Muhammad Issues: Black & Female Slaves
Overview
Contrary to what some Muslims say, Islam does not oppose slavery or condemn it as an immoral practice. In fact, Muhammad owned slaves and the following considerations emerge from Muhammad’s practice of slavery.
1. Muhammad owned and sold black slaves.
2. Muhammad owned and had sex with female slaves.
These details about Muhammad's life are significant because the Quran (33:21) presents Muhammad as an excellent example of moral conduct and instructs Muslims to follow his example and lifestyle. This does not mean that Muslims are required to follow Muhammad in every particular. Rather, it means that the things Muhammad did and said can be used to determine what is allowed (halal) or forbidden (haram) for Muslims. This includes whether it's acceptable to own, sell and have sex with slaves.
Muhammad & Black Slaves
Sahih al-Bukhari (987-988 & 7263) narrates that Muhammad owned black slaves and describes Muhammad allowing his followers to do likewise. Sahih Muslim (1602) confirms that Muhammad owned black slaves and describes Muhammad selling two black slaves in exchange for the freedom of another slave who had pledged himself to Muhammad. Muhammad had unwittingly accepted his pledge without knowing that the man was a slave and owned by another individual. This story is also related by Sunan an-Nasa'i (4184 - Graded: Sahih & 4621 - Graded: Sahih) and Sunan Ibn Majah (2869 - Graded: Sahih). It is of note that the slaves described in these narrations are all identified by their skin colour.
Muhammad & Female Slaves
The Quran (23:1-11 & 70:19-35) makes a distinction between wives and female slaves and Muslim men are permitted to have sex with either. The Quran (33:50) extends this right to Muhammad and specifies that Muhammad can have sex with the female slaves that have been assigned to him through war. This provision includes captive women who have husbands (4:22-24).
According to Sunan an-Nasa'i (3959 - Graded: Sahih) Muhammad owned a female slave and he would frequently have sex with her. This displeased two of Muhammad’s wives (Aisha and Hafsa) and they persuaded Muhammad to stop. However, Muhammad received a revelation (Quran 66:1-2) that instructed him not to forbid what God had given and made lawful for him. Muhammad therefore continued to have sex with his female slave to the displeasure of Aisha and Hafsa.
Additionally, Sahih Muslim (1439a) relates that Muhammad counselled one of his followers to practice ‘coitus interruptus’ (withdrawing the male sexual organ before the emission of semen) with his slave to avoid impregnating her. See Sahih al-Bukhari (2229, 4138 & 6603) and Sahih Muslim (1438a & 1438c) for examples of Muhammad allowing his followers to practice ‘coitus interruptus’ with female captives.
Quran Passages & Hadith Narrations
The Quran 4:22-24 (Abdul Haleem)
(22) Do not marry women that your fathers married - with the exception of what is past - this is indeed a shameful thing to do, loathsome and leading to evil. (23) You are forbidden to take as wives your mothers, daughters, sisters, paternal and maternal aunts, the daughters of brothers and daughters of sisters, your milk-mothers and milk-sisters, your wives’ mothers, the stepdaughters in your care - those born of women with whom you have consummated marriage, if you have not consummated the marriage, then you will not be blamed - wives of your begotten sons, two sisters simultaneously - with the exception of what is past: God is most forgiving and merciful - (24) women already married, other than your slaves. God has ordained all this for you. Other women are lawful to you, so long as you seek them in marriage, with gifts from your property, looking for wedlock rather than fornication. If you wish to enjoy women through marriage, give them their bride-gift - this is obligatory - though if you should choose mutually, after fulfilling this obligation, to do otherwise [with the bride-gift], you will not be blamed: God is all knowing and all wise.
The Quran 23:1-11 (Abdul Haleem)
(1) [How] prosperous are the believers! (2) Those who pray humbly, (3) who shun idle talk, (4) who pay the prescribed alms, (5) who guard their chastity (6) except with their spouses or their slaves - with these they are not to blame, (7) but anyone who seeks more than this is exceeding the limits - (8) who are faithful to their trusts and pledges (9) and who keep up their prayers, (10) will rightly be given (11) Paradise as their own, there to remain.
The Quran 33:21 (Abdul Haleem)
(21) The Messenger of God is an excellent model for those of you who put your hope in God and the Last Day and remember Him often.
The Quran 33:50 (Abdul Haleem)
(50) Prophet, We have made lawful for you the wives whose bride gift you have paid, and any slaves God has assigned to you through war, and the daughters of your uncles and aunts on your father’s and mother’s sides, who migrated with you. Also any believing woman who has offered herself to the Prophet and whom the Prophet wishes to wed - this is only for you [Prophet] and not the rest of the believers: We know exactly what We have made obligatory for them concerning their wives and slave-girls - so you should not be blamed: God is most forgiving, most merciful.
The Quran 66:1-2 (Abdul Haleem)
(1) Prophet, why do you prohibit what God has made lawful to you in your desire to please your wives? Yet God is forgiving and merciful: (2) He has ordained a way for you [believers] to release you from [such] oaths - God is your helper: He is the All Knowing, the Wise.
The Quran 70:19-35 (Abdul Haleem)
(19) Man was truly created anxious: (20) he is fretful when misfortune touches him, (21) but tight-fisted when good fortune comes his way. (22) Not so those who pray (23) and are constant in their prayers; (24) who give a due share of their wealth (25) to beggars and the deprived; (26) who believe in the Day of Judgement (27) and fear the punishment of their Lord - (28) none may feel wholly secure from it - (29) who guard their chastity (30) from all but their spouses or their slave-girls - there is no blame attached to [relations with] these, (31) but those whose desires exceed this limit are truly transgressors - (32) who are faithful to their trusts and their pledges; (33) who give honest testimony (34) and are steadfast in their prayers. (35) They will be honoured in Gardens of bliss.
Sahih al-Bukhari, 987-988
Narrated `Urwa on the authority of `Aisha: On the days of Mina, (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) Abu Bakr came to her while two young girls were beating the tambourine and the Prophet was lying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded them and the Prophet uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr, "Leave them, for these days are the days of `Id and the days of Mina." `Aisha further said, "Once the Prophet was screening me and I was watching the display of black slaves in the Mosque and (`Umar) scolded them. The Prophet said, 'Leave them. O Bani Arfida! (carry on), you are safe (protected)'."
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2229
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: that while he was sitting with Allah's Messenger he said, "O Allah's Messenger! We get female captives as our share of booty, and we are interested in their prices, what is your opinion about coitus interrupt us?" The Prophet said, "Do you really do that? It is better for you not to do it. No soul that which Allah has destined to exist, but will surely come into existence.
Sahih al-Bukhari, 4138
Narrated Ibn Muhairiz: I entered the Mosque and saw Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and sat beside him and asked him about Al-Azl (i.e. coitus interruptus). Abu Sa`id said, "We went out with Allah's Messenger for the Ghazwa of Banu Al-Mustaliq and we received captives from among the Arab captives and we desired women and celibacy became hard on us and we loved to do coitus interruptus. So when we intended to do coitus interrupt us, we said, 'How can we do coitus interruptus before asking Allah's Messenger who is present among us?" We asked (him) about it and he said, 'It is better for you not to do so, for if any soul (till the Day of Resurrection) is predestined to exist, it will exist."
Sahih al-Bukhari, 6603
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: That while he was sitting with the Prophet a man from the Ansar came and said, "O Allah's Messenger! We get slave girls from the war captives and we love property; what do you think about coitus interruptus?" Allah's Messenger said, "Do you do that? It is better for you not to do it, for there is no soul which Allah has ordained to come into existence but will be created."
Sahih al-Bukhari, 7263
Narrated `Umar: I came and behold, Allah's Messenger was staying on a Mashroba (attic room) and a black slave of Allah's Messenger was at the top if 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.
Sahih Muslim, 1438a
Abu Sirma said to Abu Sa'id al Khadri (Allah he pleased with him): O Abu Sa'id, did you hear Allah's Messenger mentioning al-'azl? He said: Yes, and added: We went out with Allah's Messenger on the expedition to the Bi'l-Mustaliq and took captive some excellent Arab women; and we desired them, for we were suffering from the absence of our wives, (but at the same time) we also desired ransom for them. So we decided to have sexual intercourse with them but by observing 'azl (Withdrawing the male sexual organ before emission of semen to avoid-conception). But we said: We are doing an act whereas Allah's Messenger is amongst us; why not ask him? So we asked Allah's Messenger, and he said: It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Resurrection will be born.
Sahih Muslim, 1438c
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported: We took women captives, and we wanted to do 'azl with them. We then asked Allah's Messenger about it, and he said to us: Verily you do it, verily you do it, verily you do it, but the soul which has to be born until the Day of judgment must be born.
Sahih Muslim, 1439a
Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man came to Allah's Messenger and said: I have a slave-girl who is our servant and she carries water for us and I have intercourse with her, but I do not want her to conceive. He said: Practise 'azl, if you so like, but what is decreed for her will come to her. The person stayed back (for some time) and then came and said: The girl has become pregnant, whereupon he said: I told you what was decreed for her would come to her.
Sahih Muslim, 1602
Jabir (Allah be pleased with him) reported: There came a slave and pledged allegiance to Allah's Apostle on migration; he (the Holy Prophet) did not know that he was a slave. Then there came his master and demanded him back, whereupon Allah's Apostle said, ‘Sell him to me’. And he bought him for two black slaves, and he did not afterwards take allegiance from anyone until he had asked him whether he was a slave (or a free man).
Sunan an-Nasa'i, 3959 (Graded: Sahih)
It was narrated from Anas, that the Messenger of Allah had a female slave with whom he had intercourse, but 'Aishah and Hafsah would not leave him alone until he said that she was forbidden for him. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: "O Prophet! Why do you forbid (for yourself) that which Allah has allowed to you.' until the end of the Verse.
Sunan an-Nasa'i, 4184 (Graded: Sahih)
It was narrated that Jabir said: "A slave came and pledged to the Prophet to emigrate, and the Prophet did not realize that he was a slave. Then his master came looking for him. The Prophet said, 'Sell him to me,' and he bought him for two black slaves. Then he did not accept the pledge from anyone until he asked, 'Is he a slave?"'
Sunan an-Nasa'i, 4621 (Graded: Sahih)
It was narrated that Jabir said: "A slave came and gave his pledge to the Messenger of Allah to emigrate, and the Prophet did not realize that he was a slave. Then his master came looking for him. The Prophet said, 'Sell him to me.' So he bought him for two black slaves, then he did not accept until he had asked, 'Is he a slave?'''
Sunan Ibn Majah, 2869 (Graded: Sahih)
It was narrated that Jabir said: “A slave came and gave his pledge to the Prophet, pledging to emigrate, and the Prophet did not realize that he was a slave. Then his master came looking for him, and the Prophet said: ‘Sell him to me,’ and he brought him in exchange for two black slaves. Then after that he did not accept the pledge from anyone until he had asked whether he was a slave.”