The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 230
Seal of the Prophets - Volume II 230 relationship which is created as a result of a right of ownership as well. 1 ُ وَاللّٰه ُ اَعْلَم A Question of Female Prisoners At this instance it is also necessary to mention that Islām has instituted a special system for those women who participate in war against the Muslims on behalf of the disbelievers, and are taken captive as prisoners. Muslims may establish a bond of marriage with such female prisoners whose husbands do not arrive quickly to have them released on ransom, or who do not demand their own release as per the method of Mukātabat. The fundamental purpose for this as stated by Islām, is to prevent the moral deterioration of these female slaves and the people who hold them captive; and so that immorality and promiscuity does not spread. History shows that generally, whenever a nation has been faced with a large-scale war, usually, the ills of adultery and fornication have become widespread. The reason being that: firstly, the ratio of women generally increases after war; secondly, due to the hardships of war, the nerves of men are affected in such a manner that their faculties of self-control generally fall weaker. Hence, since Islām gives more precedence to the safeguarding of individual and national morality above all other civil and societal issues, it was necessary to institute special precautionary injunctions for circumstances of this nature. As such, on the one hand exceptional permission for polygamy has been granted. On the other hand, Muslims have been permitted as an exception, to maintain intimate relations with those women who are taken captive in such wars wherein a nation has waged an attack against the Muslims in order to destroy their religion; if their husbands are not taken captive along with them; or if they do not arrive quickly to have them released; or if these female prisoners do not demand freedom according to the method of Mukātabat themselves. This is in order to ensure that the morals of these female prisoners are not corrupted, and also to prevent the spread of fornication within the Muslim society on their account. Additionally, in order to prevent a mix-up or confusion in lineage, a condition has been stipulated which states that this relationship should only take place with these female prisoners after the assurance that they are not already pregnant. 2 Perhaps this system may appear strange to a 1 And Allāh knows best [Publishers] 2 Sunanut-Tirmidhī, Kitābus-Siyar, Bābu Mā Jā’a Fī Karāhiyati Waṭ’il-Ḥubālā Minas-Sabāyā, Ḥadīth No. 1564