A Final Testament of the Holy Prophet (sa) Regarding Slaves — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2

Introduction

In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding A Final Testament of the Holy Prophet (sa) Regarding Slaves.

Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: V – Conduct of the Holy Prophet (sa) with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue of Slavery
Pages: Book pp. 212–213 (PDF pp. 236–237)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Why Did Slavery Continue to Remain in Islāmic Countries?] | Next: [Teaching of the Holy Prophet (sa) to Prevent Future Slavery] »

Historical Account

recollection made him uneasy even in his final moments before death, it was this immensely oppressed slave. Goodness gracious! What a true friend of slaves. What a compassionate and sincere friend was bestowed upon the world by God, but alas, the world did not give him his due value.

Teaching of the Holy Prophetsa to Prevent Future Slavery

Now we take up the second question in this discussion, which relates to the fundamental teaching given by the Holy Prophetsa regarding the issue of slavery. In other words, putting the question of existing slaves to one side, what fundamental injunctions did the Holy Prophetsa put forth regarding the issue of slavery in the future and on the question of making slaves? Since our previous discussion has become much lengthier than we had estimated, for this reason, we shall present our subsequent discussion very briefly. Hence, in this respect, first and foremost, it should be known that this discussion is actually divided into two parts: firstly, the question of ‘real slavery,’ whereby a free individual is completely and permanently deprived of his legal right to freedom. This method of taking slaves relates to such practices as are aside from taking captives after a religious war. In other words, the many cruel practices of taking slaves, which were more or less customary in all countries of the world during the era of the Holy Prophetsa; and secondly, the question of taking captives following a religious war, which in light of Islāmic teaching, can be termed as a kind of ‘pseudo slavery.’

[As far as the words ‘real slavery’ and ‘pseudo slavery’ are concerned, it is important to mention that this is not Islāmic terminology to be specific. Rather, we have formulated these terms of our own accord in light of the Islāmic doctrine and for ease of discussion. As the saying goes, َ , َو لِكُ لِّ āأنْ یَّصْ طَ لِح i.e., ‘And Each is entitled to coin his own terminology.’]

First we take up a discussion on the first part. In this regard, therefore, it should be known that just as an indication has been made in the previous discussion, Islām immediately and categorically abolished real slavery, i.e., those cruel practices of slavery which were aside from taking captives in religious wars. However, before we present any specific and explicit Islāmic injunctions in this respect, we wish to present two defensive arguments before our readers. The first argument is that irrespective of the fact that in principle, Islām strictly forbids a course of tyranny and oppression, and is a very staunch supporter of human freedom and equality, and that all of these things are horizons apart from a practice of real slavery; the lucid and emphatic teaching which Islām has given with respect to the benevolent and

Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: V – Conduct of the Holy Prophet (sa) with Slaves and His Teachings on the Issue of Slavery | Navigation: « Previous: [Why Did Slavery Continue to Remain in Islāmic Countries?] | Next: [Teaching of the Holy Prophet (sa) to Prevent Future Slavery] »