The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page lvii
GENERAL INTRODUCTION Savage Teaching of the Old Testament Not only are there contradictions; we also find that occasionally the most savage teaching is attributed to the Bible, a teaching which cannot be attributed to a Beneficent and Merciful God. (1) In Exodus 21:20-21 we read: And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. How severe is this teaching on slaves. A cruel man belabours his slave or bondwoman so much that the victim dies after one or two days. Yet the Bible does not award any punishment to this cruel man because slaves and bondwomen are their master's property. Could such a teaching endure for all time? Was it not deserving of supersession by a teaching which was to abolish the institution of slavery, which was to restrain the masters of human slaves from being cruel to them? This teaching was no doubt provided by Islam. Not only did Islam lay down laws for the abolition of slavery but also laid down the rule that slaves and bondwomen who failed to obtain their liberty were not to be treated harshly. On one occasion Abū Mas'ud Anṣārī was beating a slave of his. From behind he heard a voice saying, "Abū Mas'ūd, the power which God has over you is much greater than the power which you have over this slave. " Abū Mas'ud turned back and saw the Holy Prophet approaching. His whip dropped out of his hand. He said, "O Prophet of God, I free this slave in the name of God". And the Prophet replied, "Had you not done so, the fire of Hell would have scorched your face" (Muslim; Kitābul-Īmān). Similarly, another Companion of the Prophet says, "We were seven brothers and we had one bondwoman. The youngest of us gave her a slap on the face. The Holy Prophet on hearing of this ordered the release of this bondwoman, because he said, "a master who beats his slave is not fit to keep one" (Bukhārī, Kitābul-'Itq). The Holy Prophet himself set a high example in this respect. On the occasion of his first marriage, his wife Khadījah made over to him all her property including all her slaves. The Prophet declared that he could not make a human being his slave and, saying this, he set at liberty all the slaves he had received as a present from his wife, and during the rest of his life he never kept a slave. (2). In Leviticus 20:27 we read: A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. xxxi