9. Being a master
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمَّا ثَقُلَ قَالَ يَا عَلِيُّ ائْتِنِي بِطَبَقٍ أَكْتُبْ فِيهِ مَا لاَ تَضِلُّ أُمَّتِي بَعْدِي فَخَشِيتُ أَنْ يَسْبِقَنِي فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي لَأَحْفَظُ مِنْ ذِرَاعَيِ الصَّحِيفَةِ وَكَانَ رَأْسُهُ بَيْنَ ذِرَاعِي وَعَضُدِي فَجَعَلَ يُوصِي بِالصَّلاَةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ وَقَالَ كَذَاكَ حَتَّى فَاضَتْ نَفْسُهُ وَأَمَرَهُ بِشَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ مَنْ شَهِدَ بِهِمَا حُرِّمَ عَلَى النَّارِ
'Ali ibn Talib reported that when the illness of the Prophet ﷺ deepened, he said, "'Ali! Bring me a scapula (shoulder bone) on which I can write something for my community after which they will not go astray." 'Ali said, "I feared that he would die before I could do that, so I said, 'I will remember better than the document.' His head was between my forearm and my leg. He recommended the prayer, zakat and kind treatment of slaves. he spoke like that until he died." He commanded him to testify, "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. Anyone who testifies to that is saved from the Fire."
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ أَجِيبُوا الدَّاعِيَ وَلاَ تَرُدُّوا الْهَدِيَّةَ وَلاَ تَضْرِبُوا الْمُسْلِمِينَ
'Abdullah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Respond to invitations. Do not reject gifts. Do not beat Muslims."
قَالَ كَانَ آخِرُ كَلاَمِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الصَّلاَةَ الصَّلاَةَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِيمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ
that the last words of the Prophet ﷺ were: "The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves!"
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 159No grade recorded
أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ نَحْنُ أَعْرَفُ بِكُمْ مِنَ الْبَيَاطِرَةِ بِالدَّوَابِّ قَدْ عَرَفْنَا خِيَارَكُمْ مِنْ شِرَارِكُمْ أَمَّا خِيَارُكُمُ الَّذِي يُرْجَى خَيْرُهُ وَيُؤْمَنُ شَرُّهُ وَأَمَّا شِرَارُكُمْ فَالَّذِي لاَ يُرْجَى خَيْرُهُ وَلاَ يُؤْمَنُ شَرُّهُ وَلاَ يُعْتَقُ مُحَرَّرُهُ
✧ He used to say to the people: 'We know you better than the veterinarians know the beasts. We have already recognized your best from your worst. As for your best, he is the one whose goodness is hoped for and whose evil is secured against. As for your worst, he is the one whose goodness is not hoped for and whose evil is not secured against, and his freed slave is not freed.'
Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 160No grade recorded
الْكَنُودُ الَّذِي يَمْنَعُ رِفْدَهُ وَيَنْزِلُ وَحْدَهُ وَيَضْرِبُ عَبْدَهُ
Abu Umama said, "Ingratitude is typified by someone who refuses to give, lives alone, and beats his slave."
أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَمَرَ غُلاَمًا لَهُ أَنْ يَسْنُوَ عَلَى بَعِيرٍ لَهُ فَنَامَ الْغُلاَمُ فَجَاءَ بِشُعْلَةٍ مِنْ نَارٍ فَأَلْقَاهَا فِي وَجْهِهِ فَتَرَدَّى الْغُلاَمُ فِي بِئْرٍ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ أَتَى عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ ؓ فَرَأَى الَّذِي فِي وَجْهِهِ فَأَعْتَقَهُ
Al-Hasan reported that a man ordered one of his slaves to draw water using one of his camels and the man fell asleep. The master came with a torch and put it in his face and the slave fell into the well. In the morning, the slave went to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and 'Umar saw what had happened to his slave and therefore 'Umar set him free."
أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ؓ دَبَّرَتْ أَمَةً لَهَا فَاشْتَكَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَسَأَلَ بَنُو أَخِيهَا طَبِيبًا مِنَ الزُّطِّ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ تُخْبِرُونِي عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ مَسْحُورَةٍ سَحَرَتْهَا أَمَةٌ لَهَا فَأُخْبِرَتْ عَائِشَةُ قَالَتْ سَحَرْتِينِي؟ فَقَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَقَالَتْ وَلِمَ؟ لاَ تَنْجَيْنَ أَبَدًا ثُمَّ قَالَتْ بِيعُوهَا مِنْ شَرِّ الْعَرَبِ مَلَكَةً
'Amra reported that 'A'isha had made one of her slavegirls a mudabbar (one who would be set free after her death). Then 'A'isha became ill and her nephews consulted a gypsy doctor. He said, "You are asking me for information about a bewitched woman. A slavegirl of hers has bewitched her." 'A'isha was told and asked the girl, "Have you put a spell on me?" "Yes," she replied. "Why?' she asked. "Because you will never free me," she answered. Then 'A'isha said, "Sell her to the worst masters among the Arabs."
عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ قَالَ أَقْبَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَعَهُ غُلامَانِ فَوَهَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِعَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ لاَ تَضْرِبْهُ فَإِنِّي نُهِيتُ عَنْ ضَرْبِ أَهْلِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يُصَلِّي مُنْذُ أَقْبَلْنَا وَأَعْطَى أَبَا ذَرٍّ غُلاَمًا وَقَالَ اسْتَوْصِ بِهِ مَعْرُوفًا فَأَعْتَقَهُ فَقَالَ مَا فَعَلَ؟ قَالَ أَمَرْتَنِي أَنْ أَسْتَوْصِي بِهِ خَيْرًا فَأَعْتَقْتُهُ
✧ From Abū Umāma who said: The Prophet ﷺ came forward with two servant boys. He gave one of them to ʿAlī ﷺ and said, 'Do not strike him, for I have been forbidden to strike the people of prayer, and I saw him praying since we came.' He gave a servant boy to Abū Dharr and said, 'Treat him well.' So he freed him. Then he asked, 'What did you do?' He replied, 'You commanded me to treat him well, so I freed him.'
عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ فَأَخَذَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ بِيَدِي فَانْطَلَقَ بِي حَتَّى أَدْخَلَنِي عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ إِنَّ أَنَسًا غُلاَمٌ كَيِّسٌ لَبِيبٌ فَلْيَخْدُمْكَ قَالَ فَخَدَمْتُهُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ مَقْدَمَهُ الْمَدِينَةَ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ ﷺ مَا قَالَ لِي لِشَيْءٍ صَنَعْتُ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا؟ وَلاَ قَالَ لِي لِشَيْءٍ لَمْ أَصْنَعْهُ أَلاَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا؟
✧ From Anas who said: The Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah and had no servant. Abū Ṭalḥa took me by the hand and went with me until he brought me to the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'O Prophet of Allah, Anas is a clever, intelligent boy. Let him serve you.' He said: So I served him in travel and at home from his arrival in Madinah until he died ﷺ. He never said to me about anything I did, 'Why did you do this like that?' Nor did he say to me about anything I did not do, 'Why did you not do this like that?'
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا سَرَقَ الْمَمْلُوكُ بِعْهُ وَلَوْ بِنَشٍّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ النَّشُّ عِشْرُونَ وَالنَّوَاةُ خَمْسَةٌ وَالأُوقِيَّةُ أَرْبَعُونَ
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'If a slave steals, sell him, even for a nashsh.' Abū ʿAbdullah said: 'A nashsh is twenty, a nawāh is five, and an ūqiyya is forty.'
عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَدَفَعَ الرَّاعِي فِي الْمُرَاحِ سَخْلَةً فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لاَ تَحْسِبَنَّ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ إِنَّ لَنَا غَنَمًا مِئَةً لاَ نُرِيدُ أَنْ تَزِيدَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ الرَّاعِي بِسَخْلَةٍ ذَبَحْنَا مَكَانَهَا شَاةً فَكَانَ فِيمَا قَالَ لاَ تَضْرِبْ ظَعِينَتَكَ كَضَرْبِكَ أَمَتَكَ وَإِذَا اسْتَنْشَقْتَ فَبَالِغْ إِلاَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ صَائِمًا
✧ From his father who said: I came to the Prophet ﷺ, and the herdsman had brought a newborn lamb into the sheepfold. The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Do not think'—and he did not say 'do not think'—'that we have a hundred sheep and do not want them to increase. When the herdsman brings a newborn lamb, we slaughter a sheep in its place.' Among what he said was: 'Do not strike your wife like you strike your slave girl. And when you sniff water into your nostrils, inhale deeply unless you are fasting.'
أَنْ نَخْتِمَ عَلَى الْخَادِمِ وَنَكِيلَ وَنَعُدَّهَا كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَتَعَوَّدُوا خُلُقَ سُوءٍ أَوْ يَظُنَّ أَحَدُنَا ظَنَّ سُوءٍ
✧ That we should seal the servant's mouth and measure and count, out of dislike that they become accustomed to bad character or that one of us should think ill thoughts.
عَنْ سَلْمَانَ قَالَ إِنِّي لَأَعُدُّ الْعُرَاقَ عَلَى خَادِمِي مَخَافَةَ الظَّنِّ
✧ From Salmān who said: 'Indeed I count the bones on my servant for fear of suspicion.'
سَمِعْتُ سَلْمَانَ إِنِّي لَأَعُدُّ الْعُرَاقَ خَشْيَةَ الظَّنِّ
✧ I heard Salmān: 'Indeed I count the bones for fear of suspicion.'
سَمِعْتُ يَزِيدَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ قُسَيْطٍ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ غُلاَمًا لَهُ بِذَهَبٍ أَوْ بِوَرِقٍ فَصَرَفَهُ فَأَنْظَرَ بِالصَّرْفِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ فَجَلَدَهُ جَلْدًا وَجِيعًا وَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَخُذِ الَّذِي لِي وَلاَ تَصْرِفْهُ
✧ I heard Yazīd b. ʿAbdullah b. Qusayṭ say: ʿAbdullah b. ʿUmar sent a servant boy of his with gold or silver to exchange it. The boy delayed in the exchange, so he returned to him and he flogged him with a painful flogging, and said, 'Go and take what is mine and do not exchange it.'
عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَضْرِبُ غُلاَمًا لِي فَسَمِعْتُ مِنْ خَلْفِي صَوْتًا اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ لَلَّهُ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ عَلَيْهِ فَالْتَفَتُّ فَإِذَا هُوَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَهُوَ حُرٌّ لِوَجْهِ اللهِ فَقَالَ أَمَا لَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ لَمَسَّتْكَ النَّارُ أَوْ لَلَفَحَتْكَ النَّارُ
✧ From Abū Masʿūd who said: I was striking a servant boy of mine when I heard a voice behind me: 'Know, Abū Masʿūd, that Allah has more power over you than you have over him.' I turned around and it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, he is free for the sake of Allah.' He said, 'If you had not done it, the Fire would have touched you, or the Fire would have scorched you.'
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ تَقُولُوا قَبَّحَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ who said: 'Do not say, "May Allah make his face ugly."'
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ لاَ تَقُولَنَّ قَبَّحَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَكَ وَوَجْهَ مَنْ أَشْبَهَ وَجْهَكَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ آدَمَ ﷺ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ
✧ From Abū Hurayra who said: 'Do not say, "May Allah make your face ugly and the face of anyone who resembles your face," for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, created Adam ﷺ in His image.'
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا ضَرَبَ أَحَدُكُمْ خَادِمَهُ فَلْيَجْتَنِبِ الْوَجْهَ
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ, he said: "When one of you strikes his servant, let him avoid the face."
عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ مَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِدَابَّةٍ قَدْ وُسِمَ يُدَخِّنُ مَنْخِرَاهُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ فَعَلَ هَذَا لاَ يَسِمَنَّ أَحَدٌ الْوَجْهَ وَلاَ يَضْرِبَنَّهُ
✧ From Jābir, he said: "The Prophet ﷺ passed by an animal that had been branded while its nostrils were smoking. The Prophet ﷺ said: 'May Allah curse whoever did this. No one should brand the face or strike it.'"
سَمِعْتُ هِلاَلَ بْنَ يَسَافٍ يَقُولُ كُنَّا نَبِيعُ الْبَزَّ فِي دَارِ سُوَيْدِ بْنِ مُقَرِّنٍ فَخَرَجَتْ جَارِيَةٌ فَقَالَتْ لِرَجُلٍ شَيْئًا فَلَطَمَهَا ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ لَهُ سُوَيْدُ بْنُ مُقَرِّنٍ أَلَطَمْتَ وَجْهَهَا؟ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنِي سَابِعَ سَبْعَةٍ وَمَا لَنَا إِلاَّ خَادِمٌ فَلَطَمَهَا بَعْضُنَا فَأَمَرَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ يُعْتِقُهَا
✧ I heard Hilāl b. Yasāf say: "We were selling cloth in the house of Suwayd b. Muqarrin. A slave girl came out and said something to a man, and that man slapped her. Suwayd b. Muqarrin said to him: 'Did you slap her face? I was the seventh of seven [brothers], and we had only one servant. One of us slapped her, and the Prophet ﷺ commanded him to set her free.'"
سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَنْ لَطَمَ عَبْدَهُ أَوْ ضَرَبَهُ حَدًّا لَمْ يَأْتِهِ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ عِتْقُهُ
✧ I heard the Prophet ﷺ say: "Whoever slaps his slave or strikes him for an offense he did not commit, his expiation is to set him free."
فَقَالَ لَهُ اقْتَصَّ كُنَّا وَلَدَ مُقَرِّنٍ سَبْعَةً لَنَا خَادِمٌ فَلَطَمَهَا أَحَدُنَا فَذُكِرَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ مُرْهُمْ فَلْيُعْتِقُوهَا فَقِيلَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ خَادِمٌ غَيْرَهَا قَالَ فَلْيَسْتَخْدِمُوهَا فَإِذَا اسْتَغْنَوْا خَلُّوا سَبِيلَهَا
✧ He said to him: "Retaliate." We were seven sons of Muqarrin, and we had one servant. One of us slapped her, and that was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ. He said: "Command them to set her free." It was said to the Prophet ﷺ: "They have no servant other than her." He said: "Then let them use her services, and when they can dispense with her, let them leave her way."
أَنَّ الصُّورَةَ مُحَرَّمَةٌ؟ رَأَيْتُنِي وَإِنِّي سَابِعُ سَبْعَةِ إِخْوَةٍ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ مَا لَنَا إِلاَّ خَادِمٌ فَلَطَمَهُ أَحَدُنَا فَأَمَرَنَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ نُعْتِقَهُ
✧ That the image is forbidden? I saw myself as the seventh of seven brothers at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. We had only one servant, and one of us slapped him, so the Prophet ﷺ commanded us to set him free.
عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ فَقَالَ أَيُوجِعُكَ؟ قَالَ لاَ فَأَعْتَقَهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ عُودًا مِنَ الأَرْضِ فَقَالَ مَالِي فِيهِ مِنَ الأَجْرِ مَا يَزِنُ هَذَا الْعُودَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ لِمَ تَقُولُ هَذَا؟ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَوْ قَالَ مَنْ ضَرَبَ مَمْلُوكَهُ حَدًّا لَمْ يَأْتِهِ أَوْ لَطَمَ وَجْهَهُ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ أَنْ يُعْتِقَهُ
✧ On his back, and he said: "Does it hurt you?" He said: "No." So he set him free. Then he picked up a stick from the ground and said: "I have no reward in him even the weight of this stick." I said: "O Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, why do you say this?" He said: "I heard the Prophet ﷺ say — or he said: 'Whoever strikes his slave for an offense he did not commit or slaps his face, his expiation is to set him free.'"
عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ قَالَ لاَ يَضْرِبُ أَحَدٌ عَبْدًا لَهُ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ لَهُ إِلاَّ أُقِيدَ مِنْهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
✧ From ʿAmmār b. Yāsir, he said: "No one strikes a slave of his while wronging him except that retaliation will be taken from him on the Day of Resurrection."
سَمِعْتُ أَبَا لَيْلَى قَالَ خَرَجَ سَلْمَانُ فَإِذَا عَلَفُ دَابَّتِهِ يَتَسَاقَطُ مِنَ الْآرِيِّ فَقَالَ لِخَادِمِهِ لَوْلاَ أَنِّي أَخَافُ الْقِصَاصَ لَأَوْجَعْتُكَ
✧ I heard Abū Laylā say: "Salmān went out, and there was the fodder of his mount falling from the manger. He said to his servant: 'Were it not that I fear retaliation, I would have caused you pain.'"
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَتُؤَدُّنَّ الْحُقُوقَ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا حَتَّى يُقَادَ لِلشَّاةِ الْجَمَّاءِ مِنَ الشَّاةِ الْقَرْنَاءِ
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ, he said: "You shall certainly render the due rights to their owners, until even the hornless sheep will have retaliation from the horned sheep."
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ فِي بَيْتِهَا فَدَعَا وَصِيفَةً لَهُ أَوْ لَهَا فَأَبْطَأَتْ فَاسْتَبَانَ الْغَضَبُ فِي وَجْهِهِ فَقَامَتْ أُمُّ سَلَمَةَ إِلَى الْحِجَابِ فَوَجَدَتِ الْوَصِيفَةَ تَلْعَبُ وَمَعَهُ سِوَاكٌ فَقَالَ لَوْلاَ خَشْيَةُ الْقَوَدِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَأَوْجَعْتُكِ بِهَذَا السِّوَاكِ
✧ The Prophet ﷺ was in her house, and he called a young servant of his — or of hers — and she was slow, so anger became clear on his face. Umm Salamah stood up to the curtain and found the young servant playing, and with him was a tooth-stick. He said: "Were it not for fear of retaliation on the Day of Resurrection, I would have caused you pain with this tooth-stick."
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَنْ ضَرَبَ ضَرْبًا اقْتُصَّ مِنْهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever strikes a blow, retaliation will be taken from him on the Day of Resurrection."
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ ضَرَبَ ضَرْبًا ظُلْمًا اقْتُصَّ مِنْهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ: he said, "Whoever strikes a blow unjustly will have retaliation taken from him on the Day of Rising."
أَنْ يَهْلِكُوا فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ لَقِينَا أَبُو الْيَسَرِ صَاحِبُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ غُلاَمٌ لَهُ وَعَلَى أَبِي الْيَسَرِ بُرْدَةٌ وَمَعَافِرِيٌّ وَعَلَى غُلاَمِهِ بُرْدَةٌ وَمَعَافِرِيٌّ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا عَمِّي لَوْ أَخَذْتَ بُرْدَةَ غُلاَمِكَ وَأَعْطَيْتَهُ مَعَافِرِيَّكَ أَوْ أَخَذْتَ مَعَافِرِيَّهُ وَأَعْطَيْتَهُ بُرْدَتَكَ كَانَتْ عَلَيْكَ حُلَّةٌ أَوْ عَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ فَمَسَحَ رَأْسِي وَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ فِيهِ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي بَصَرُ عَيْنَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَسَمْعُ أُذُنَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي وَأَشَارَ إِلَى نِيَاطِ قَلْبِهِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ وَاكْسُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَلْبَسُونَ وَكَانَ أَنْ أُعْطِيَهُ مِنْ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
✧ …that they might perish. The first person we met was Abu al-Yasar, the Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, and with him was a slave of his. Abu al-Yasar was wearing a burdah and a maʿāfirī garment, and his slave was wearing a burdah and a maʿāfirī garment. I said to him, "Uncle, if you took your slave's burdah and gave him your maʿāfirī, or took his maʿāfirī and gave him your burdah, you would have a full suit and he would have a full suit." He wiped my head and said, "O Allah, bless him in it. Nephew, these two eyes of mine saw, and these two ears of mine heard, and my heart retained" – and he pointed to the cord of his heart – "the Prophet ﷺ saying: 'Feed them from what you eat and clothe them from what you wear.' If I gave him the goods of this world, that would be easier for me than that he should take from my good deeds on the Day of Rising."
سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ يَقُولُ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُوصِي بِالْمَمْلُوكِينَ خَيْرًا وَيَقُولُ أَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ وَأَلْبِسُوهُمْ مِنْ لَبُوسِكُمْ وَلاَ تُعَذِّبُوا خَلْقَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
✧ I heard Jābir b. ʿAbdullāh say: The Prophet ﷺ used to enjoin good treatment of slaves and say, "Feed them from what you eat and clothe them from your clothing, and do not torment the creation of Allah, Mighty and Majestic."
عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَابَبْتُ رَجُلاً فَشَكَانِي إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ لِيَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَعَيَّرْتَهُ بِأُمِّهِ؟ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ إِخْوَانَكُمْ خَوَلُكُمْ جَعَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَحْتَ أَيْدِيكُمْ فَمَنْ كَانَ أَخُوهُ تَحْتَ يَدَيْهِ فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ وَلْيُلْبِسْهُ مِمَّا يَلْبَسُ وَلاَ تُكَلِّفُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ فَإِنْ كَلَّفْتُمُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ فَأَعِينُوهُمْ
✧ About that, he said: I insulted a man, and he complained about me to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "Did you taunt him about his mother?" I said, "Yes." Then he said, "Your brothers are your servants. Allah has placed them under your hands. Whoever has his brother under his hand, let him feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and not burden them with what overcomes them. If you burden them with what overcomes them, then help them."
عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَرِقَّاكُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا إِلَيْهِمْ اسْتَعِينُوهُمْ عَلَى مَا غَلَبَكُمْ وَأَعِينُوهُمْ عَلَى مَا غُلِبُوا
✧ From a man among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, he said: The Prophet ﷺ said, "Your slaves are your brothers, so be good to them. Seek their help in what overcomes you and help them in what they are overcome by."
أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَعِينُوا الْعَامِلَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ فَإِنَّ عَامِلَ اللهِ لاَ يَخِيبُ يَعْنِي الْخَادِمَ
✧ He said: "Help the worker in his work, for the worker of Allah does not fail" – meaning the servant.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لِلْمَمْلُوكِ طَعَامُهُ وَكِسْوَتُهُ وَلاَ يُكَلَّفُ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا لاَ يُطِيقُ
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ: he said, "The slave has his food and his clothing, and he is not burdened with work he cannot bear."
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لِلْمَمْلُوكِ طَعَامُهُ وَكِسْوَتُهُ وَلاَ يُكَلَّفُ إِلاَّ مَا يُطِيقُ
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The slave has his food and his clothing, and he is only burdened with what he can bear."
قَالَ مَعْرُورٌ مَرَرْنَا بِأَبِي ذَرٍّ وَعَلَيْهِ ثَوْبٌ وَعَلَى غُلاَمِهِ حُلَّةٌ فَقُلْنَا لَوْ أَخَذْتَ هَذَا وَأَعْطَيْتَ هَذَا غَيْرَهُ كَانَتْ حُلَّةٌ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِخْوَانُكُمْ جَعَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَحْتَ أَيْدِيكُمْ فَمَنْ كَانَ أَخُوهُ تَحْتَ يَدِهِ فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ وَلْيُلْبِسْهُ مِمَّا يَلْبَسُ وَلاَ يُكَلِّفْهُ مَا يَغْلِبُهُ فَإِنْ كَلَّفَهُ مَا يَغْلِبُهُ فَلْيُعِنْهُ عَلَيْهِ
✧ Maʿrūr said: We passed by Abū Dharr while he was wearing a garment and his slave was wearing a full suit. We said, "If you took this and gave him another, it would be a suit." He said: The Prophet ﷺ said, "Your brothers: Allah has placed them under your hands. Whoever has his brother under his hand, let him feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and not burden him with what overcomes him. If he burdens him with what overcomes him, then let him help him with it."
سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَا أَطْعَمْتَ نَفْسَكَ فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ وَمَا أَطْعَمْتَ وَلَدَكَ وَزَوْجَتَكَ وَخَادِمَكَ فَهُوَ صَدَقَةٌ
✧ He heard the Prophet ﷺ say: "What you feed yourself is charity. What you feed your child, your wife, and your servant is charity."
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ خَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ مَا بَقَّى غِنًى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ تَقُولُ امْرَأَتُكَ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ طَلِّقْنِي وَيَقُولُ مَمْلُوكُكَ أَنْفِقْ عَلَيَّ أَوْ بِعْنِي وَيَقُولُ وَلَدُكَ إِلَى مَنْ تَكِلُنَا
✧ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The best charity is that which leaves wealth, and the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Begin with those you support. Your wife says: 'Spend on me or divorce me.' Your slave says: 'Spend on me or sell me.' Your child says: 'To whom will you entrust us?'"
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدِي دِينَارٌ قَالَ أَنْفِقْهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ قَالَ عِنْدِي آخَرُ قَالَ أَنْفِقْهُ عَلَى زَوْجَتِكَ قَالَ عِنْدِي آخَرُ قَالَ أَنْفِقْهُ عَلَى خَادِمِكَ ثُمَّ أَنْتَ أَبْصَرُ
✧ From Abū Hurayrah: he said: The Prophet ﷺ commanded giving charity. A man said, "I have a dinar." He said, "Spend it on yourself." He said, "I have another." He said, "Spend it on your wife." He said, "I have another." He said, "Spend it on your servant." Then he said, "You know best."
عَنْ خَادِمِ الرَّجُلِ إِذَا كَفَاهُ الْمَشَقَّةَ وَالْحَرَّ أَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ يَدْعُوهُ؟ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَإِنْ كَرِهَ أَحَدُكُمْ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَهُ فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ أُكْلَةً فِي يَدِهِ
✧ About the servant of a man: when he has spared him hardship and heat, did the Prophet ﷺ command that he invite him? He said: Yes. If any of you dislikes eating with him, let him feed him a morsel in his hand.
سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ يَقُولُ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُوصِي بِالْمَمْلُوكِينَ خَيْرًا وَيَقُولُ أَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ وَأَلْبِسُوهُمْ مِنْ لَبُوسِكُمْ وَلاَ تُعَذِّبُوا خَلْقَ اللهِ
✧ I heard Jabir b. ʿAbdullah say: The Prophet ﷺ used to enjoin good treatment of slaves and say: Feed them from what you eat and clothe them from your clothing, and do not torment God's creation.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمْ خَادِمُهُ بِطَعَامِهِ فَلْيُجْلِسْهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْبَلْ فَلْيُنَاوِلْهُ مِنْهُ
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, "When one of your servants brings you food, he should sit with him. If you do not accept that, then you should give it to him.'"
قَالَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ أَوْ قَالَ لَحَا اللَّهُ قَوْمًا يَرْغَبُونَ عَنْ أَرِقَّائِهِمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلُوا مَعَهُمْ فَقَالَ صَفْوَانُ أَمَا وَاللَّهِ مَا نَرْغَبُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَكِنَّا نَسْتَأْثِرُ عَلَيْهِمْ لاَ نَجْدُ وَاللَّهِ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ الطِّيبِ مَا نَأْكُلُ وَنُطْعِمُهُمْ
Abu Mahdhura said, "I was sitting with 'Umar when Safwan ibn Umayya brought him a bowl which some people were carrying in a robe. They set it down in front of 'Umar. 'Umar then invited some poor people and some slaves belonging to the people around him and they ate with him. Then he aid, 'Allah will do a people - or else he said, 'Allah will curse a people' - who dislike having their slaves eat with them.' Safwan said, 'By Allah, we do not dislike them, but we prefer ourselves to them, and by Allah, we do not find good food which we can eat and feed it to them as well.'"
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا نَصَحَ لِسَيِّدِهِ وَأَحْسَنَ عِبَادَةَ رَبِّهِ لَهُ أَجْرُهُ مَرَّتَيْنِ
✧ The Messenger of God ﷺ said: When a slave gives sincere counsel to his master and worships his Lord well, he has his reward twice.
قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِعَامِرٍ الشَّعْبِيِّ يَا أَبَا عَمْرٍو إِنَّا نَتَحَدَّثُ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا أَعْتَقَ أُمَّ وَلَدِهِ ثُمَّ تَزَوَّجَهَا كَانَ كَالرَّاكِبِ بَدَنَتَهُ فَقَالَ عَامِرٌ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بُرْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ثَلاَثَةٌ لَهُمْ أَجْرَانِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ آمَنَ بِنَبِيِّهِ وَآمَنَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ وَالْعَبْدُ الْمَمْلُوكُ إِذَا أَدَّى حَقَّ اللهِ وَحَقَّ مَوَالِيهِ وَرَجُلٌ كَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ أَمَةٌ يَطَأهَا فَأَدَّبَهَا فَأَحْسَنَ تَأْدِيبَهَا وَعَلَّمَهَا فَأَحْسَنَ تَعْلِيمَهَا ثُمَّ أَعْتَقَهَا فَتَزَوَّجَهَا فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ قَالَ عَامِرٌ أَعْطَيْنَاكَهَا بِغَيْرِ شَيْءٍ وَقَدْ كَانَ يَرْكَبُ فِيمَا دُونَهَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ
✧ A man said to ʿĀmir al-Shaʿbī: O Abū ʿAmr, we tell among ourselves that when a man frees his umm walad and then marries her, he is like one who mounts his own sacrificial camel. ʿĀmir said: Abū Burda reported to me from his father: The Messenger of God ﷺ said to them: Three have two rewards: a man from the People of the Book who believes in his prophet and believes in Muhammad ﷺ, so he has two rewards; a slave owned by a master when he fulfills the right of God and the right of his masters; and a man who has a slave woman whom he has intercourse with, and he teaches her good manners, so he excels in teaching her manners, and teaches her knowledge, so he excels in teaching her, then frees her and marries her, so he has two rewards. ʿĀmir said: We have given it to you for nothing, though he used to ride for anything less than it to Madinah.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَمْلُوكُ الَّذِي يُحْسِنُ عِبَادَةَ رَبِّهِ وَيُؤَدِّي إِلَى سَيِّدِهِ الَّذِي فُرِضَ الطَّاعَةُ وَالنَّصِيحَةُ لَهُ أَجْرَانِ
✧ The Messenger of God ﷺ said: The slave who worships his Lord well and fulfills for his master the obedience and sincere counsel that is due to him has two rewards.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَمْلُوكُ لَهُ أَجْرَانِ إِذَا أَدَّى حَقَّ اللهِ فِي عِبَادَتِهِ أَوْ قَالَ فِي حُسْنِ عِبَادَتِهِ وَحَقَّ مَلِيكِهِ الَّذِي يَمْلِكُهُ
✧ The Messenger of God ﷺ said: The slave has two rewards when he fulfills the right of God in his worship—or he said in good worship of Him—and the right of his owner who owns him.
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَهُوَ مَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْؤُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّجُلِ رَاعٍ عَلَى مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْؤُولٌ عَنْهُ أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْؤُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ
✧ The Messenger of God ﷺ said: Every one of you is a shepherd, and every one of you is responsible for his flock. The ruler over the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is a shepherd over his household and is responsible for his flock. A man's slave is a shepherd over his master's property and is responsible for it. Indeed, every one of you is a shepherd, and every one of you is responsible for his flock.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ مَوْلَى عَائِشَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ الْعَبْدُ إِذَا أَطَاعَ سَيِّدَهُ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَإِذَا عَصَى سَيِّدَهُ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
✧ From ʿAbdullah b. Saʿd, the freedman of ʿĀʾishah, the Prophet's wife ﷺ: I heard Abū Hurayrah say: When the slave obeys his master, he has obeyed God, Mighty and Majestic; and when he disobeys his master, he has disobeyed God, Mighty and Majestic.
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُسْلِمُ إِذَا أَدَّى حَقَّ اللهِ وَحَقَّ سَيِّدِهِ لَهُ أَجْرَانِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ بِيَدِهِ لَوْلاَ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ وَالْحَجُّ وَبِرُّ أُمِّي لَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَمُوتَ مَمْلُوكًا
✧ The Messenger of God ﷺ said: When the Muslim slave fulfills the right of God and the right of his master, he has two rewards. By the One in whose hand is Abū Hurayrah's soul, were it not for striving in God's path, the Hajj, and dutifulness to my mother, I would have loved to die as a slave.
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ يَقُلْ أَحَدُكُمْ عَبْدِي أَمَتِي كُلُّكُمْ عَبِيدُ اللهِ وَكُلُّ نِسَائِكُمْ إِمَاءُ اللهِ وَلْيَقُلْ غُلاَمِي جَارِيَتِي وَفَتَايَ وَفَتَاتِي
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ: None of you should say 'my slave' (ʿabdī) or 'my slave girl' (amatī). All of you are slaves of God, and all your women are slave women of God. Rather let him say 'my boy' (ghulāmī), 'my girl' (jāriyatī), 'my lad' (fatāya), and 'my lass' (fatātī).
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ عَبْدِي وَأَمَتِي وَلاَ يَقُولَنَّ الْمَمْلُوكُ رَبِّي وَرَبَّتِي وَلْيَقُلْ فَتَايَ وَفَتَاتِي وَسَيِّدِي وَسَيِّدَتِي كُلُّكُمْ مَمْلُوكُونَ وَالرَّبُّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
✧ From the Prophet ﷺ: None of you should say 'my slave' (ʿabdī) or 'my slave girl' (amatī), nor should the slave say 'my lord' (rabbī) or 'my lady' (rabbatī). Let him say 'my lad' (fatāya) and 'my lass' (fatātī), and 'my master' (sayyidī) and 'my mistress' (sayyidatī). All of you are owned, and the Lord is God, Mighty and Majestic.
قَالَ أَبِي انْطَلَقْتُ فِي وَفْدِ بَنِي عَامِرٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالُوا أَنْتَ سَيِّدُنَا قَالَ السَّيِّدُ اللَّهُ قَالُوا وَأَفْضَلُنَا فَضْلاً وَأَعْظَمُنَا طَوْلاً قَالَ فَقَالَ قُولُوا بِقَوْلِكُمْ وَلاَ يَسْتَجْرِيَنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ
✧ My father said: I set out in the delegation of Banū ʿĀmir to the Prophet ﷺ, and they said: You are our master (sayyidunā). He said: The Master is God. They said: And the best of us in excellence and the greatest of us in bounty. He said: Say what you say, but do not let Satan make you follow him.