The New World Order of Islam — Page 72
New World Order 72 of Zaid ra Bin Ha rith ra who was at one time a slave of Hadrat Khad i jah ra. Zaid ra was not a slave in the ordinary sense but belonged to a free Arab family. He was taken prisoner in some local raid and came eventually into the ownership of Hadrat Khad i jah ra. When the Holy Prophet sa married Hadrat Khad i jah ra , (though this was long before the commencement of his ministry), she placed all her property and belongings including Zaid ra at his disposal. The Holy Prophet sa gave Zaid ra his liberty, but he continued to reside with his master. Eventually, his father and uncle discovered his whereabouts and came to the Holy Prophet sa and begged him to let Zaid ra go back with them. The Holy Prophet sa told them that he had already set Zaid ra at liberty, and that he was free to go wherever he liked. They then tried to persuade Zaid ra to accompany them back home, but he refused saying that though he had been set at liberty, he had no desire to forsake the Holy Prophet sa and was determined to continue in his service. His father and uncle pleaded long and hard with him and told him that his mother was suffering dreadful pangs on account of separation from him, but all this failed to move Zaid ra , who reiterated that he could not expect his parents to treat him with kindness and affection greater than he received from the Holy Prophet sa. Surely nobody could have any objection to bondage of this kind, if in truth it was bondage at all.