THE BOOK OF MANUMISSION (OF SLAVES) AND ITS SUPERIORITY

3:693 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “Whoever frees a Muslim slave, Allah will save all the parts of his body from the (Hell) Fire as he has freed the body-parts of the slave.” Said bin Marjana said that he narrated that Hadith to ‘Ali bin Al-Husain and he freed his slave for whom ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far had offered him ten thousand Dirhams or one-thousand Dinars.

CHAPTER 1. What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?

3:694 Narrated by Abu Dhar

I asked the Prophet, “What is the best deed?” He replied, “To believe in Allah and to fight for His Cause.” I then asked, “What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?” He replied, “The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master.” I said, “If I cannot afford to do that?” He said, “Help the weak or do good for a person who cannot work for himself.” I said, “If I cannot do that?” He said, “Refrain from harming others for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good.”

CHAPTER 2. If one manumits a male slave owned by two persons or a female slave owned by a number of partners.

3:698 Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar

Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever frees his share of a common slave and he has sufficient money to free him completely, should let its price be estimated by a just man and give his partners the price of their shares and manumit the slave; otherwise (i.e. if he has not sufficient money) he manumits the slave partially.”

CHAPTER 3. What is said about manumission and divorce by mistake or by forgetfulness.

3:705 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “Allah has accepted my invocation to forgive what whispers in the hearts of my followers, unless they put it to action or utter it.” (See Hadith No. 657 Vol. 8)

CHAPTER 4. If somebody says to his slave that he is for Allah; and by that he intends to manumit him (the slave is manumitted). And the witness for manumission.

3:707 Narrated by Qais

When Abu Huraira accompanied by his slave set out intending to embrace Islam they lost each other on the way. The slave then came while Abu Huraira was sitting with the Prophet. The Prophet said, “O Abu Huraira! Your slave has come back.” Abu Huraira said, “Indeed, I would like you to witness that I have manumitted him.” That happened at the time when Abu Huraira recited (the following poetic verse):– ‘What a long tedious tiresome night! Nevertheless, it has delivered us From the land of Kufr (disbelief).

CHAPTER 5. Manumission of a Mushrik (polytheist, idolater, pagan, etc.).

3:715 Narrated by Hisham

My father told me that Hakim bin Hizam manumitted one-hundred slaves in the pre-lslamic period of ignorance and slaughtered one-hundred camels (and distributed them in charity). When he embraced Islam he again slaughtered one-hundred camels and manumitted one-hundred slaves. Hakim said, “I asked Allah’s Apostle, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! What do you think about some good deeds I used to practice in the prelslamic period of ignorance regarding them as deeds of righteousness?’ Allah’s Apostle said, “You have embraced Islam along with all those good deeds you did.”

CHAPTER 6. Whoever possessed ‘Arab slaves.

3:717 Narrated by Ibn Aun

I wrote a letter to Nafi and Nafi wrote in reply to my letter that the Prophet had suddenly attacked Bani Mustaliq without warning while they were heedless and their cattle were being watered at the places of water. Their fighting men were killed and their women and children were taken as captives; the Prophet got Juwairiya on that day. Nafi said that Ibn ‘Umar had told him the above narration and that Ibn ‘Umar was in that army.

3:719 Narrated by Abu Huraira

I have loved the people of the tribe of Bani Tamim ever since I heard, three things, Allah’s Apostle said about them. I heard him saying, These people (of the tribe of Bani Tamim) would stand firm against Ad-Dajjal.” When the Sadaqat (gifts of charity) from that tribe came, Allah’s Apostle said, “These are the Sadaqat (i.e. charitable gifts) of our folk.” ‘Aisha had a slave-girl from that tribe, and the Prophet said to ‘Aisha, “Manumit her as she is a descendant of Ishmael (the Prophet).”

CHAPTER 7. It is disliked to look down upon a slave.

3:728 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “You should not say, ‘Feed your lord (Rabbaka), help your lord in performing ablution, or give water to your lord, but should say, ‘my master (e.g. Feed your master instead of lord etc.) (Saiyidi), or my guardian (Maulai), and one should not say, my slave (Abdi), or my girl-slave (Amati), but should say, my lad (Fatai), my lass (Fatati), and ‘my boy (Ghulami).”

CHAPTER 8. When your servant brings your meal to you?

3:732 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “When your servant brings your meals to you then if he does not let him sit and share the meals, then he should at least give him a mouthful or two mouthfuls of that meal or a meal or two meals, as he has prepared it.”

CHAPTER 9. If somebody beats a slave, he should avoid his face.

3:734 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “If somebody fights (or beats somebody) then he should avoid the face.”

CHAPTER 10. What conditions are permissible for a writing of emancipation.

3:735 Narrated by ‘Urwa

That ‘Aisha told him that Buraira came to seek her help in her writing of emancipation (for a certain sum) and that time she had not paid anything of it. ‘Aisha said to her, “Go back to your masters, and if they agree that I will pay the amount of your writing of emancipation and get your Wala’, I will do so.” Buraira informed her masters of that but they refused and said, “If she (i.e. ‘Aisha) is seeking Allah’s reward, then she can do so, but your Wala’ will be for us.” ‘Aisha mentioned that to Allah’s Apostle who said to her, “Buy and manumit her, as the Wala’ is for the liberator.” Allah’s Apostle then got up and said, “What about the people who stipulate conditions which are not present in Allah’s Laws? Whoever imposes conditions which are not present in Allah’s Laws, then those conditions will be invalid, even if he imposed these conditions a hundred times. Allah’s conditions (Laws) are the truth and are more solid.”