Islam and Slavery — Page 8
inferiority should be completely obliterated from their minds. Mere kind treatment could not obviously be the object of this extraordinary teaching, namely, that the standard of life of the slaves should be the same as that of their masters, for in every civilised society differences of rank are duly observed and such differences are also allowed by Islam to a reasonable extent. The teaching had, therefore, an ulterior aim viz. that in view of their eventual emancipation the slaves might be fitted to lead an honourable life on an equal status with their free neighbours. . Again, Ubadah, son of Walid, says: "We once met. Abdul Yusr, a companion of the Holy Prophet, who was accompanied by a slave. We saw that he wore a striped garment coupled with a Yemnite garment, and so did his slave. . I said to him, 'Uncle, why did you not take the striped garment of your slave and give Yemnite garment to him, or take his Yemnite garment for your self and give him your striped garment of the same kind?'. Abul Yusr laid his hand on my head and blessed me and said. 'Dear nephew, my eyes have seen, and my ears have heard, and my mind remembers that the. Holy Prophet used to enjoin, ‘Give to your slaves the same food that you yourselves eat and give them the same garment that you yourselves wear. Therefore, I prefer to give of my worldly possessions an equal share to my slave rather than lose any part of my reward on the Day of Judgment. " (¹). This tradition is even more emphatic than the previous one and shows that the teachings of the Holy Prophet on (1) Bukhari, Kitab Al-Zuhd.