Islam and the Institution of Slavery

As for Islam, it had made society aware of the slave's humanity and dignity. 

- Author: Sheikh Zaeem Alkhairullah (Translated by Abdul Zahraa Abdul Hussain)

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Introduction 

The message of Islam is a message of freedom. The message that the Prophets were tasked with propagating was to free ourselves; free ourselves from all the materialistic traps that enslave us through desire. To truly free ourselves, we must become sincere slaves of the Lord. Allah (swt) says in the Quran:

 

Those who follow the Messenger, the Ummi prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful (7:157).

 

From the above verse, we can understand that the mission of every Prophet was to free the people from the shackles and chains they were locked with, and not to enslave the people.

 

The enemies of Islam have always brought the issue of slavery in Islam. They attest that Islam not only supported slavery, but also encouraged it. This is merely a rumour that anyone who has a basic understanding of history will see its falsity.

 

Islam did not start the practice of slavery, nor did it institutionalize it. When Islam began, it found that slavery was already an established concrete practice that everyone agreed with. Because this practice was rooted in Arabian society, Islam could not have abolished it with a decree. This is similar to how slavery was abolished in the United States. American President Abraham Lincoln issued an executive order freeing all slaves, but that led to consequences as slaves themselves could not absorb such decision. This then led to rising up against that order.

 

This is because the process of freeing someone starts from within. As the slave will still think like a slave, he will still conduct himself like a slave. When there is an important verdict coming from an external source outlawing slavery, the slaves themselves will not fully understand and comprehend it; therefore, their thinking needs to change in order to achieve that freedom. Amir al-Momineen (as) puts it beautifully when he stated:

Do not be a slave of others when Allah has created you free.

With that statement, the Imam hoped to change the mindset of the slave, provoking him to think about his existentialism. This is opposite to what was attributed to Umar ibn al-Khattab, when he stated:

Why did you enslave people when their mothers have bore them free?

This statement was directed towards slave masters, where Umar hoped to plead with them and free the slaves.

 

Islam came to the realization that slavery is like a river that streams to the people, meaning it can come from different sources. Among them are:

1.) Certain evil people's desire to hurt other individuals and to enslave them,

2.) Debt that the debtor cannot repay, which then becomes a reason for slavery.

3.) Challenging the ideas of the elders and disagreeing with them.

There are other reasons that Islam has removed; all except one. Slavery as a consequence of war. This form of slavery was difficult to eradicate, as it was a long-standing international practice and Islam hadn't controlled the world to be in a powerful position to put a stop to this practice.

 

Overall, Islam had conducted strategic phases in order to eradicate slavery. One of the ways it did that was emphasizing on freeing the slave and its incalculable rewards. Allah (swt) said in the Holy Qur'an:

"But he has not broken through the difficult pass. And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass? It is the freeing of a slave." (90:11-13)

 

Islam had introduced many rules that require freeing a slave as a penalty to pay for one's sin (kafarra). An example of that would be intentionally breaking the fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Also, Islam introduced steps to make it relatively easy for a slave to gain their freedom. For example, a portion of the Zakat is used by the state to purchase and free slaves. Furthermore, a slave can agree with his master to pay a set price for his freedom, or the master can free their slaves upon the master's death. A concubine becomes free after the death of her husband. By putting all of this into perspective, Islam had sought to drain the river of slavery in a very tactical way to avoid any opposition from the people.

 

Treatment of the Slaves

 

In other communities, a slave wouldn't even dream to be dealt with in a humane way. Look at the Roman society for example. They used to force their slaves to work the farms and the fields while having heavy chains around them. They used to place them in dark dungeons with a great number of other slaves. They used to get beaten up and insulted on a daily basis. They were subjected to perform as gladiators for the sake of other people's entertainment. In short, they were treated extremely harshly and not at all in a humane way.

 

As for Islam, it had made society aware of the slave's humanity and dignity. We have narrations on the authority of the Prophet that he had said:

 

Do not say 'my slave', but rather say, 'my boy, or my girl.

 

Not only that, but the Prophet used to establish brotherhood among the companions. And one of those brotherhoods that he formed, was between Zayd, a slave, and Hamza bin Abdul-Mutalib, the Prophet's uncle. Not only that, but the Prophet had appointed Zayd as one of the generals of the Muslim army in the Battle of Mutah whom many highly regarded companions were members of. He had also appointed his son, Osama, as the military commander of an army that included Abu Bakr and Umar! Furthermore, he had Zayd married to the Prophet's cousin, Zainab bint Jahsh.

 

Islam had preceded the French Revolution in declaring mankind were equal in humanity. It preceded Abraham Lincoln in freeing the slaves and making the people realize they are humans too.