The Economic System of Islam — Page 28
28 Measures to End the Institution of Slavery It should be remembered that the basic source of unnatural and iniquitous treatment—which existed since time immemorial and which Islam brought to an end—was the institution of slavery. It may be not be possible for people today to appreciate the intimate link between slavery and the rise of global commerce and economy; indeed, this is the reason that Islam put a stop to the practice of slavery. Role Played by Slave Labour in World Economy Before the inception of Islam—in fact, even after its rise—the insti- tution of slavery prevailed over a large part of the world. On exam- ining the history of ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt and Persia, we find that slave labour was used as the instrument of economic pro- gress in all of these countries. Slavery was made possible basically through two channels. One way was when countries at war with neighbouring states captured the citizens of their opponents and turned them into slaves. For example, when the opportunity arose, the Romans would capture the Persians as slaves, or the other way around. Thus, each side would enslave people of the other side, expecting thereby to deal a blow to the opponent’s political power. The second way to enslave people was to capture women and children from the backward parts of the world. While the first means of enslaving people was adopted at opportune occasions, the second method became a sustained practice over time.