The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 186
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 186 civilization, society, respect and dignity of slaves and their masters to an equal level, so that slaves could become capable of release as quickly as possible, and so that they could become beneficial and useful citizens of the country. It should also be remembered that the rights of slaves, which have been presented above by way of example, were not mere recommendations. Rather, they were religious and legal orders. Furthermore, the rights of slaves were very strictly guarded by the Islāmic State. As such, it is narrated in a Ḥadīth : ْ قَال َ اَبُو ْ مَسْعُوْد ٍ الْبَدْرِی ُّ كُنْت ُ اَضْرِب ُ غُلَامًا لِی ْ بِالسَّوْط ٍ فَسَمِعْت ُ صَوْتًا مِن ْ خَلْفِی ِ اِعْلَم ْ اَبَا مَسْعُوْد ٍ فَلَم ْ اَفْھَم ِ الصَّوْت َ مِن َ الْغَضَب ِ قَال َ فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنِّی ْ اِذَا ھُو َ رَسُوْل ُ اللّٰه ُ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ فَاِذَا ھُو َ یَقُوْل ُ اِعْلَم ْ اَبَا مَسْعُوْد ٍ اِعْلَم ْ اَبَا مَسْعُوْد ٍ قَال َ فَاَلْقَیْت ِ السَّوْط َ مِن ْ یَدِی ْ فَقَال َ اِعْلَم ْ اَبَا مَسْعُوْد ٍ اَن َّ اللّٰه َ اَقْدَر ُ عَلَیْك َ مِنْك َ عَلی ٰ ھٰذَا الْغُلَام ْ قَال َ فَقُلْت ُ یَا رَسُوْل َ اللّٰه ِ ھُو َ حُر ٌّ لِوَجْه ِ اللّٰه ِ فَقَال اَمَا لَو ْ لَم ْ تَفْعَل ْ لَلَفْحَتْك َ النَّار ُ اَو ُ لَمَسَّتْك َ النَّار Meaning, “Abū Mas‘ūd Badarī ra relates that on one occasion, due to some reason, I hit my slave. At that time, I heard a voice of a person from behind me saying, ‘Look here Abū Mas‘ūd! What are you doing?’ But in my anger, I could not recognize the voice, and continued beating my slave. During this time, the voice began to move closer. When I turned around, I found the Holy Prophet sa approaching me, repeating the same words, ‘Look here Abū Mas‘ūd! What are you doing?’ Upon seeing the Holy Prophet sa my staff fell from my hands. The Holy Prophet sa angrily looked towards me and said, ‘O Abū Mas‘ūd! There is a God above you, Who possesses more power with respect to you than you possess over this slave. ’ I submitted, ‘O Messenger of Allāh! I free this slave for the sake of God. ’ The Holy Prophet sa said, ‘If you had not done so, the fire of hell would have burned your face. ’” 1 Then, it is narrated in a Ḥadīth : 1 Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābul-Īmān, Bābu Ṣuḥbatil-Mamālīk. . . . . , Ḥadīth Nos. 4306, 4308