The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 206
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 206 prove to be harmful in previous eras and in circumstances which differ to those of today. In the era of the Holy Prophet sa , the moral and societal state of slaves was immensely abject. Moreover, the culture and civilization of the world was completely different from the culture and civilization present in the world today. Therefore, in light of the circumstances of that era, it was more appropriate to employ a method of gradual manumission instead of immediate and universal manumission, otherwise, the outcomes would have definitely been detrimental instead of beneficial. This is a fundamental answer which can be given to this allegation. However, the truth is that the proposals employed by Islām, were far more advantageous and beneficial in any case. Furthermore, any unprejudiced individual who contemplates this issue with a cool heart shall reach the conclusion we have just mentioned. There is a very true saying of Jesus Christ (as), that a tree is recognized by its fruits. Hence, we should study that from among these two methods, which one has resulted in being more advantageous and favourable. Is it the method employed by Islām fourteen hundred years ago or the method employed in the current age by various European and American reformers? At this point, we cannot engage in an elaborate discussion. We only desire to briefly mention that the results of the relative merit of both these methods can be compared in two ways: firstly, which method from among these two methods brought about more true freedom; secondly, which method resulted in freed slaves attaining greater success. We confidently affirm that in the context of these two perspectives, the method adopted by the Holy Prophet sa fourteen hundred years from today was much more beneficial than the one employed by various Western reformers of this era. It is obvious that merely freeing a slave by name while failing to abolish the actual spirit of slavery cannot be considered to constitute an act of true freedom. However, if one looks closely, the reform implemented by Western reformers is no way different than the “so-called” reform just mentioned. Undoubtedly, they may have freed hundreds and thousands of slaves by a single order, but they were unable to abolish the true spirit of slavery. Rather, even after this freedom, the spirit of enslavement continued to live on just as before in the hearts and minds of the emancipators and the emancipated. As a result of this, slavery could not be truly abolished and relations between masters and their slaves became severely tense. Take the example of America. No doubt, apparently in the United States, hundreds and thousands of black slaves received freedom at