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.
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.
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.