The Quran prohibited slavery along with prohibiting its root causes
The Quran unreservedly prohibited enslavement of POWs (prisoners of war): It is beyond the dignity of a prophet to hold any captives except temporarily during warfare in the land. 8:67. They must be freed at the conclusion of hostilities, or even during the war, “either by an act of kindness or against ransom until the war ends (47:4)”, and there is no other option to keep them.
Then the Quran also prohibited bonded-slavery by prohibiting its root causes, i.e., exploitation (4:58, 4:135, 5:8, 11:85, 16:90, 55:7-9) and usury (2:261-281, 3:130-134, 4:161-162, 30:38-39). The latter creates bonded-slavery since the initial loan/bond with exorbitant returns is often impossible to be repaid back. This bonded-slavery further leads to chattel-slavery, where future generations of the bonded-slave become chattel-slaves, to be traded like a commodity (chattel).
Thus the Quran prohibited slavery1 along with prohibiting its root causes such as forced-slavery, which is a result of war and occupation, and bonded-slavery, which is a result of debt due to exploitation and usury and which leads to chattel-slavery because of birth into a slave family.
The Quran envisioned slavery as a mere historical phenomenon that must be abolished
Obviously, one cannot keep or buy a slave, without getting engaged, directly or by proxy, in Quranically prohibited conducts like force, exploitation or usury. Thus, while freeing the existing slaves is strongly encouraged in multiple verses (2:177, 9:60, 4:92, 5:89, 5:90, 24:33, 58:3-4, 90:8-18), there can be no new slaves for the Believers once the Quran has spoken.
The Quran continuously says: FREE THE SLAVES
The Quran acknowledges freedom from bondage as an incontestable right of every human (24:33). It describes freeing of a neck from slavery as a greatest virtue (2:177), an act of obligatory charity (9:60) and the better ascending path towards moral progress (90:8-18). In addition, it prescribes manumission as a method of expiation or redemption of a wrongdoing (4:92, 5:89, 58:4): e.g., as atonement in a case of manslaughter (4:92) or as expiation of one’s breaking of an oath (5:89; cf. 58:4).
The Quran totally rejects the concept of slavery itself by describing it as idol worship and the greatest crime, while asking to break all the shackles of mental slavery too
The most fundamental teaching of the Quran is that subservience is only and only for God alone and not to anyone or anything (You alone we serve, and You alone we seek for help. 1:5; cf. 6:162-163). So, claiming to be the lord or master of someone is equivalent to claiming to be a god (12:39-40, 3:64, 3:79, 9:31). For example: It is not conceivable for a human unto whom God has given the Book, the wisdom and the prophethood that he should afterwards say to the people: ‘Be slaves of me instead of God’ … 3:79. Thus, apart from condemning all forms of physical slavery, the Quran also asks to break all the shackles of mental slavery as it totally rejects and attacks the very concept of slavery itself by equating it to shirk, i.e., setting up partners to God, which is otherwise considered as the greatest crime in Islam (1:5, 2:286, 3:79, 4:3, 4:25, 4:92, 5:89, 8:67, 12:39-42, 24:32-33, 47:4, 58:3, 90:13, 79:24).
The Quran describes the ascent or way of progress as freeing ‘the neck’ from all shackles
A central focus in Islam is on freedom of humans from all shackles. This becomes clear when we note that the Quranic imagery of hell includes iron chains and yokes (25:13-14, 34:33, 40:71, 69:30-32, 76:4). Thus the Quran describes the ascent or way of progress as ‘freeing the neck’, i.e. emancipating oneself and others from all sorts of bondage: physical, mental and moral, and from all social, economic or political oppression by establishing the Deen (System) where there is no master other than God (2:177, 9:60, 90:8-18): Do you know which the better path is?/ The freeing of one’s neck. 90:12-13.
In view of the above, owning any slave, including sex slaves and concubines, violates the Quranic spirit and is therefore against Islam.
“Those with whom you have contractual rights” (ma malakat aymanukum, MMA) doesn’t mean slaves
Since there is no slavery in Islam, the Quran never use the derogatory word ‘slaves’ (riqab, slave, neck; r-q-b, rqb) for war captives but rather include them in the respectable, wider category “those with whom you have contractual rights” (Ma malakat aymanukum, MMA) as a reminder to the Believers of their responsibility to them. Now, often translated as “your right hands”, the phrase aymanukum (Ma malakat aymanukum) in classical Arabic linguistics meant oath, pledge, or something to be sworn by. For instance, Arabs use the phrase “by God’s right hand” (yamin allah) to swear an oath. A Believer’s right hand possession is what God has entrusted them with, a responsibility of taking care of someone. So, often literally translated as “What your right hands possess”, Ma malakat aymanukum or MMA actually means “those with whom you have contractual rights” and are people who depend on you for their provision, security and wellbeing. These may include one’s own spouse (4:3, 33:50), a partner with whom one has a committed relationship (23:5-7, 70:29-31) as well as any underprivileged person under one’s care (4:24-25, 4:36, 16:71, 24:31-33, 24:58, 30:28, 33:55). MMA in the latter sense often refers to non-Muslim male and female war captives, including those women who fled their non-Muslim husbands, who were captured in a holy war and subsequently came under the care of the Believers (4:24, 60:10)2. Finally, since the institution of slavery is envisioned in the Quran as a mere historical phenomenon that must in time be abolished, MMA may be understood in modern context as referring to one’s close dependants of either sex, including domestic support workers. Also see: Women and men in your care: ma malakat Aymanukum.
The Quran never allowed extramarital, or non-committed, sexual relationship with female captives or MMA’s
People were not allowed to have sexual relationship with female captives or MMA’s without marriage or commitment (see What is nikah), since the commandment was: You shall ‘marry’ them with the permission of their family and give them their bridal-due in kindness, making them women in wedlock, not prostitutes (musafiḥatin) or takers of secret lovers (akhdanin). 4:25. Any such relationship is incompatible with the very spirit of the Quran’s message, which vividly encourages manumission (90:12-13) and the ‘marrying’ of freed ‘slaves’ (4:25), and which forbids the Believers to compel ‘slave girls’ to prostitution (24:33). Thus, while the Quran strongly encourages people to seek chastity, not lewdness (5:5), it never allowed extramarital, or non-committed, sexual relationship with disadvantaged women (4:24-25).
Final thoughts
The Quran prohibited slavery along with prohibiting its root causes such as forced-slavery, which is a result of war and occupation, and bonded-slavery, which is a result of debt due to exploitation and usury. Slavery is envisioned in the Quran as a mere historical phenomenon and a major crime that must be abolished. Apart from condemning all physical forms of slavery – which by definition includes all forms of modern day slavery3 – the Quran also asks to break all the shackles of mental slavery.
Related article: The Quran never allowed rape of female captives
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Note 1
The Quran, due to the then reality, didn’t abolish or prohibit slavery with immediate effect. A large number of people in the 7th century Arabia were slaves who were fed, clothed and housed by their owners. If the Quran was to abolish or prohibit slavery with immediate effect, this would have caused grave socio-economic problems. So, abolishing slavery had to be done in a gradual manner. Then, following from that, it would be unrighteous for any Believer to buy a slave after the Quran had spoken, for this would be to act opposing the messenger’s call. For those who already owned slaves before the Quran was revealed they were advised to free their slaves at the earliest opportunity. In time, through the gradual freeing of slaves and no further buying of slaves, the practice of slavery would be abolished without causing catastrophic effects upon the community. Clearly, all slavery still found in a later period was in direct violation to the Quran. Slavery, however, was not the only practice that was treated as such by the Quran. We find that some other abhorrent practices were also deemed by the Quran to be abolished gradually and not immediately. The reason is the same as with slavery: the damage caused by an immediate abolishing would outweigh the benefits. As a result, and as with the issue of slavery, the Quran allowed an unrighteous practice to continue for a while. For example, it allowed some existing, wrong marriages that happened in the past to continue and not break up, such as marriage to previous wives of the father (4:22) and marriage to two sisters (4:23).
Note 2
Question: If MMA’s during the time of the Prophet were not considered or treated as slaves, then what was their social status and what ultimately happened with them? Answer: Here is a short but well-written note by Rezaul Haque on “those with whom you have contractual rights”: “The Arabic term MMA ‘Ma Malakat Aymanukum’ has been translated as ‘What your right hands possess’ and some translators have translated as ‘whom you rightfully possess’, as is seen in the verses 4:3, 4:24 and 30:28 in the Quran. In religious context, it means responsibility, or duty you (the Believers) are entrusted with. Any war is devastating; sadly, it will continue to exist until the end of time. So, Islam gave the treatment of the POWs a humane touch. After exchange of POWs the remaining captives would be distributed among the Believers to be treated humanely, as a member of the family – not as a slave; all possible efforts are to be extended so that they could assimilate into the society. Besides, freeing slaves is declared as one of the highest levels of piety in the Quran. Female war captives would be provided sustenance, protection and education. ‘Masters’ could marry them too, or to be married off to others, but with their full consent, and with an agreed upon dowry; or to be freed outright. They would not be sex slaves as is popularly believed. As such you see many verses of the Quran that says – if you cannot marry a free woman then marry a slave girl. Since there is no slavery in Islam, God didn’t use the derogatory word ‘slave’ in the Quran. God rather used a new term – ‘what your right hand posses’ in the Quran, as a reminder to the Believers of their responsibility to them.”
Note 3
Question: Do any MMC country address modern slavery, e.g., kafala? Or are they the most guilty of modern slavery outside the modern democracies of the civilized West? Answer: Kafala is a prominent form of modern day slavery in Muslim-majority countries (MMC). This so-called sponsorship system originally arose from growing demand in Gulf economies for cheap labour, and the desperation of many migrants in search of work and the opportunity to send money home to their families. The system, however, creates a power dynamic, which enables companies, employers and private citizens in Jordan, Lebanon, and most Arab Gulf countries almost total control over migrant workers’ employment and immigration status. The workers are not protected by law against basic labour abuses and they are subject to deportation if they speak out about their conditions. Qatar, as a good example for MMC countries, finally addressed this form of modern slavery as it disbanded its kafala system and implemented an “evidence-based minimum wage law that applies to all nationalities”. It has also eliminated the exit visa requirement for all workers, which previously stipulated that foreign workers must obtain a no objection certificate (NOC) from their employer to change their job or leave the country. Though the overall improvement is still very slow, it is now imperative that other Middle Eastern states follow Qatar’s lead and change the things in a better direction.
Lamp of Islam 