Manumission
19 hadiths
You would have received a greater reward had you given her to your maternal uncles
The Mother of the Believers Maymūnah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that she had set free a slave-girl of hers without first seeking the permission of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). On the day when it was her turn to have the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stay with her overnight, she said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, do you know that I set free my slave-girl?" He said: "Did you?" She replied: ‘Yes.’ He then said: "you would have received a greater reward had you given her to your maternal uncles."
He who sets free a Muslim slave, Allah will deliver from the fire of Hell every part of his body in return for every part of the slave's body, even his private parts
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He who sets free a Muslim slave, Allah will deliver from the fire of Hell every part of his body in return for every part of the slave's body, even his private parts."
Whoever manumits a Muslim, Allah will save from Hell each organ of his body for each organ of him
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever manumits a Muslim, Allah will save from Hell each organ of his body for each organ of him (i.e. of the manumitted person).''
أن رجلًا أعتق ستة مملوكين له عند موته، لم يكن له مال غيرهم
عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَعْتَقَ سِتَّةَ مَمْلُوكِينَ لَهُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ، لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ غَيْرَهُمْ، فَدَعَا بِهِمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَجَزَّأَهُمْ أَثْلَاثًا، ثُمَّ أَقْرَعَ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَأَعْتَقَ اثْنَيْنِ، وَأَرَقَّ أَرْبَعَةً، وَقَالَ لَهُ قَوْلًا شَدِيدًا. وَفِي رِوَايةٍ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ أَوْصَى عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ فَأَعْتَقَ سِتَّةَ مَمْلُوكِينَ.
A person from the Ansār declared that a slave of his would be free after he dies.
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man from the Ansār declared that a slave of his would be free after his death. Another version says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was told that a man from his Companions declared that a slave of his would be free after his own death although he had no property other than him (this slave). So, the Prophet sold him for eight hundred dirhams and sent the money to him.
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
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) 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."
Whoever emancipates a share in a slave should completely emancipate him from his money, if he can afford it. Otherwise, a fair price should be set for the slave.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever emancipates a share in a slave should completely emancipate him from his money, if he can afford it. Otherwise, a fair price should be set for the slave, who will be required to work and pay for his freedom without being overburdened."
Three types of people will receive a double reward: a man from the People of the Book who believed in his Prophet and then believed in Muhammad, a slave who fulfilled his duties towards Allah and towards his masters, and a man who had a female slave and he taught her good manners, educated her well, then freed her and married her; he will receive a double reward
Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Three types of people will receive a double reward: a man from the People of the Book who believed in his Prophet and then believed in Muhammad, a slave who fulfilled his duties towards Allah and towards his masters, and a man who had a female slave and he taught her good manners, educated her well, then freed her and married her; he will receive a double reward."
ثلاثة لهم أجران
عن أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: «ثلاثة لهم أجران: رجل من أهل الكتاب آمن بنبيه، وآمن بمحمد، والعبد المملوك إذا أدى حق الله، وحق مواليه، ورجل كانت له أمة فأدبها فأحسن تأديبها، وعلمها فأحسن تعليمها، ثم أعتقها فتزوجها؛ فله أجران».
Walā' is for the one who manumits
‘Ā’ishah bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: There were three Sunnahs established in connection with Barīrah: When she was manumitted from slavery, she was given the choice whether to remain with her husband or leave him. She was once given a gift of meat, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came in while the pot of meat was cooking on the fire. He asked for something to eat so he was brought some bread and condiments from the household stock. Thereupon he asked: "Didn't I see a pot of meat cooking on the fire?" They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah. That meat was given as charity to Barīrah, and you do not eat from charity." He said: "It is charity to her, and it is a gift from her to us." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said with regards to her: "Walā' (allegiance/inheritance) is for the one who manumits."
The faithful and diligent slave will receive a double reward
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The faithful and diligent slave will receive a double reward." Abu Hurayrah added: "By Him in Whose Hand the soul of Abu Hurayrah is, if it wasn’t for Jihad in the cause of Allah, and Hajj, and kindness to my mother, I would prefer to die as a slave."
I was one of seven sons of Muqarrin, and we had only one female servant. The youngest of us slapped her in the face, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to set her free
Abu ‘Ali Suwayd ibn Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was one of seven sons of Muqarrin, and we had only one female servant. The youngest of us slapped her in the face, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to set her free. Another narration reads: "I was one of seven siblings."
In prayer, nothing of people's ordinary speech is allowed. Only Tasbīh, Takbīr, and recitation of the Qur'an are allowed
Mu‘āwiyah ibn al-Hakam As-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) a man sneezed, so I said: "May Allah have mercy upon you." People looked at me disapprovingly, so I said: "May my mother lose me, why do you stare at me?" They began to strike their thighs with their hands, and when I saw them urging me to be silent I said nothing. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer – and may my father and mother be sacrificed for him! I have never seen a mentor before him nor after him who gave better instruction than him. By Allah, he neither scolded me, nor beat me, nor insulted me, rather he said: ‘In prayer, nothing of people's ordinary speech is allowed. Only Tasbīh, Takbīr, and recitation of the Qur'an are allowed." Or he said something similar to that. Then I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have recently abandoned the beliefs of the pre-Islamic era, and Allah has brought Islam to us, and there are men among us who go to diviners." He said: "Do not go to them." I said: "There are men who believe in omens." He said: "That is something which they find in their hearts, but let it not prevent them (from doing whatever they intend to do) (Ibn As-Sabbāh said: let it not prevent you)." I said: "Among us are men who draw lines." He said: "There was a prophet who used to draw lines, so if their lines are as his, then that will be good." He (Mu‘āwiyah) added: "I had a bondmaid who tended sheep for me by the side of Uhud and Al-Jawwāniyyah. One day, I happened to pass that way and found that a wolf had snatched a ewe from her flock. As a normal human being, I got angry and gave her a slap. Then I came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who considered my act of slapping her grievous, so I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, should I emancipate her?' He said: 'Bring her to me.' So I brought her to him, and he said to her: 'Where is Allah?' She said: 'He is in the heaven.' He said: 'Who am I?' She said: 'You are the Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Set her free, for she is a believing woman.'"
Loyalty is pledged to the one who did the favor
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) bought Barīrah from a household belonging to the Ansār, and they stipulated that they retain the ex-slave's allegiance. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allegiance is pledged to the one who did the favor (of setting the slave free)." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also gave Barīrah the choice (either to retain her marriage or break it), as her husband was a slave. She gave some meat to ‘Ā’ishah as a gift, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I wish you could cook this meat for us." ‘Ā’ishah said: "It was given in charity to Barīrah." He said: "It was charity to her but a gift to us."
If anyone gets possession of a relative who is within the prohibited degrees (of marriage), that person becomes free
Samurah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone gets possession of a relative who is within the prohibited degrees, that person becomes free."
Safīnah said: I was Umm Salāmah’s slave, and she said: I will free you on condition that you serve the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for as long as you live
Safīnah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was Umm Salāmah’s slave, and she said: "I will free you on condition that you serve the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for as long as you live." I replied: "Even if you do not make this a condition, I will never desert the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for as long as I live." She manumitted me pursuant to this condition.
A slave who has entered into an agreement to purchase his freedom remains a slave as long as a dirham of the agreed price remains to be paid
‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb reported from his father from his grandfather that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A slave who has entered into an agreement to purchase his freedom remains a slave as long as a dirham of the agreed price remains to be paid."
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سئل عن الرقاب أيها أفضل؟
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الرِّقَابِ أَيُّهَا أَفْضَلُ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَغْلَاهَا ثَمَنًا وَأَنْفَسُهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِهَا».
إن العبد إذا نصح لسيده، وأحسن عبادة الله، فله أجره مرتين
عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما مرفوعاً: «إن العبد إذا نصح لسيده، وأحسن عبادة الله، فله أجره مرتين». عن أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: «المملوك الذي يحسن عبادة ربه، ويُؤدي إلى سيده الذي عليه من الحق، والنصيحة، والطاعة، له أجران».