The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 203
V - Conduct of the Holy Prophet sa with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue of Slavery 203 اَن ْ تَطْعُنُوْا فِی ْ اِمَارَتِه ٖ فَقَد ْ كُنْتُم ْ تَطْعُنُوْن َ فِی ْ اِمَارَة ِ اَبِیْه ِ مِن ْ قَبْل ُ وَاَیْم ُ اللّٰه ِ اِن ْ كَان َ لَخَلِیْقًا ٗ لِلْاِمَارَة ِ وَاِن ْ كَان َ لَمِن ْ اَحَب ِّ النَّاس ِ اِلی َّ وَاِن َّ ھٰذَا لَمِن ْ اَحَب ِّ النَّاس ِ اِلَی َّ بَعْدَه Meaning, “You have objected to the appointment of Usāmah ra as a commander and prior to this you have also objected to the leadership of his father Zaid ra. By God! Just as Zaid ra was worthy and capable of leadership and was among my most beloved, so too, Usāmah ra is worthy of leadership and among my most beloved. ” 1 Then, what could be greater than the fact that the Holy Prophet sa wed the daughter of his biological paternal aunt, Zainab bint Jaḥash ra to Zaid bin Ḥārithah ra. It is a strange miracle that in the entire Holy Qur’ān, if any Companion has been mentioned by name, it is this very Zaid bin Ḥārithah ra. 2 Then, there were many freed slaves who attained a lofty rank in their knowledge and wisdom. As such, Sālim bin Ma‘qal ra , the freed slave of Abū Ḥudhaifah ra , was considered to be one of the most distinct scholars from among the Companions. Moreover, Sālim ra was also from among the four Companions who were appointed by the Holy Prophet sa to teach the Holy Qur’ān. 3 Then, as far as honour and respect due to virtue and purity was concerned, Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra would often say with regards to Bilāl ra that he was their chief. 4 Then, even after the Companions, various freed slaves attained a very high status in the Islāmic society. As such, ‘Aṭā’ bin Abī Rabāḥ, Mujāhid bin Jubair, Nāfi‘ the freed slave of Ibni ‘Umar ra and Mūsā bin ‘Uqbah ra , are considered to be among the most revered among the Tābi‘īn , before whom very illustrious people would humbly sit as pupils. 5 1 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābu Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyi sa , Bābu Manāqibi Zaid bin Ḥārithah. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 3730 2 Al-Aḥzāb (33:38) 3 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābu Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyi sa , Bābu Manāqibi Sālimin Maulā Abī Hudhaifah, Ḥadīth No. 3758 4 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābu Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyi sa , Bābu Manāqibi Bilālubnu Rabāḥ, Ḥadīth No. 3754 5 Tahzībut-Tahzīb, By Al-Imām Shihābuddīn Abul-Faḍl Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī