Kashif Shahzada

Critics are very quick to mention that Islam condones slavery, that Muslims keep and trade in slaves, and even enjoins the use of slave girls for sexual gratification but they fail to identify as to how they reached this conclusion. As their criticism lacks  any textual evidence to support the claim, it remains just a claim, an allegation, and nothing more.

But as it has been alleged, that the Qur’an sanctions slavery, thereby implying that the God of the Qur’an is an unjust God, it is expedient that textual evidence from the Qur’an be cited to see whether it sanctions or abolishes slavery.

It may be the case that slavery is practised in a society, and in case believers find themselves in such an environment, then how are they to behave? After all, even today cases of slave labour, sweat shops, workers hired on menial wages and living in sub-human standards, human trafficking etc are not unheard of, and such are at times even patronised by brands and business organisations based in the so called western liberal and democratic societies who get their products manufactured through such cheap labourers, and then sell them at a high price in their domestic market, whose consumers buy such products, thereby sustaining the vicious cycle of modern day slavery. In other words the so called champions of human rights are themselves guilty of slavery these days!

In case a believer resides in a society where such a practice occurs, then how is he to behave? What if he is someone who prior to embracing Islam practised this institution himself, has a stock of slave dependants but is now reading the Qur’an, seeking guidance from it on the matter, then what is he to do in that case? Should he ‘join the club’ and enslave people himself? Or is he to hold a different approach?

Textual evidence from the Qur’an needs to be analysed before forming an opinion on the matter.

A careful study of the text reveals that the Qur’an initiates a gradual process of improvement in status of those in bondage and culminating in the very abolition of this institution. The process started with:

“…ye…may wed believing girls from among those whom your right hands posses….wed them with the leave of their families, and give them their dower…”[4:25]

This conferred upon servant girls all the rights and privileges of a wife. Verse 36 of Sura 4 brought another big change in the status of slaves by enforcing the obligation to do good to one’s parents and in the same breath, also to servants:

“…do ‘Ihsan’ (goodness) to parents …and (to) what your right hands posses.”[4:36]

verse 60 of Sura 9 exhorts Believers to give monetary help to those in bondage in order to alleviate their economic status:

“Alms are for…those in Bondage..”[9:60]

Verses 2:177,4:29,5:89 etc make another quantum change in this matter by urging the believers to free those in the shackles of slavery:

“…But it is righteousness…to spend of your substance out of love for Him…for the ransom of slaves..”[2:177]

“And whoever kills a believer by mistake, it is ordained that he should free a believing slave..”[4:92]

“He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation…give a slave his freedom..”[5:89]

According to Quran if a slave asks for his freedom ,the believer is left for no other choice but to accede to his request and is also required to help him with funds in order to rehabilitate him as a free man:

“And if any of your slaves ask you for a deed in writing (for emancipation) give them such a deed; If ye knew any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which Allah has given to you…”[24:33]

The basic and fundamental teaching of the Quran is that subservience and bondage is due to God alone and not to any human or group of humans. Unlike the Bible, which states:

“ye, shall take them (the slaves) as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them (the slaves) for a possession, they shall be, your BONDMEN (slaves) for ever . . . LEVITICUS 25:46

The Qur’an unambiguously states that no man no matter how high a status he may occupy, be that status of Prophet hood, no human being has the right to enslave any other human:

“It is not meet for a mortal that Allah should give him the Book and the wisdom and prophecy, then he should say to people: Be my slaves rather than Allah’s; but rather (he would say): Be sustenance providers (Rabaniyoon) because of your teaching the Book and your studying (it yourselves).”[3:79]

The above clarifies the basic teaching of the Qur’an that no human has the right to enslave another human being, even though he be a Prophet of God. If Prophets are not allowed to enslave people, how can ordinary believers do the same? The fact of the matter is that there is no IMPERATIVE or COMMAND issued to believers to enslave anybody. If someone used to do it but has now become a believer, his obligation as a believer, in numerous verses is to free those in bondage, and not to keep them shackled.

We can clearly see within the Qur’an that instances where man subjects his fellow men, are described as a great injustice. E.g. The Pharaoh had kept the Children of Israel in bondage, and Moses was commissioned to free them. (c.f 26:22).

From above and many other verses it is very clear that the Qur’an has abolished slavery, and not upheld it. If their remain certain verses were slaves are mentioned then these are those which were already existing in society from days of ignorance of the Qur’anic message and about whom the Qur’an enjoined a gradual elevation in status leading to their freedom and abolishment of any future enslavement.

As there is NOT A SINGLE statement in the Qur’an, whereby believers are commanded to enslave other human beings, and as the Qur’an has called for freeing of slaves as a meritorious act, alleviated their status by way of marriage as well as economic support, and declared that servitude is due to God alone (51:56) and no human being, no matter how high a status he may occupy, that status be of a Prophet of God even, has the right to say to people ‘be my slaves’ (3:79), it is wrong to suggest that the Book sanctions slavery.