The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 189
V - Conduct of the Holy Prophet sa with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue of Slavery 189 Then, it is narrated in a Ḥadīth : ْ عَن ِ الْبَرَاء ِ بْن ِ عَازِب ٍ قَال َ جَاء َ اَعْرَابِی ٌّ اِلَی النَّبِی ِّ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ فَقَال َ عَلِّمْنِی ِ أعْتِق ا َ أقْصَرْت َ الْخُطْبَة َ لَقَد ْ اَعْرَضْت َ الْمَسْئَلَة ا َ عَمَلًا یُدْخِلُنِی ْ الْجَنَّة َ قَال َ لَئِن ْ كُنْت َ قَبَة َّ النَّسْمَة َ وَفُك َّ الر Meaning, “Barā’ bin ‘Āzib ra relates that a Bedouin presented himself before the Holy Prophet sa and said, ‘O Messenger of Allāh! Inform me of such a deed that if I perform it, I may be directly admitted into paradise. ’ The Holy Prophet sa said, ‘You have used very few words, but inquired of a matter which is rather great. You should free a slave and if you are unable to do so alone, then do so with the help of others. ” 1 Then, it is narrated in a Ḥadīth : ٗ حَدَّثَنِی ْ اَبُو ْ بُرْدَة َ عَن ْ اَبِیْه ِ قَال َ رَسُوْل ُ اللّٰه ِ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ اَیُّمَا رَجُل ٍ كَانَت ْ عِنْدَه ِ أعْتَقَھَا وَتَزَوَّجَھَا فَلَه ٗ اَجْرَان ا َّ وَلِیْدَة ٌ فَعَلَّمَھَا فَاَحْسَن َ تَعْلِیْمَھَا وَاَدَّبَھَا فَاَحْسَن َ تَاْدِیْبَھَا ثُم Meaning, “Abū Burdah relates from his father that the Holy Prophet sa said, ‘If a person has a bond-woman whom he educates well, teaches good manners, frees her and then marries her, such an individual would be worthy of a double reward from God. ’” 2 Aside from these emphatic recommendations, the manumission of slaves has been established as law in the Islāmic doctrine as atonement for various lapses and sins. This can be understood as falling between the recommendatory method and coercive method. Hence, Allāh the Exalted states in the Holy Qur’ān: 1 Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, Kitābul-‘Itq, Al-Faṣluth-Thānī, Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi 2 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābun-Nikāḥ, Bābu Ittikhādhis-Sarāriyyi Wa Man A‘ataqa Jāriyah. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 5083