The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 198
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 198 Exalted states in the Holy Qur’ān: Meaning, “The wealth of Zakāt is to be spent on the poor and needy, and upon those employed in connection therewith, and upon weak new Muslims, and for the manumission of slaves, and for those in debt, and for the propagation of religion, and for the comfort of the wayfarer - an ordinance from Allāh the Exalted. ” 1 In light of this verse, an obligation has been put upon the Islāmic State to spend funds on the manumission of slaves from the revenues generated from Zakāt. Doctrine Relevant to Freed Slaves In this system of the manumission of slaves it was also ensured that even after manumission, freed slaves did not remain completely without support and assistance. Therefore, the Holy Prophet sa devised a system whereby a master and his freed slave always remained tied together in a kind of brotherhood. According to the instruction of the Holy Prophet sa , a master and his freed slave were referred to as the ‘Maulā’ or ‘friend’ and ‘helper’ of one another. This was so that both master and slave kept in mind that they were friends, and in a time of need, they would help each other. It is due to this wisdom that a freed slave and his master were made heirs to one another. In other words, if a slave died without heirs, his previous master would inherit his wealth. Similarly, if a master died without heirs, his freed slave would inherit his wealth. As such, it is related in a Ḥadīth : ِ أعْتَق َ وَعَن ِ ابْن ا ْ عَن ْ عَائِشَة َ قَالَت ْ قَال َ رَسُوْل ُ اللّٰه ِ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ اِن َّ الْوَلَاء َ لِمَن عَبَّاس ٍ اَن َّ رَجُلًا مَات َ عَلی ٰ عَھْد ِ رَسُوْل ِ اللّٰه ِ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ وَلَم ْ یَدَع ْ وَارِثًا اِلَّا ٗ أعْتَقَه ٗ فَاَعْطَاه ُ النَّبِی ُّ صَلَّی اللّٰه ُ عَلَیْه ِ وَسَلَّم َ مِیْرَاثَه ا َ عَبْدًا ھُو 1 At-Taubah (9:60)