-Mujadalah (58:4-5).
11. Sahihul-Bukhari, Kitabul-‘Itq, Babu Ma Yustahabba Minal-‘Ataqati Fil-Kusuf, Hadith No. 2519.
12. Sahihu Muslim, Kitabul-Iman, Babu Suhbatil-Mamalik, Hadith No. 4304.
13. Sahihu Muslim, Kitabul-Iman, Babu Suhbatil-Mamalik, Hadith No. 429.
14. Sunanu Ibni Majah, Kitabul-‘Itq, Babu Man Malaka Dha Rahimin Mahramin Fahuwa Hurrun, Hadith No. 2525.
15. * Sahihul-Bukhari, Kitabul-‘Itq, Babu Idha A‘ataqa ‘Abdan Bainathnain, Hadith No. 2523.
* Sahihul-Bukhari, Kitabul-‘Itq, Babu Idha A‘ataqa Nasiban Fi ‘Abdin Wa Laisa Lahu Malun, Hadith No. 2527.
16. Sunanu Abi Dawud, Kitabul-Jihad, Babu Fi ‘Abidil-Mushrikina Yulhaquna Bil-Muslimin, Hadith No. 2700.
17. Sunanu Ibni Majah, Kitabul-‘Itq, Babu Ummahatil-Aulad, Hadith No. 2515.
18. A bond-woman who is set free by default if she bears a child to her master [Publishers.
19. Kashful-Ghummah ‘An Jami‘il-Ummah, By Abil-Mawahib ‘Abdil-Wahhab bin Ahmad bin ‘Ali Ash- Sha‘rani, Kitabul-‘Itq, Babu Ummahatil-Aulad, Volume 2, p. 255, Darul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (1998).
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