The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 187
V - Conduct of the Holy Prophet sa with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue of Slavery 187 َّ عَن ِ ابْن ِ عَبَّاس ٍ قَال َ اَتَی النَّبِی َِ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ رَجُل فَقَال َ یَا رَسُول َ اللّٰه ِ اِن ُ سَیِّدِی ْ زَوَّجَنِی ْ اَمَتَه ٗ وَھُو َ یُرِیْد ُ اَن ْ یُفَرِّق َ بَیْنِی ْ وَبَیْنَھَا قَال َ فَصَعِد َ رَسُوْل ُ اللّٰه ِ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ ق ِّ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ اَلْمِنْبَر َ فَقَال َ یٰاَیُّھَا النَّاس ُ مَا بَال ُ اَحَدِكُم ْ یُزَوِّج ُ عَبْدَه ٗ اَمَتَه ٗ ثُم َّ یُرِیْد ُ اَن ْ یُفَر ِ بَیْنَھُمَا اِنَّمَا الطَّلَاق ُ لِمَن ْ اَخَذ َ بِالسَّاق Meaning, “Ibni ‘Abbās ra relates that once a slave presented himself before the Holy Prophet sa and began to say, ‘O Messenger of Allāh! My master married me to his bond-woman, but now he desires to annul our marriage and separate us from each other. Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet sa took to the podium angrily and addressed the people saying, ‘O ye Muslims! What is the matter with you that first you marry your slaves to your bond-women and then you desire to separate them of your own accord? Listen well! This can never happen. It is the right of the husband to give a divorce but you cannot compel your slaves to do so. ’” 1 Then it is narrated in a Ḥadīth : ٍ اَن َّ عُمَر َ بْن َ الْخَطَّاب ِ کَان َ یَذْھَب ُ اِلَی الْعَوَالِی ْ كُل َّ یَوْم ِ سَبْت ٍ فَاِذَا وَجَد َ عَبْدًا فِی ْ عَمَل ُ لَا یُطِیْقُه ٗ وَضَع َ عَنْه ُ مِنه Meaning, “Imām Mālik relates that it was a practice of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umar ra to go to the suburbs of Madīnah every week. Whenever he would notice a slave being subjected to work that was beyond his capacity and ability, he would order the work to be lightened. ” 2 Teaching of the Holy Prophet sa Regarding the Manumission of Existing Slaves Now we take up the second aspect of this question, which relates to the manumission of existing slaves, which was a prime objective of Islām 1 Sunanu Ibni Mājah, Kitābuṭ-Ṭalāq, Bābu Ṭalāqil-‘Abd, Ḥadīth No. 2081 2 Al-Muwaṭṭā, By Imām Mālik bin Anas, Kitābul-Ist’idhān. . . . . , Bābul-Amri Bir-Rifqi Bil-Mamlūki, Ḥadīth No. 1837, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon