Slavery

[Qarama]

Selamunaleykum,

every Muslim knows that slavery is forbidden and not good but what about the slavery during the Abbasid period in the arabic world?
Ever heard about the Mamluks or the Ghulams?
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050404/Mamluk
http://users.actrix.co.nz/moyle/soldier.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamluk_identity

[eusko]

Heh, now slavery is practically still applied. The only difference that people are payed for it. Not generally, I am talking about some, but not so rare cases.

[Samimiy]

Selamunaleykum,

every Muslim knows that slavery is forbidden and not good but what about the slavery during the Abbasid period in the arabic world?
Ever heard about the Mamluks or the Ghulams?
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050404/Mamluk
http://users.actrix.co.nz/moyle/soldier.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamluk_identity

Vealeykum esselam.

I think you mean to say: every Muslim knows that slavery is forbidden in Islam. (correct me if I'm wrong). I am a Muslim and I didn't know slavery was forbidden in Islam. What's the basis for your statement?

[wyxpat]

I confirm Samimiy's words: I either never heard that slavery is/was forbidden in Islam.

[Abdug'ofur]

But abolition of slavery was encouraged in Islam.

[eusko]

Islam says that all human beings are equal, doesn't it?

[Qarama]

Islam says that all human beings are equal, doesn't it?

That is what i tried to say. Do you guys remember Bilal?

"Bilal Ibn Rabah, was an emancipated slave of key importance in Islam. He is said to have been one of the most trusted and loyal companions of Prophet Muhammad. His respected stature during the birth of Islam is often cited by Muslims as evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in the foundations of the religion."

[Samimiy]

That is what i tried to say. Do you guys remember Bilal?

"Bilal Ibn Rabah, was an emancipated slave of key importance in Islam. He is said to have been one of the most trusted and loyal companions of Prophet Muhammad. His respected stature during the birth of Islam is often cited by Muslims as evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in the foundations of the religion."

This is true. The Prophet definitely encouraged freeing slaves, but did not abolish slavery as an institution. Therefore, there was a legal basis for Mamluks, Ghulams, etc.

[Alouddin]

Selamunaleykum,

every Muslim knows that slavery is forbidden and not good but what about the slavery during the Abbasid period in the arabic world?
Ever heard about the Mamluks or the Ghulams?
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050404/Mamluk
http://users.actrix.co.nz/moyle/soldier.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamluk_identity ve aleykum selam Qarama

maybe you will not like my words, but is it now really the time to be discussing slavery in the Abbasid period? Hello? Don't we have ANY other pivotal issues to ponder over? I am certain that you know that RasulAllah :saws: had himself had a slave - Zaid. True, our messenger :saws: has released him off this duty later.

"what about the slavery during the Abbasid period in the arabic world?" - what about it???

"Ever heard about the Mamluks or the Ghulams?" - What is the benefit for you, me and other bro's/sis's in this forum if we have heard of these groups of people?

Now I might raising to many questions but it is only with the hope that we should return to contemporary issues that we are facing as a Muslim Ummah. Whatever happened back in the Abbasid period, had already happened and Allah :sawt: will judge Himself and whatever we say about it and/or if we have heard of g'ulams and mamluks, is not going to change anything.

Let's ponder over modern slavery in Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries where ppls' passport are taken away by local "lords" - let's think about what forced those "slaves" to become slaves!..

p/s and can we for God's sake stop referring to wikipedia as a reliable source of knowledge and info on Islam? Please?

[Samimiy]

ve aleykum selam Qarama

maybe you will not like my words, but is it now really the time to be discussing slavery in the Abbasid period? Hello? Don't we have ANY other pivotal issues to ponder over? I am certain that you know that RasulAllah :saws: had himself had a slave - Zaid. True, our messenger :saws: has released him off this duty later.

"what about the slavery during the Abbasid period in the arabic world?" - what about it???

"Ever heard about the Mamluks or the Ghulams?" - What is the benefit for you, me and other bro's/sis's in this forum if we have heard of these groups of people?

Now I might raising to many questions but it is only with the hope that we should return to contemporary issues that we are facing as a Muslim Ummah. Whatever happened back in the Abbasid period, had already happened and Allah :sawt: will judge Himself and whatever we say about it and/or if we have heard of g'ulams and mamluks, is not going to change anything.

Let's ponder over modern slavery in Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries where ppls' passport are taken away by local "lords" - let's think about what forced those "slaves" to become slaves!..

p/s and can we for God's sake stop referring to wikipedia as a reliable source of knowledge and info on Islam? Please?

While I agree that there are more important contemporary issues to discuss, I don't think discussion of history in general (and slavery during Abbasid period or any other period in particular) is without merit. Following your logic, we should not discuss history, as there are more pressing issues today. People are interested in different things, and should be helped in their quest for knowledge.

[melo]

While I agree that there are more important contemporary issues to discuss, I don't think discussion of history in general (and slavery during Abbasid period or any other period in particular) is without merit. Following your logic, we should not discuss history, as there are more pressing issues today. People are interested in different things, and should be helped in their quest for knowledge.

Especially in religion when people look at history to decide how to live their lives today. ;)

[Samimiy]

Especially in religion when people look at history to decide how to live their lives today. ;)

Everybody's life is affected by history to some degree, whether they realize it or not. This includes religious as well as non-religious people.

[Alouddin]

While I agree that there are more important contemporary issues to discuss, I don't think discussion of history in general (and slavery during Abbasid period or any other period in particular) is without merit. Following your logic, we should not discuss history, as there are more pressing issues today. People are interested in different things, and should be helped in their quest for knowledge. I only was trying to raise the question of "What is the benefit for you, me and other bro's/sis's in this forum if we have done so and so..."

[Qarama]

ve aleykum selam Qarama

maybe you will not like my words, but is it now really the time to be discussing slavery in the Abbasid period? Hello? Don't we have ANY other pivotal issues to ponder over? I am certain that you know that RasulAllah :saws: had himself had a slave - Zaid. True, our messenger :saws: has released him off this duty later.

"what about the slavery during the Abbasid period in the arabic world?" - what about it???

"Ever heard about the Mamluks or the Ghulams?" - What is the benefit for you, me and other bro's/sis's in this forum if we have heard of these groups of people?

Now I might raising to many questions but it is only with the hope that we should return to contemporary issues that we are facing as a Muslim Ummah. Whatever happened back in the Abbasid period, had already happened and Allah :sawt: will judge Himself and whatever we say about it and/or if we have heard of g'ulams and mamluks, is not going to change anything.

Let's ponder over modern slavery in Kazakhstan, Russia and other countries where ppls' passport are taken away by local "lords" - let's think about what forced those "slaves" to become slaves!..

p/s and can we for God's sake stop referring to wikipedia as a reliable source of knowledge and info on Islam? Please?

i said in the Arabic world because it is fact that the Arabs brought Islam to central Asia. As Samimiy said before, it is not wrong to talk about History i don't understand your reaction. We can't forget History (in general) and we must learn from it. I don't think that i offended someone.

[Alouddin]

Qarama, echoing Samimiy's signature ("Ko'p gap - eshakka yuk!" Xalq maqoli) I'll just pipe down :)

[Aziz]

If we want to discuss matters in Islam...we should refer to the basis of Islam "i.e. Qur'an and Hadith.".
What I understand is slavery is both prohibited and legal in Islam. How can that be possible?
Slavery is prohibited by the means of making new slaves. It is strictly prohibited in Islam to take a free person and sell him as a slave except for the case of a war. In that case the leader has the option of keeping the warriors as slaves.
And it is legal in terms of owning a slave.
It is important to show some rights Islam has given the slaves:
1-The right to live, you can't kill your slave no matter what. Unless of course he was convicted of a crime.
2-Physical immunity. Any form of physical abuse against the slave is strictly prohibited. If physical abuse happens, the slave must be freed according to the following Hadith:
"He who slaps his slave or beats him, the expiation for it is that he should set him free." (Muslim # 1567).
3-Rights related to the family of the slave. Islam prohibited separation between the slave and his family.
4-Kindness to slaves. It is extremely encouraged to treat the slave as kind as possible. Abu Hurayra narrated, the Prophet said:"One of you should not say:serve your lord. He should say instead:serve your superior. And don't say: My salve, you should say: my boy." (AlBukhari # 142/2).
"One should feed his slave with what the master eats himself and clothe him with what he wears himself and not burden him beyond his capacity" (Muslim #1661).

Islam's policy in slavery is to narrow the entrance to slavery world and widen the exit to the free world. And this is obvious in the one way to enter it and other several ways to free the slaves. They include:
1-A slave owner can give his slave freedom by his death.
2-A man can set his slave free by a fixed amount of money can be paid some time later. (i.e. after the slave has been set free and able to make money.)
3-Committing sins. One way for forgiveness of some sins in Islam is to free slaves.
"[4:92] Never should a Believer kill a Believer; but (if it so happens) by mistake, (compensation is due); if one (so) kills a Believer, it is ordained that he should free a believing slave, and pay compensation to the deceased's family, unless they remit it freely. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you, and he was a Believer, the freeing of a believing slave (is enough). If he belonged to a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance, compensation should be paid to his family, and a believing slave be freed. For those who find this beyond their means, (is prescribed) a fast for two months running: by way of repentance to Allah; for Allah hath all Knowledge and all Wisdom."

"[5:89] Allah will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth Allah make clear to you His Signs, that ye may be grateful."

"[58:3] But those who divorce their wives by Zihar, then wish to go back on the words they uttered, (it is ordained that such a one) should free a slave before they touch each other: these are ye admonished to perform: and Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do."

[Abdug'ofur]

Islam says that all human beings are equal, doesn't it?

Yes, everyone is equal in front of Allah whether you are rich, poor, slave or free. Equality is in terms of equal accountability for the deeds we commit in this world and free access to the privilages and rewards preserved for muslims in the hereafter. The difference in degree is due to taqwa. If you are more pious than me, then you are better than me in front of Allah.

As I said before, slavery was discouraged in Islam and due to this, the system of slavery was eradicated from islamic society. Today you don't see slaves in the hands of muslims any more.

[Qarama]

thank you all for the replies. I think the word slavery is wrong because according to islamic rights a "slave" has rights so we can say helper in the daily life instead of slave because when i think of the name slave i think of humans which don't have any rights.

[wyxpat]

thank you all for the replies. I think the word slavery is wrong because according to islamic rights a "slave" has rights so we can say helper in the daily life instead of slave because when i think of the name slave i think of humans which don't have any rights.

Normally, its individual who should change his understanding about a word/phrase, not the word/phrase itself :)

[Delf]

BTW, countries under Islam were one of the last ones to outlaw slavery:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saudi_Arabia#Slavery_and_human_tra fficking

KSA abandoned slavery only in 1963.

Slavery is legal and well-regulated under Islam. Islam has no problem with slavery just like it has no problem with feudalism, monarchy or totalitarianism.

Islam may be favorable to freeing slaves, but it is also favorably to slavery as a system.

Delf.

[Aziz]

BTW, countries under Islam were one of the last ones to outlaw slavery:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Saudi_Arabia#Slavery_and_human_tra fficking

KSA abandoned slavery only in 1963.

Slavery is legal and well-regulated under Islam. Islam has no problem with slavery just like it has no problem with feudalism, monarchy or totalitarianism.

Islam may be favorable to freeing slaves, but it is also favorably to slavery as a system.

Delf.


What took you so long to show up?
Islam's regulations for slavery doesn't make it in favor of slavery. As Islam doesn't have problem with slavery it encourages freeing them.
I wonder when did ِthe apartheid end???and when the African Americans got their rights???