Maintenance, and a Slave’s Rights - Section 1

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Feed those of your slaves who please you from what you eat and clothe them from what you clothe yourselves, but sell those who do not please you and do not punish God’s creatures.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ لَاءَمَكُمْ مِنْ مَمْلُوكِيكُمْ فَأَطْعِمُوهُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ وَاكْسُوهُ مِمَّا تَكْسُونَ وَمَنْ لَا يُلَائِمُكُمْ مِنْهُمْ فَبِيعُوهُ وَلَا تُعَذِّبُوا خَلَقَ اللَّهِ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَأَبُو دَاوُد

Sahl b. al-Hanzaliya told of God’s Messenger coming upon an emaciated camel and saying, “Fear God regarding these dumb animals. Ride them when they are in good condition and let them free when they are in good condition.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن سهلِ بنِ الحَنظلِيَّةِ قَالَ: مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِبَعِيرٍ قَدْ لَحِقَ ظَهْرُهُ بِبَطْنِهِ فَقَالَ: «اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِي هَذِهِ الْبَهَائِمِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ فَارْكَبُوهَا صَالِحَة واترُكوها صَالِحَة» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Ibn ‘Abbas said:

When the words of God most high came down, “Do not come near an orphan’s property except to improve it,” (Al-Qur’an 6:152) and “Those who devour unjustly the property of orphans. . .” (Al-Qur’an 4:10) those who were in charge of an orphan went and separated their food and drink from his, and if any of the orphan’s food or drink was left over they kept it for him until he ate it or it went bad. Finding that a burden, they mentioned the matter to God’s Messenger, and God most high sent down, “And they ask you about orphans. Say, to set things right for them is good, and if you intermix with them they are your brethren” (Al-Qur’an 2:220). They then mixed their food and their drink with theirs. Abu Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: لَمَّا نَزَلَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى (وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أحسن) وَقَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: (إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ الْيَتَامَى ظُلْمًا) الْآيَةَ انْطَلَقَ مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ يَتِيمٌ فَعَزَلَ طَعَامه من طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ مِنْ شَرَابِهِ فَإِذَا فَضَلَ مِنْ طَعَامِ الْيَتِيمِ وَشَرَابِهِ شَيْءٌ حُبِسَ لَهُ حَتَّى يَأْكُلَهُ أَوْ يَفْسُدَ فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: (وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْيَتَامَى قُلْ: إصْلَاح لَهُم خير وَإِن تخالطوهم فإخوانكم) فَخَلَطُوا طَعَامَهُمْ بِطَعَامِهِمْ وَشَرَابَهُمْ بِشَرَابِهِمْ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

Abu Musa said that God's Messenger cursed those who separated a parent from his child and a brother from his brother. Ibn Majah and Daraqutni transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي مُوسَى قَالَ: لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ الْوَالِدِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَبَيْنَ الْأَخِ وَبَيْنَ أَخِيهِ. رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that when captives were brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) he gave families together through dislike of separating them. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أُتِيَ بِالسَّبْيِ أَعْطَى أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ جَمِيعًا كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يفرق بَينهم. رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Let me tell you who your evil ones are. They are those who eat alone, beat their slaves, and withhold their help.” Razin transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَلَا أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِشِرَارِكُمُ؟ الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ وَحْدَهُ وَيَجْلِدُ عَبْدَهُ وَيَمْنَعُ رِفْدَهُ» . رَوَاهُ رزين

Abu Bakr <i>as-Siddiq</i> reported God’s Messenger as saying, “One who treats badly those under his authority will not enter paradise.” He was asked whether he had not told them that this people had more slaves and orphans than any other, and replied, “Yes, so treat them as generously as you treat your children and give them food out of what you eat.” They then asked what benefit they got out of the world, and he replied, “A horse which you equip to fight on it in God’s path, and a slave who serves you sufficiently; and when he prays he is your brother.” Ibn Majah transmittted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ سَيِّئُ الْمَلَكَةِ» . قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلَيْسَ أَخْبَرْتَنَا أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ أَكْثَرُ الْأُمَمِ مَمْلُوكِينَ وَيَتَامَى؟ قَالَ: «نَعَمْ فَأَكْرِمُوهُمْ كَكَرَامَةِ أَوْلَادِكُمْ وَأَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ» . قَالُوا: فَمَا تنفعنا الدُّنْيَا؟ قَالَ: «فَرَسٌ تَرْتَبِطُهُ تُقَاتِلُ عَلَيْهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَمْلُوكٌ يَكْفِيكَ فَإِذَا صَلَّى فَهُوَ أَخُوكَ» . رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَهْ