Maintenance, and a Slave’s Rights - Section 1

English translation

‘A’isha told that Hind daughter of ‘Utba said, “Messenger of God, Abu Sufyan is a niggardly man who does not give me and my son enough; except what I take from him without his knowledge.” He replied, “Take what is enough for you and your son to the extent recognised by the law.”* * <i>Bil ma’roof</i>.This is what is generally recognised as reasonable. The amount would vary according to the circumstances of the people. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

English translation

Jabir b. Samura reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When God prospers any of you he should spend first on himself and his family.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A slave is entitled to his food and clothing, and he should have imposed on him only such work as he is capable of doing.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God has put your brethren under your authority, so he who has his brother put under his authority by God must feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and not impose on him work which is too much for him, but if he does so he must help him with it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

English translation

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told that a steward of his came to him and he asked him whether he had given the slaves their food. When he replied that he had not, he told him to go and give it to them, for God’s Messenger had said, “It is a serious enough fault for a man to withhold his food from one whom he possesses.” A version has, “It is a serious enough fault for a man to destroy one he is bound to sustain.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When anyone’s servant prepares his food and brings it to him after being near its heat and smoke, he should make him sit down with him and eat; but if the company is large* and the food small in quantity he should put one or two mouthfuls of it in his hand.” * <i>Mashfuhan qalil'an</i>. The word <i>mashfuhan</i> is applied either to food which is small in quantity, or to food which is being partaken of by a number of people. The latter meaning obviously applies here as it is followed by <i>qalil</i> (small in quantity); but some people understand <i>mashfuh</i> here as 'small in quantity’ followed by <i>qalil</i> expressing the same meaning. Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When a slave acts sincerely towards his master and worships God well, he has a double reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

English translation

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, “How excellent it is for a slave to be taken in death by God when worshipping his Lord well and obeying his master! How excellent it is for him!” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

English translation

Jarir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When a slave runs away his prayer is not accepted.” In a version on his authority he said, “If any slave runs away protection does not apply to him.” In another version on his authority he said, “If any slave runs away from his masters he has become an infidel till he returns to them.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Huraira told that he heard Abul Qasim (i.e. the Prophet) say, “If any one reviles his slave when he is innocent of what he said, he will be beaten on the day of resurrection, unless it is as he said.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

English translation

Ibn ‘Umar told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “If anyone beats a servant for an offence he did not commit, or slaps him, the atonement due from him is to set him free.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari said:

When I was beatinig a servant of mine I heard a voice behind me saying, “Know, Abu Mas'ud, that God has more power over you than you have over him.” On turning round and seeing that it was God’s Messenger, I said, “Messenger of God, he is free for God’s sake.” He replied, “If you had not done it the fire would have burned you,” or, “the fire would have touched you.” Muslim transmitted it.

English translation

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather told of a man coming to the Prophet (ﷺ) and saying, “I have property and my father is in need of my property.” He replied, “You and your property belong to your father. Your children are among the finest things you acquire. Eat of what your children acquire.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

English translation

On his father’s authority he said his grandfather told of a man coming to the Prophet (ﷺ) and saying, “I am poor with no possessions and I have an orphan to care for.” He replied, “Eat from your orphan’s property, provided you are not extravagant, or take anything before you need it, or store up any of it.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

English translation

Umm Salama told that the Prophet (ﷺ) was saying during his illness, “Maintain the prayer and care for your slaves.” Baihaqi transmitted it in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>, and Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted something similar on the authority of ‘Ali.

English translation

Abu Bakr <i>as-Siddiq</i> reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “One who treats badly those under his authority will not enter paradise.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

English translation

Rafi‘ b. Makith reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Treating those under one’s authority well produces prosperity, but an evil nature produces evil fortune.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, but only in <i>al-Masabih</i> have I seen the additional words, “<i>Sadaqa</i> guards against an evil type of death and kindness lengthens life.”

English translation

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you beats his servant and he makes mention of God, you must stop beating him.” Tirmidhi and Baihaqi, in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>, transmitted it, but the latter has, “he should stop” instead of “you must stop beating him.”

English translation

Abu Ayyub told of hearing God’s Messenger say, “If anyone separates a mother from her child, God will separate him from his friends on the day of resurrection.” Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

English translation

‘Ali said:

God’s Messenger presented me with two youths who were brothers, and when I sold one of them God’s Messenger asked me, “What has happened to your young man, ‘Ali?” When I told him he said, “Get him back, get him back.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

English translation

He said he separated a slave girl from her child, but when the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade him to do that he cancelled the transaction. Abu Dawud transmitted it with a break in the <i>isnad</i>.

English translation

Jabir reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “If anyone possesses three characteristics God will give him an easy death and bring him into His paradise:

gentleness towards the weak, affection towards parents, and kindness to slaves.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a <i>gharib</i> tradition.

English translation

Abu Umama told that God’s Messenger gave ‘Ali a youth and said, “Do not beat him, for I have been prohibited from beating people who observe the prayer, and I have seen him praying.” This is the wording in <i>al-Masabih</i>.

English translation

In <i>al-Mujtaba</i> by Daraqutni ‘Umar b. al-Khattab is reported as saying, “God’s Messenger forbade us to beat people who observe the prayers.”

English translation

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told that a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “Messenger of God, how often shall I forgive a servant?” He gave no reply, so the man repeated what he had said, but he still kept silence. When he asked a third time he replied, “Forgive him (The verb is in the plural) seventy times daily.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, but Tirmidhi transmitted it from 'Abdallah b. ‘Amr.