Reason #45: Did Islam ban slavery?  

101 Reasons Why We Left Islam – Chapter 4: Islamic History – Reason 45

The historical narrative around slavery and Islam changed 360 degrees in less than 100 years. Until the early 1950s, there was a completely different narrative in the Islamic world that was supportive of owning slaves (See Reason 47: How Islamic Countries Banned Slavery?).  

So, what was the narrative before the 1950’s and before the West imposed a new world order regarding the issue of slavery? The narrative is best described in several Hadiths, starting with:  

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 4557: “Narrated Abu Huraira: The Verse:–“You (true Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind.” means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them with CHAINS ON THEIR NECKS till they embrace Islam.” https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4557 

This is further explained in the Tafsir for Quran 3:110 by Ibn Kathir, who explained: 

“Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah commented on this Ayah, “(You, Muslims, are) the best nation of people for the people, you bring them tied in chains on their necks (capture them in war) and they later embrace Islam.” Similar was said by Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Atiyah Al-Awfi, Ikrimah, Ata’ and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.” 

I hate to admit it, but my family owned slaves and I got to hear that from my grandparents. It was a duty for people at the time to be ‘handed’ young black Africans and teach them Arabic and Islam until they converted. In the meantime, many of these slaves would work as house cleaners, labourers, and servants. Do not get me wrong, there was an Islamic duty, a form of Jihad, to look after them and not to mistreat them. However, there were 100% slaves owned. When I challenged my grandmother, a devout Muslim, on this matter, she insisted they were doing a good thing by showing those (Abeed) slaves Islam. And that once they converted and became observant Muslims, they would keep them a few more years to pay off their debt, then be released to go home as a ‘charity’. By converting to Islam, the slave owners have helped another soul, and both will be rewarded in heaven. From this, you can see the rationale that justified the forceful taking of children from their parents, sometimes even kidnapped; the rationale to conduct raids on non-Muslims and take them as slaves was historically justified as a ‘good thing!’ And why not? The Prophet it did.  

Islamic sources record slaves owned by the Prophet as: 

“These are the names of Muhammad’s male slaves: Yakan Abu Sharh, Aflah, ‘Ubayd, Dhakwan, Tahman, Mirwan, Hunayn, Sanad, Fadala Yamamin, Anjasha al-Hadi, Mad’am, Karkara, Abu Rafi’, Thawban, Ab Kabsha, Salih, Rabah, Yara Nubyan, Fadila, Waqid, Mabur, Abu Waqid, Kasam, Abu ‘Ayb, Abu Muwayhiba, Zayd Ibn Haritha, and also a black slave called Mahran, who was re-named (by Muhammad) Safina (`ship’).” Zad al-Ma’ad, pp. 114-116 

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (n.d.) Zad al-Ma’ad. https://archive.org/details/zad-al-maad/zad-al-maad-vol-1/

The Prophet’s female Slaves which he could have sex with “are Salma Um Rafi’, Maymuna daughter of Abu Asib, Maymuna daughter of Sa’d, Khadra, Radwa, Razina, Um Damira, Rayhana, Mary the Coptic, in addition to two other maid-slaves, one of them given to him as a present by his cousin, Zaynab, and the other one captured in a war.” Zad al-Ma’ad, pp. 114-6. We know for sure that he slept with Mary the Coptic, and scholars dispute if he ever married her afterwards.  

Utilising slaves for everyday servant work was even happening in the Prophets’ own home: 

And the Authentic Hadith confirms: 

  • Sahih Bukhari: 7263 – Narrated `Umar: I came and behold, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was staying on a Mashroba (attic room) and a black slave of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) was at the top of its stairs. I said to him, “(Tell the Prophet) that here is `Umar bin Al- Khattab (asking for permission to enter).” Then he admitted me. https://sunnah.com/bukhari:7263  

The Prophet traded in slaves. When a slave sought refuge because he converted to Islam, the Prophet exchanged him not for gold, silver or land but in exchange for two other slaves: 

So, to all those who would have initially screamed liar or that the quote by Sheikh Saleh Al Fawzan, you now understand the rationale behind what he is saying. He is that person who grew up during what he considered the real Islamic slavery. A period in history where owning, selling, and buying slaves was justified under an “Islamic Jihad”.  

So, any person who claims that Islam banned slavery is either an uninformed person or a liar. Islam utilised slavery to promote its growth. And Islam did not do what the Transatlantic slave trade did, focusing on one race. No, it did not matter if you are black, white, brown, yellow, purple or green – if you are non-Muslim, you are fair game, as you will see in the following Reason 46 to leave Islam!