Wisdom of The Holy Prophet — Page 6
6 WISOOM OF THE HOLY PROPHET scribed a certain quality as the best or the worst, his words are to be interpreted in a relative rather than in an abso'. ute sense. The words 'slave' and 'servant' were used ry him and contemporary Muslims as inter-changeable. Today there is a whole world of difference between the connotations of the two expressions. The Quran forbade the taking of prisoners except in the course of a regular war (8. 68). As fighcing was permitted only to repel aggression (2:191) prisoners could only be taken in the course of defensive war. After a battle, prisoners would be released as a favour or in return for rans. om (47: 5), and those who were not set free or ransomed were distributed. as labourers or servants. This was a more humane and beneficent method of dealing with them than keeping them in prison camps. Any of those who were so distributed or alloted could ask for a deed of man umis. sion to which they were entitled as of right (24:34). This deed would specify the payment which a prisoner was to make by instalments to procure his freedom. Once the amount of compensation was determined the prisoner would be free to occupy himself in whatever pursuit he desired so long as he continued to make the agreed payment. Once the payment of the instalments was completed he would be free to go his way. The master was exhorted to help the prisoner in making the payment (24: 34). Muslims were also exhorted! to procure the release of prisoners as a merit orious act of charity (90: 14). With regard to the conditions under which those held in captivity were to work, it was made clear by the Holy Prophet that they were to be fed and clothed as members of the family and were not to be assigned a task which was beyond their capacity, and if they were called upon to perform a difficult task the master was t,o assist them in performing it. The Holy Prophet expressly laid down that those who were held in such aptivity were to be treated as bretheren over whom temporary authority was granted to the master and were not to be coerced or harshly used. The relevant Ahadith