Islam and Slavery — Page 65
65 approached the Prophet with the request that they should be permitted to practise celibacy. But the Holy Prophet, who wanted his followers to follow the golden mean in all matters, prohibited them from following such a course. In this connection the following tradition may be noted :"Sad bin Abi Waqqas relates that Othman son of. Maz'un, asked the Holy Prophet to permit him to lead a life of celibacy, but the Holy Prophet refused him that permi sion. Had the Holy Prophet given him the permission sought for, we would have emasculated ourselves. ” (¹). In view of the above, the idea that the Holy Prophet's companions indulged in self-gratification is quite out of the qusetion, and such evil imputations can be made only by those who are either utterly ignorant of the teachings and history of Islam or whose own hearts are vitiated to such an extent that they cannot but impute evil motives to others also. . Yet the question as to what the teachings of Islam with regard to female slaves are, is one which deserves an answer. . In this connection it must be remembered that so far as the general injunctions of Islam with regard to slavery are concerned, Islam makes no distinction between the male and the female slaves, the latter having the same rights and privileges as the former. . There is, however, one difference between the two and (1) Bukhari, Kitab Al-Nikah,