Introduction
Slavery remains a contentious issue when examining Islamic teachings. Critics often highlight specific verses from the Quran and narrations from the Hadith that appear to sanction practices such as sexual relations with slaves and their treatment as property. This blog post explores these aspects of slavery in Islam, focusing on key scriptural references and their implications.
Quranic Verses on Sex with Slaves
Quran 23:5-6
The Quran explicitly permits sexual relations with female slaves in the following verse:
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَـٰفِظُونَ ٥ إِلَّا عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ٦
“Who abstain from sex, Except from their wives or those their right hands possess (Female slaves or captives under their ownership), for indeed, they will not be blamed.”
Quran 23:5-6
This verse establishes that Muslim men may engage in sexual relations with their wives and female slaves—referred to as “those their right hands possess”—without incurring blame. The term “right hands possess” is widely understood to denote slaves or captives.
Quran 4:24
The permissibility extends further, allowing sexual relations with married slave women acquired through war:
۞ وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۖ…..
“And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands possess…”
Quran 4:24
The Tafsir Ibn Kathir elaborates:
“Allah said, وَالْمُحْصَنَـتُ مِنَ النِّسَآءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ (Also (forbidden are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess.) The Ayah means, you are prohibited from marrying women who are already married, إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكْتَ أَيْمَـنُكُمْ (except those whom your right hands possess) except those whom you acquire through war, for you are allowed such women after making sure they are not pregnant.”
Tafsir Ibn Kathir
This interpretation is reinforced by Hadith narrations. For instance, Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri recounts:
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ الْقَوَارِيرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، بْنُ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، عَنْ أَبِي عَلْقَمَةَ الْهَاشِمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، الْخُدْرِيِّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ بَعَثَ جَيْشًا إِلَى أَوْطَاسٍ فَلَقُوا عَدُوًّا فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ فَظَهَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَصَابُوا لَهُمْ سَبَايَا فَكَأَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَحَرَّجُوا مِنْ غِشْيَانِهِنَّ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَزْوَاجِهِنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي ذَلِكَ { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ} أَىْ فَهُنَّ لَكُمْ حَلاَلٌ إِذَا انْقَضَتْ عِدَّتُهُنَّ .
“Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported that at the Battle of Hunain Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent an army to Autas and encountered the enemy and fought with them. Having overcome them and taken them captives, the Companions of Allah’s Messenger seemed to refrain from having intercourse with captive women because of their husbands being polytheists. Then Allah, Most High, sent down regarding that: ‘And women already married, except those whom your right hands possess (iv. 24)’ (i.e. they were lawful for them when their ‘Idda period came to an end).”
Sahih Muslim 1456a
A similar narration states:
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، عَنْ أَبِي عَلْقَمَةَ الْهَاشِمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ يَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ بَعْثًا إِلَى أَوْطَاسٍ فَلَقُوا عَدُوَّهُمْ فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ فَظَهَرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَصَابُوا لَهُمْ سَبَايَا فَكَأَنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم تَحَرَّجُوا مِنْ غِشْيَانِهِنَّ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَزْوَاجِهِنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي ذَلِكَ { وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ } أَىْ فَهُنَّ لَهُمْ حَلاَلٌ إِذَا انْقَضَتْ عِدَّتُهُنَّ .
“Abu Sa’id Al Khudri said: ‘The Apostle of Allaah (ﷺ) sent a military expedition to Awtas on the occasion of the battle of Hunain. They met their enemy and fought with them. They defeated them and took them captives. Some of the Companions of Apostle of Allaah (ﷺ) were reluctant to have sexual intercourse with the female captives because of their pagan husbands. So, Allaah the exalted sent down the Qur’anic verse: “And all married women (are forbidden) unto you save those (captives) whom your right hand posses.” This is to say that they are lawful for them when they complete their waiting period.'”
Sunan Abu Dawud 2155
These accounts confirm that the companions interpreted Quran 4:24 as divine approval to engage in sexual relations with married captive women after their waiting period.
Treatment of Slaves as Property
Slaves in Islamic tradition were not only subject to sexual exploitation but were also treated as commodities. The Prophet Muhammad and his companions bought, sold, and gifted slaves, as evidenced by several Hadith.
The Case of Safiyyah
Safiyyah, a captive woman, exemplifies this practice:
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ فِي السَّبْىِ صَفِيَّةُ، فَصَارَتْ إِلَى دَحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ، ثُمَّ صَارَتْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم.
“Narrated Anas: Amongst the captives was Safiya. First she was given to Dihya Al-Kalbi and then to the Prophet.”
Sahih Bukhari 2228
Another narration specifies a transaction:
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عُرْوَةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُمَرَ، حَفْصُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ اشْتَرَى صَفِيَّةَ بِسَبْعَةِ أَرْؤُسٍ . قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ مِنْ دِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ .
“It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet (ﷺ) bought Safiyyah for seven slaves. (One of the narrators) ‘Abdur-Rahman said: ‘From Dihyah Kalbi.'”
Sunan Ibn Majah 2272
These narrations illustrate slaves being traded like goods.
Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) sold slaves of Banu Qurayza:
Tareekh-e-Tabri Volume 2, Part 1 (Urdu Translation) states:
اس کے بعد بنو عبد الاشہل کے سعد بن زید الانصاری کو رسول اللہ کی اسلام نے بنو قریظہ کے لونڈی غلاموں کو دے کر نجد بھیجا تا کہ وہ ان کو بیچ کر اس کی قیمت سے گھوڑے اور اسلحہ خرید لائیں ۔
Thereafter, Sa’d ibn Zayd al-Ansari of the Banu Abdul Ashhal was sent by the Messenger of Allah to Najd with the male and female slaves of the Banu Qurayza, so that he could sell them and buy horses and weapons with the proceeds.
Selling Mothers of Children
Even slave women who bore children to their masters were sold:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ كُنَّا نَبِيعُ سَرَارِينَا وَأُمَّهَاتِ أَوْلاَدِنَا وَالنَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِينَا حَىٌّ لاَ نَرَى بِذَلِكَ بَأْسًا .
“Jabir bin `Abdullah was heard to say: ‘We used to sell our slave women and the mothers of our children (Umahat Awaldina) when the Prophet (ﷺ) was still living among us, and we did not see anything wrong with that.'”
Sunan Ibn Majah 2517
This practice underscores the commodification of slaves, even those with familial ties to their owners.
Discouragement of freeing the slaves:
Some people claim that Islam encouraged freeing of slaves. While it may be partially true, on many occasions Muhammad discouraged or even cancelled the freeing of slaves.
A man freed a slave and he had no other property than that, so the Prophet (ﷺ) canceled the manumission (and sold the slave for him). Nu’aim bin Al-Nahham bought the slave from him.
Sahih Bukhari 2415
Narrated Kuraib:
the freed slave of Ibn `Abbas, that Maimuna bint Al-Harith told him that she manumitted a slave-girl without taking the permission of the Prophet. On the day when it was her turn to be with the Prophet, she said, “Do you know, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), that I have manumitted my slave-girl?” He said, “Have you really?” She replied in the affirmative. He said, “You would have got more reward if you had given her (i.e. the slave-girl) to one of your maternal uncles.”
Sahih Bukhari 2592
Freeing Slaves: A Hollow Defense for Sex Slavery
Muslim apologists love to trot out “freeing slaves” as proof Islam was kind to the enslaved. Take Surah Al-Maidah 5:89:
“Allāh will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave.”
Quran 5:89
Sounds noble, right? Wrong. Dig into Tafsir Ibn Kathir:
“Allah’s statement, أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ (or free a slave) refers to freeing a believing slave. In the Muwatta’ of Malik, the Musnad of Ash-Shafii and the Sahih of Muslim, a lengthy Hadith was recorded that Umar bin Al-Hakam As-Sulami said that he once had to free a slave (as atonement) and he brought a black slave girl before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who asked her: ‘Where is Allah?’ She said, ‘Above the heavens.’ He said, ‘Who am I?’ She said, ‘The Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Free her, for she is a believer.‘”
Only Muslim slaves count. Non-Muslims? Nope. Allah’s bias is glaring: freedom’s a privilege for his fan club, not the infidels. Islam didn’t kill slavery; it polished it with rules and kept it rolling.
Raids and capturing slaves
Some apologists claim that only those people were made slaves who “actively fought” against muslims and lost the battle. This notion is incorrect. Unususpecting people were raided and captured too
I wrote to Nafi’ inquiring from him whether it was necessary to extend (to the disbelievers) an invitation to accept (Islam) before meeting them in fight. He wrote (in reply) to me that it was necessary in the early days of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made a raid upon Banu Mustaliq while they were unaware and their cattle were having a drink at the water. He killed those who fought and imprisoned others. On that very day, he captured Juwairiya bint al-Harith. Nafi’ said that this tradition was related to him by Abdullah b. Umar who (himself) was among the raiding troops. – Sahih Muslim 1730a
Muhammad sanctioned murdering slave over verbal insults:
`A blind man had a slave-mother who used to abuse the Prophet (ﷺ) and disparage him. He forbade her but she did not stop. He rebuked her but she did not give up her habit. One night she began to slander the Prophet (ﷺ) and abuse him. So he took a dagger, placed it on her belly, pressed it, and killed her. A child who came between her legs was smeared with the blood that was there. When the morning came, the Prophet (ﷺ) was informed about it.
He assembled the people and said: I adjure by Allah the man who has done this action and I adjure him by my right to him that he should stand up. Jumping over the necks of the people and trembling the man stood up.
He sat before the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: Messenger of Allah! I am her master; she used to abuse you and disparage you. I forbade her, but she did not stop, and I rebuked her, but she did not abandon her habit. I have two sons like pearls from her, and she was my companion. Last night she began to abuse and disparage you. So I took a dagger, put it on her belly and pressed it till I killed her.
Thereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Oh be witness, no retaliation is payable for her blood.`
— Sunan Abi Dawud 4361
Implications and Modern Critique
These scriptural references present a view of slavery in Islam that clashes with modern human rights standards. The sanctioning of sexual relations with slaves, including married women, and the treatment of humans as property raise profound ethical questions. While historical context might explain these practices, their endorsement in religious texts challenges contemporary notions of consent, dignity, and equality.
Conclusion
The Quran and Hadith provide clear evidence that slavery, including sex slavery, was permitted and practiced in early Islam. Verses like 23:5-6 and 4:24, alongside Hadith narrations, depict a system where slaves were sexually accessible and traded as property. These teachings invite critical reflection, particularly when viewed through a modern lens.