Islam and Slavery a response to Mr. Steve T.

Submitted by Mustapha Babagana (United Kingdom), May 25, 2005 at 09:10

When Muhammad (SAW) came with his message, he met people with their slaves exactly as one can own cars today. People do business with others in terms of slavery. But Muhammad never join them, & instead he adopted a way of granting freedom to them. You can agree with me with the following points:
1. People like Zaid, Maria, & others were offered to Muh'd as gift (slave), but Muh'd quickly freed them. That was why, when he died (as a leader of all the muslims), no slave was found under him.
2. During the conquest of Mecca, the Meccans were thinking that Muh'd will make them slaves, becouse of what they did to him. But instead he proclaimed, O you the Meccans! what do yuo think I will do to you? Go your way! you are all free.
3. Apart from these, Muh'd used to encourage people to free their slaves, e.g.
a) Qur'an says whoever kills a soul mistakely should free a slave
b) Whoever breaks his fast intensionally, should free a slave
c) Whoever breaks his oath should free a slave
d) Jabir (one of the prophet's companion) once hit his slave girl on face, when Muh'd heard of it he ordered him to free her
e) Abubakar bought Bilal(African slave) with a subtantial amount of money & freed him, & many more.
Therefore Islam adopts a means of convincing people to stop slavery as against the French & English method in Zanzibar.

With this I can say I support Dr. Waheed's remark that Islam totally discourages slavery & thank Steve T. for his comment that made me did that reseach.

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