The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 227
V - Conduct of the Holy Prophet sa with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue of Slavery 227 combatant nation. Rather, he was executed because he had become guilty of such a crime for which the punishment was death. However, upon witnessing the apparent state whereby certain prisoners were executed, various scholars have drawn the conclusion that it is permissible to execute a prisoner as well. However, such a concept is categorically incorrect and baseless in light of both the Islāmic teaching as well as the practice of the Holy Prophet sa. This is an outline of the teaching, which has been given by Islām with respect to prisoners of war. Every sensible individual can appreciate that this is a very just law granted to the world by God through the Holy Prophet sa. Even those nations, which are referred to as advanced and civilized in this day and age, have not been able to give the world a better law, whereby, on the one hand, if war lingers on unnecessarily, international injustice has been suppressed, and on the other hand, an aspect of benevolence and kindness has also been maintained in the best possible manner. As a matter of fact, if one contemplates, this law has given more importance to treating the enemy with compassion and benevolence, even more so than employing measures of self- defense. Indeed, to this day, there has been no nation which has ordered just and benevolent treatment towards such enemies who were thirsty for their blood and who sought to destroy them. Specific Issue Relating to Bond-Women Now, we close our discussion relevant to slavery by alluding briefly to the issue of bond-women or female-slaves. An allegation has been raised, that by granting unrestricted permission to maintain intimate relations with bond-women, the Holy Prophet sa has God-forbid, opened the door of lust for his followers. In this respect, firstly, we wish to state in principle, the fundamental purpose in allowing intimate relations between man and woman in Islām. In order to judge the deeds of the Holy Prophet sa and his Companions and in order to discern the intentions, which were hidden behind them, the most accurate method is to study the fundamental purpose for which such actions were carried out and permitted by the Holy Prophet sa and his Companions in accordance with the religious injunctions of the religion itself. In the Holy Qur’ān we see that among the purposes of marriage, the purpose mentioned for intimate relations between man and woman by Allāh the Exalted is as follows: