Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c6.3

c6.3

Prophet Muhammad found slavery existing in Arabia, and recognised it in the Quran. The origins of Muslim slave system can thus be traced to Arabia, the original Muslim homeland, and the regions into which Islam spread. Quranic injunctions, Islamic conquests and Muslim administrative institutions gave it a continuity and legitimacy. According to T.P. Hughes, Slavery is in complete harmony with the spirit of Islam That Muhammad ameliorated the condition of the slave, as it existed under the heathen law of Arabia, we cannot doubt; but it is equally certain that the Arabian legislator intended it to be a permanent institution.⁴ D.S. Margoliouth elaborates on the theme adding that On the whole the Prophet did something to alleviate the existence of the captives manumission was declared by him to be an act of piety and murder or maiming of slaves was to be punished by retaliation.⁵ In one of his last sermons, Muhammad exhorted his followers thus: And your Slaves! See that ye feed them with such food as ye eat yourselves; and clothe them with the stuff ye wear. And if they commit a fault which ye are not inclined to forgive, then sell them, for they are the servants of the Lord, and are not to be tormented.⁶ His first orthodox biographer, Ibn Ishaq, however mentions a transaction which set a precedent for Islamic slave trade at a later, stage: Then the apostle sent Sad b. Zayd Al-Ansari with some of the captive women of B Qurayza to Najd and he sold them for horses and weapons.⁷ The women had been made captive after their menfolk had been slaughtered en masse in the market place at Medina.