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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتابBook of Good Treatment of Servants
بَابُ الْعَفْوِ عَنِ الْخَادِمِChapter: Pardoning the Servant
Hadith 163
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، هُوَ ابْنُ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو غَالِبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ: أَقْبَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَعَهُ غُلامَانِ، فَوَهَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِعَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: ”لَا تَضْرِبْهُ، فَإِنِّي نُهِيتُ عَنْ ضَرْبِ أَهْلِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يُصَلِّي مُنْذُ أَقْبَلْنَا“، وَأَعْطَى أَبَا ذَرٍّ غُلاَمًا، وَقَالَ: ”اسْتَوْصِ بِهِ مَعْرُوفًا“، فَأَعْتَقَهُ، فَقَالَ: ”مَا فَعَلَ؟“ قَالَ: أَمَرْتَنِي أَنْ أَسْتَوْصِي بِهِ خَيْرًا فَأَعْتَقْتُهُ.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came while he had two slaves with him. From among them, he (peace be upon him) gave one to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and advised: "Do not beat him, for I have been forbidden from beating praying (Muslim) slaves, and since he has come to us, I have seen him performing prayer." And one slave was given to Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), and he (peace be upon him) thus advised: "Accept my counsel of goodness regarding him." So he freed him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) inquired: "What did you do with that slave?" He replied: "You commanded me to accept your counsel of good treatment regarding him, so I set him free."
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ At the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mission, most of the Arab economy depended on slaves and slave-girls. They were bought and sold, and their status was no more than that of property and possessions. People treated them even worse than animals. Since it was not possible to abolish the law of slavery altogether, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) maintained it, but strongly encouraged kind treatment of slaves and their emancipation. A person asked him: “O Messenger of Allah! How many times in a day should I forgive my slave?” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) remained silent. Upon being asked a third time, he replied: “Forgive him seventy times every day.” (Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4301)
➋ The status of a servant or employee is not the same as that of a slave, because a slave owns nothing and is not free, whereas an employee is free and can go wherever he wishes, but a slave is not permitted to do so. When kind treatment is commanded for slaves, whose status is that of property, then it is even more necessary to treat employees well, as they hold a higher rank and status than slaves.
➌ Although the concept of slavery has ended, it is possible for it to occur again in the future.
➍ A person who performs prayer (salah) is more deserving of kind treatment than others, because he adheres to the commands of Allah, and thus should be valued. Furthermore, the need to strike a slave arises in order to teach manners or in case of negligence, but a person who observes the rights of Allah will certainly also observe the rights of his master, so undue harshness towards him is impermissible.
➎ Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radi Allahu anhu) freed his slave, because the highest form of kind treatment is to free him from slavery altogether so that he may live a free life, and this is a deed of great resolve.
➏ From this hadith, we learn of the noble character of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), his concern for his subjects, and his kindness and generosity towards the poor and needy.
➊ At the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mission, most of the Arab economy depended on slaves and slave-girls. They were bought and sold, and their status was no more than that of property and possessions. People treated them even worse than animals. Since it was not possible to abolish the law of slavery altogether, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) maintained it, but strongly encouraged kind treatment of slaves and their emancipation. A person asked him: “O Messenger of Allah! How many times in a day should I forgive my slave?” He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) remained silent. Upon being asked a third time, he replied: “Forgive him seventy times every day.” (Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4301)
➋ The status of a servant or employee is not the same as that of a slave, because a slave owns nothing and is not free, whereas an employee is free and can go wherever he wishes, but a slave is not permitted to do so. When kind treatment is commanded for slaves, whose status is that of property, then it is even more necessary to treat employees well, as they hold a higher rank and status than slaves.
➌ Although the concept of slavery has ended, it is possible for it to occur again in the future.
➍ A person who performs prayer (salah) is more deserving of kind treatment than others, because he adheres to the commands of Allah, and thus should be valued. Furthermore, the need to strike a slave arises in order to teach manners or in case of negligence, but a person who observes the rights of Allah will certainly also observe the rights of his master, so undue harshness towards him is impermissible.
➎ Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radi Allahu anhu) freed his slave, because the highest form of kind treatment is to free him from slavery altogether so that he may live a free life, and this is a deed of great resolve.
➏ From this hadith, we learn of the noble character of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), his concern for his subjects, and his kindness and generosity towards the poor and needy.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 163
