Thread: The Status of slaves in the Major religions

While Christianity and Judaism favour slavery, Islam has restricted it drying up its sources. Islam, contrary to what the Christian missionaries claim, didn't invent slavery, it was rampant in the whole of the world and in the Arab Peninsula. When Islam budded into life, it didn't abolish slavery at once because this would cause many social and political troubles, so Islam gradually began to dry its sources.

Anyway, contrary to the status of the slave in the Holy book, the status of a slave in the religion of Islam is the same as the status of free noble men. The following lines is a comparison between the status of a slave in Islam and the Holy Book:

(1)In the Holy Book, beating slaves is allowed on condition that beating him would not disable him for two days.

Exodus 21:20-21"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 [property]."



(2)In Islam punishing a slave severely is atoned by freeing him.
Prophet Mohummed says: (saw) said: "Whoever slaps his slave or strikes him, his atonement (kaffara) is to free him."



(3) The Holy Book condones killing a slave

20-21 "If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

(4)In Islam, the killer of a slave must be killed

In Islam, whoever kills a slave, even if he is his master, should be killed, the prophet says: whoever kills his slave, we will kill him.

(5)A slave is not ordinary people in the Bible

· In the Old Testament, there is no difference between the slaves and animals.

Exodus 23:12 "Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed."

· Bulls are to be put to death if they gore normal people but they are just stoned if they gore a slave.

Exodus 21:32 "If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned. (but not to death)"

(6)In Islam slaves are ordinary people and even brothers and sisters, slaves in Islam were given high posts in Islam such as army leader and leaders in prayer. The Mouzin of the prophet was once a negro slave.

The prophet says " Those slaves are your brothers, only God gave you an upper hand over them. So let that who has his brother (i.e. slave) under him give him the same food he himself eats, and the same clothing as he himself wears. The master may not give his brother a task that is beyond his ability. If he does give him such task, let him lend him a hand.".

The prophet prohibited the Moslems to use the word salve, he, instead, ordered the Moslems to say" my girl, my boy."

(7) In the Bible a father can sell his daughter

In the Bible, the FATHER HAS THE RIGHT TO SELL HIS DAUGHTER TO BE FORCED TO SLEEP WITH OTHER MEN according to Exodus 21:7-8, and if she tries to be redeemed (to be set free), then her punishment is to be STUCK WITH HER MASTER!

In Islam bringing up a female and educating her will give you a high rank in the Paradise. The prophet says" whoever teaches his girl and honoures her, he will enter the paradise."

(8)In the Holy Book, slaves are property

Exodus 21:20-21"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 [property]."

In Islam they are our brothers and sisters, they even can lead masters in prayers and hold high offices.

A slave led As'isha, the prophet's wife in prayer.

Zeid ibn Harith was a slave who became the Islamic Army leader.

By Magdy Abdalshafy

Emancipating slaves in Islam

Islam did abolish slavery gradually in a way that guarantee the safety of society against social troubles, In the Arabian peninsula trade and agriculture depended mainly on the work of slaves. Some people traded in slaves. So, to avoid revolution or insurgence, Islam did succeed in abolishing slavery and even dried its source.

we can condense the ways in which Islam abolished slavery as follows:

(1)Islam has made freeing slaves an act of righteousness

A Muslim who frees his slave will have a shield against the hell fire. The prophet says : "Whichever man frees a Muslim man, Allah ta'ala will liberate for each of his organ an organ from the Fire"

(2)Punishing a slave severely is atoned by freeing him.
Prophet Mohammed says "Whoever slaps his slave or strikes him, his atonement (kaffara) is to free him."

(3)Relative slaves is to freed at once, islam is emphatic about fostering the relationship between the persons and his relatives.

(4) Killing a believer accidently entails setting a slave free to be atoned
Allah (swt) says: "Never should a believer kill another believer, except by mistake. If anyone kills a believer by mistake he must free one Muslim slave …." [4:92]
(5) breaking an oath is to be atoned by freeing a slave

Allah (swt) says: "Allah does not take you [to task] for what is thoughtless in your oaths, only for your binding oaths: the atonement for breaking an oath is to feed ten poor people with food equivalent to what you would normally give your own families, or to clothe them, or to set free a slave." [5:89]

(7) Whoever says to his wife ‘you are to me like my mother's back' and then returns to her, his atonement is freeing a slave.

Allah (swt) says:
"Those of you who say such a thing to their wives (i.e. ‘you are to me like my mother's back'), then go back on what they have said, must free a slave before the couple may touch one another again." [58:3]

(8) Whoever invalidates the fast of Ramadan by sexual intercourse is to be atoned by freeing a slave

It is narrated that someone came to the prophet asking what to do after he had sexual intercourse with his wife in Ramdan, the month of fasting. The prophet ordered him to free a slave.

(9) A slave can free himself by a manumission contract.

A slave can make an agreement with his master of setting him free after paying a certain amount of money, also the slave holder should help him by money.

Allah (swt) says:

"If any of your slaves wish to pay for their freedom, make a contract with them accordingly, if you know they have good in them, and give them some of the wealth Allah has given you." [24:33]
(10) The state treasury is to spend on freeing slaves
Allah (swt) says:
"Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy, those who administer them, those whose hearts need winning over, and for (riqab) and helping those in debt, for Allah's cause, and for travellers in need. This is ordained by Allah; Allah is all knowing and wise." [9:60]

His (swt) statement: "and for (riqab)" means freeing slaves.