Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c16.10

c16.10

Abode in such a Paradise of carnal image, says Gibbon, was the reward of the faithful in the next world. In this world Muhammad encouraged the Muslims to take slave women without restraint. From very early period Muhammad admitted slave girls to be lawful concubines, besides ordinary wives. Bond-women with whom cohabitation is thus permitted are here specified by the same phrase as was afterwards used for female slaves taken captive in war, or obtained by purchase, viz. *that which your right hand possesses*. (It was) an inducement to fight in the hope of capturing women who would then be lawful concubines.¹² Margoliouth working with the same scriptural source materials, also avers that It was then [early years of publicity of Islam] too, that coveting the goods and wives (possessed by Unbelievers) was avowed without discouragement from the Prophet.¹³