A slave: how many women may he marry?

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: A slave may marry only two wives.

Mujahid said: A slave may marry four wives.

And Ata said: (He may marry) two.

Al-Sha'bi said: A slave may marry only two wives.

Ata said: A slave may marry only two wives.

Muhammad (Ibn Sirin) said: It is disliked for a slave to marry more than two wives, whether they are free women or slave-women. The slave's property is his master's property.

Al-Hasan said: A slave may marry only two wives.

Al-Hakam said: If a man permits his slave to have relations with a slave-girl whom he buys, it is a marriage (granted) by the master, and he may not have relations with more than two.

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once asked: "Who knows how many marriages a slave may contract?" A man said: "I know." Sayyiduna Umar asked: "How many marriages may he contract?" He said: "Two." Hearing this, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) fell silent.

Khalid bin Abi Imran said: I asked Salim and al-Qasim how many marriages a slave may contract. They said: "Four."

Al-Hakam said: The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were unanimous that a slave may not contract more than two marriages.

Ibrahim said: A slave may contract more than two marriages.