Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!kuhub.cc.ukans.edu!paul
From: paul@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: Islam and Slavery
Message-ID: <74907@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 12 Dec 89 12:37:23 GMT
Sender: news@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu
Lines: 39
Approved: shari@wpi.edu

>From: khan@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Iqbal Mustafa Khan)
>Date: 6 Dec 89 12:13:22 GMT
>
>I have always been confused about Islam's position on slavery.  It seems
>that Islam permits it.  Would this imply that if there were a Islamic
>state to be established in future, that slavery would be practiced there?

From Muhammad Asad's translation of the Qur'an

8:67 -
"It does not behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has battled
 strenously on earth."
This would seem to indicate that slaves are to be aquired as war "booty".

47:4 -
"Now when you meet [in war] those who are bent on denying the truth, smite
 their necks until you overcome them fully, and then tighten their bonds;
 but thereafter [set them free,] either by an act of grace or against ransom,
 so that the burden of war shall be lifted: ..."
This would seem to indicate that once war has ended, slaves are to be freed.

9:60 - (speaking of charity and how to allocate it to the needy)
"The offerings given for the sake of God are [meant] only for the poor and
 the needy, and those who are in charge thereof, and those whose hearts are
 to be won over, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage,..."
This would seem to indicate that freeing slaves is one of the top priorities.

Asad's explanatory additions are within brackets []. His notes make it
very easy to quickly find these verses.
>
>Also, if somebody could shed light on the issue of "Musaawaat" (equality) in
>Islam and its contradiction in case of slavery.

It would seem incumbent, therefore, for any Islamic government to not
reestablish slavery, leaving this question moot.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Iqbal