“They are your brothers whom Allāh has placed under your authority. Whoever has his brother under his authority should feed him from what he eats and clothe him
31 December 2025 • 2.96K views
Harming slaves is haram, and freeing them is strongly encouraged.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
((مَنْ لَطَمَ مَمْلُوكَهُ أَوْ ضَرَبَهُ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ أَنْ يُعْتِقَهُ))
“Whoever slaps his slave or beats him, his expiation is to free him.” [Muslim 1657]
➡️ Islam made freeing slaves an act of worship and, in many cases, a means of expiation for sins, such as:
* Accidental killing
* Ẓihār
* Broken oaths
* Intercourse during the day in Ramaḍān
Islam also allocated a portion of zakāh specifically to free slaves.
Additionally, a slave could buy their own freedom, as Allāh ﷻ said:
{وَالَّذِينَ يَبْتَغُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِمَّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا وَآتُوهُمْ مِنْ مَالِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي آتَاكُمْ}
“And those who seek a contract of emancipation from among those your right hands possess—make a contract with them if you know good in them, and give them from the wealth of Allāh which He has given you.” [Sūrah An-Nūr 33]
Final Conclusion
This clearly shows that Islam aims to reduce slavery and ultimately end it, not to expand it. That is because Islam came to free people—with wisdom and mercy, not to enslave people.