Islam and Slavery — Page 49
49. In short, in the early days of the world slavery was found more or less in all countries and was a necessary consequence of the state of things then prevailing and was primarily meant as a check to tyranny and oppression. . It was, as stated, the more urgently and the more truly needed by religious communities, who were subjected to atrocities more than any other people, and to extirpate whose religions men rose up in arms against them. . This form of enslavement (which was further softened and purified by Islam so much so that it was practically reduced to mere temporary imprisonment) involved no injustice, for those who desire to destroy the religion of others by the sword, who are tyrannous and blood-thirsty, who sow the seed of anarchy, murder and plunder in the country by resorting to methods subvertive of public peace, forfeit all rights to freedom, just as a thief or a thug or a dacoit forfeits his right to remain outside a prison. And such outrage the Holy Prophet and his companions had to. encounter more that any other people. The idolaters of. Arabia subjected the Muslims to the most tyrannous persecution. (1) They drew out their swords against the. Muslims with the avowed intention of exterminating their religion by force. (2) They sought and conspired to dye their unholy hands with the sacred blood of their beloved master. (3) They detained innocent and free Muslims with them as prisoners. (4) They captured defenceless and (1) Zurqani vol. I, pages 266-70, and Tarikh Kamil. Chapter on the persecution of Muslims. (2) Quran, 2:217. (3) Quran 4:76 and 8:30. . Quran.