موطا امام مالك رواية يحييٰ
Muwatta Imam Malik (Riwayat Yahya)
كتاب المكاتبBook: On the Explanation of Mukatib (Contracted Slave)
بَابُ الْقَضَاءِ فِي الْمُكَاتَبِ
Chapter on legal rulings regarding the mukatab (contracted slave)
Hadith 1293
حَدَّثَنِي مَالِك، عَنْ نَافِعٍ ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ ، كَانَ يَقُولُ : " الْمُكَاتَبُ عَبْدٌ مَا بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كِتَابَتِهِ شَيْءٌ "
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say: The mukatab slave will remain a slave as long as anything from the price of his contract of manumission remains due.
Hadith 1294
وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِك أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ، أَنَّ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ ، وَسُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ يَسَارٍ ، كَانَا يَقُولَانِ : " الْمُكَاتَبُ عَبْدٌ مَا بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كِتَابَتِهِ شَيْءٌ "
Hazrat Urwah bin Zubair and Sulaiman bin Yasar used to say: A mukatab is a slave as long as anything from the amount agreed upon in the contract of emancipation remains due upon him.
Hadith 1294B1
قَالَ مَالِك : وَهُوَ رَأْيِي . قَالَ مَالِك : فَإِنْ هَلَكَ الْمُكَاتَبُ وَتَرَكَ مَالًا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ كِتَابَتِهِ، وَلَهُ وَلَدٌ وُلِدُوا فِي كِتَابَتِهِ أَوْ كَاتَبَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَرِثُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الْمَالِ بَعْدَ قَضَاءِ كِتَابَتِهِ
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is my opinion. Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a mukatab dies leaving behind more wealth than his price of emancipation, and leaves behind children who were born during his state of kitabah or were included in the contract of kitabah, then first the price of emancipation will be paid from his wealth, and whatever remains after that will be inherited by the mukatab’s children.
Hadith 1295
وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِك، عَنْ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ الْمَكِّيِّ، أَنّ مُكَاتَبًا كَانَ لِابْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، هَلَكَ بِمَكَّةَ وَتَرَكَ عَلَيْهِ بَقِيَّةً مِنْ كِتَابَتِهِ وَدُيُونًا لِلنَّاسِ وَتَرَكَ ابْنَتَهُ، فَأَشْكَلَ عَلَى عَامِلِ مَكَّةَ الْقَضَاءُ فِيهِ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ: " أَنْ ابْدَأْ بِدُيُونِ النَّاسِ، ثُمَّ اقْضِ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ كِتَابَتِهِ، ثُمَّ اقْسِمْ مَا بَقِيَ مِنْ مَالِهِ بَيْنَ ابْنَتِهِ وَمَوْلَاهُ " .¤
It is narrated from Humaid bin Qais Makki that a mukatab, Ibn Mutawakkil, died in Makkah, and some of the price of his manumission was still due, and he also owed debts to people, and he left behind a daughter. The governor of Makkah found it difficult to decide in this matter, so he wrote to Abdul Malik bin Marwan. Abdul Malik replied: First pay off the debts owed to people, then pay whatever remains of the price of manumission, and after that, whatever is left should be divided between his daughter and his mawla.
Hadith 1295B1
قَالَ مَالِك: الْأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَلَى سَيِّدِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يُكَاتِبَهُ إِذَا سَأَلَهُ ذَلِكَ، وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ أَكْرَهَ رَجُلًا عَلَى أَنْ يُكَاتِبَ عَبْدَهُ، وَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ بَعْضَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ إِذَا سُئِلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى، يَقُولُ:« فَكَاتِبُوهُمْ إِنْ عَلِمْتُمْ فِيهِمْ خَيْرًا » (سورة النور آية 33 )، «يَتْلُو هَاتَيْنِ الْآيَتَيْنِ وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُوا» (سورة المائدة آية 2)،« فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلاةُ فَانْتَشِرُوا فِي الأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللَّهِ» (سورة الجمعة آية 10 ).¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In our view, the ruling is as follows: If a slave says to his master, "Make me a mukatab (contracted for manumission)," it is not obligatory upon the master to do so against his will, and I have not heard from any scholar that the master would be compelled to make his slave a mukatab. And when someone would mention to them the saying of Allah, the Glorious and Exalted: "Contract them (for manumission) if you know any good in them," they would recite these verses: "When you have finished with Ihram, then hunt," and, "When the prayer is finished, then disperse in the land and seek the bounty of Allah."
Hadith 1295B2
قَالَ مَالِك: وَإِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ أَمْرٌ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهِ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ عَلَيْهِمْ .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, says: This is also an imperative form, but here Allah Almighty has granted people permission in this matter. This command has not been made obligatory for them.
Hadith 1295B3
قَالَ مَالِك: وَسَمِعْتُ بَعْضَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ، يَقُولُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى: «وَآتُوهُمْ مِنْ مَالِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي آتَاكُمْ» (سورة النور آية ): إِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يُكَاتِبَ الرَّجُلُ غُلَامَهُ ثُمَّ يَضَعُ عَنْهُ مِنْ آخِرِ كِتَابَتِهِ شَيْئًا مُسَمًّى .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I heard some people of knowledge regarding the explanation of this verse: "Give them from the wealth which Allah has given you." They used to say: What is meant by this verse is that a man should make his slave a mukatab (contracted for freedom), then forgive him some part of the amount agreed upon in the contract of manumission.
Hadith 1295B4
قَالَ مَالِك: فَهَذَا الَّذِي سَمِعْتُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَأَدْرَكْتُ عَمَلَ النَّاسِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ عِنْدَنَا .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I have heard this as good and have found people acting upon it.
Hadith 1295B5
قَالَ قَالَ مَالِك: وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ " كَاتَبَ غُلَامًا لَهُ عَلَى خَمْسَةٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ عَنْهُ مِنْ آخِرِ كِتَابَتِهِ خَمْسَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ " .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: It has reached me that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, made his slave a mukatab for thirty-five thousand dirhams, then in the end he forgave him five thousand dirhams.
Hadith 1295B6
قَالَ مَالِك: الْأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا أَنَّ الْمُكَاتَبَ إِذَا كَاتَبَهُ سَيِّدُهُ تَبِعَهُ مَالُهُ وَلَمْ يَتْبَعْهُ وَلَدُهُ، إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْتَرِطَهُمْ فِي كِتَابَتِهِ .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: When a slave becomes a mukatab, his wealth will belong to him. However, his children will not be included in his contract of kitabah, unless it is stipulated as a condition, then the children will also be included.
Hadith 1295B7
قَالَ يَحْيَى: سَمِعْتُ مَالِكًا، يَقُولُ فِي الْمُكَاتَبِ يُكَاتِبُهُ سَيِّدُهُ وَلَهُ جَارِيَةٌ بِهَا حَبَلٌ مِنْهُ، لَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِهِ هُوَ وَلَا سَيِّدُهُ يَوْمَ كِتَابَتِهِ: فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَتْبَعُهُ ذَلِكَ الْوَلَدُ، لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ دَخَلَ فِي كِتَابَتِهِ وَهُوَ لِسَيِّدِهِ، فَأَمَّا الْجَارِيَةُ فَإِنَّهَا لِلْمُكَاتَبِ لِأَنَّهَا مِنْ مَالِهِ .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a person makes his slave a mukatab (one who has a contract of manumission) and that slave has a slave-girl who is pregnant from him, but neither the slave nor the master knows about the pregnancy, then when the child is born, it will not belong to the mukatab, rather it will belong to the master. However, the slave-girl will remain with the mukatab because she is his property.
Hadith 1295B8
قَالَ مَالِك، فِي رَجُلٍ وَرِثَ مُكَاتَبًا مِنَ امْرَأَتِهِ هُوَ وَابْنُهَا: إِنَّ الْمُكَاتَبَ إِنْ مَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْضِيَ كِتَابَتَهُ اقْتَسَمَا مِيرَاثَهُ عَلَى كِتَابِ اللَّهِ، وَإِنْ أَدَّى كِتَابَتَهُ ثُمَّ مَاتَ فَمِيرَاثُهُ لِابْنِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَلَيْسَ لِلزَّوْجِ مِنْ مِيرَاثِهِ شَيْءٌ .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a woman dies leaving behind her mukatab (a slave contracted to buy his freedom), and she has two heirs—one is her husband and the other is her son—then if the mukatab dies before paying the price of his contract, the husband and the son will divide his inheritance according to the Book of Allah (one quarter will be for the husband and the rest for the son). And if he dies after paying the price of his contract, then all his inheritance will go to the son, and the husband will get nothing.
Hadith 1295B9
قَالَ مَالِك، فِي الْمُكَاتَبِ يُكَاتِبُ عَبْدَهُ، قَالَ: يُنْظَرُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَإِنْ كَانَ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ الْمُحَابَاةَ لِعَبْدِهِ وَعُرِفَ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ بِالتَّخْفِيفِ عَنْهُ، فَلَا يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ، وَإِنْ كَانَ إِنَّمَا كَاتَبَهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الرَّغْبَةِ وَطَلَبِ الْمَالِ، وَابْتِغَاءِ الْفَضْلِ وَالْعَوْنِ عَلَى كِتَابَتِهِ، فَذَلِكَ جَائِزٌ لَهُ .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a mukatab makes his slave a mukatab, then it will be seen: if he has set the price of the contract of manumission lower as a concession, then this contract will not be valid; and if he has set the price of the contract of manumission considering his own benefit, then it will be valid.
Hadith 1295B10
قَالَ مَالِك، فِي رَجُلٍ وَطِئَ مُكَاتَبَةً لَهُ: إِنَّهَا إِنْ حَمَلَتْ فَهِيَ بِالْخِيَارِ إِنْ شَاءَتْ كَانَتْ أُمَّ وَلَدٍ وَإِنْ شَاءَتْ قَرَّتْ عَلَى كِتَابَتِهَا، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَحْمِلْ فَهِيَ عَلَى كِتَابَتِهَا .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a person has intercourse with his mukatabah slave woman and she becomes pregnant, then the slave woman has the choice whether she remains as an umm walad or maintains her contract of manumission. If she does not become pregnant, then she will remain a mukatabah.
Hadith 1295B11
قَالَ مَالِك: الْأَمْرُ الْمُجْتَمَعُ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَنَا فِي الْعَبْدِ يَكُونُ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ: إِنَّ أَحَدَهُمَا لَا يُكَاتِبُ نَصِيبَهُ مِنْهُ أَذِنَ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ صَاحِبُهُ أَوْ لَمْ يَأْذَنْ، إِلَّا أَنْ يُكَاتِبَاهُ جَمِيعًا، لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ يَعْقِدُ لَهُ عِتْقًا وَيَصِيرُ إِذَا أَدَّى الْعَبْدُ مَا كُوتِبَ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى أَنْ يَعْتِقَ نِصْفُهُ، وَلَا يَكُونُ عَلَى الَّذِي كَاتَبَ بَعْضَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَتِمَّ عِتْقَهُ، فَذَلِكَ خِلَافُ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " مَنْ أَعْتَقَ شِرْكًا لَهُ فِي عَبْدٍ قُوِّمَ عَلَيْهِ قِيمَةَ الْعَدْلِ " .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In our view, it is unanimously agreed that a slave who is jointly owned by two people cannot be made a mukatab (contracted for manumission) by only one of them, even if the other partner gives permission. Rather, both partners together can make him a mukatab, because if one partner makes his share a mukatab and the mukatab pays the amount for the contract, then that portion would have to be set free. Now, the partner who has set free a portion is not obliged to guarantee the freedom of the remaining portion to the other partner, because the ruling of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding paying the price of the other partner’s share applies to emancipation (it‘aq), not to mukatabah (contract of manumission).
Hadith 1295B12
قَالَ مَالِك: فَإِنْ جَهِلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يُؤَدِّيَ الْمُكَاتَبُ، أَوْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَ رَدَّ إِلَيْهِ الَّذِي كَاتَبَهُ مَا قَبَضَ مِنَ الْمُكَاتَبِ، فَاقْتَسَمَهُ هُوَ وَشَرِيكُهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ حِصَصِهِمَا، وَبَطَلَتْ كِتَابَتُهُ وَكَانَ عَبْدًا لَهُمَا عَلَى حَالِهِ الْأُولَى .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If this partner does not know this issue, and he makes his share a mukatab and receives all or part of the price of the contract of manumission, then whatever has been received should be divided between him and his partner according to their respective shares. The contract of manumission will be invalid, and the mukatab will remain a slave as before.
Hadith 1295B13
قَالَ مَالِك، فِي مُكَاتَبٍ بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ، فَأَنْظَرَهُ أَحَدُهُمَا بِحَقِّهِ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ، وَأَبَى الْآخَرُ أَنْ يُنْظِرَهُ، فَاقْتَضَى الَّذِي أَبَى أَنْ يُنْظِرَهُ بَعْضَ حَقِّهِ، ثُمَّ مَاتَ الْمُكَاتَبُ وَتَرَكَ مَالًا لَيْسَ فِيهِ وَفَاءٌ مِنْ كِتَابَتِهِ .¤
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: If a mukatab (a slave with a contract for freedom) is jointly owned by two men, and then one of them grants him respite while the other does not, and the one who did not grant respite collects some of his due, and after that the mukatab dies and does not leave enough wealth to cover the amount of the contract, then whatever wealth he leaves, both partners will first collect their respective outstanding shares, and whatever remains will be divided equally between them. If the mukatab becomes incapable (of fulfilling the contract), and the one who did not grant respite has collected more than the other partner, then the slave will remain jointly owned, half and half, between the two.
Hadith 1295B14
قَالَ مَالِك: يَتَحَاصَّانِ مَا تَرَكَ بِقَدْرِ مَا بَقِيَ لَهُمَا عَلَيْهِ، يَأْخُذُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا بِقَدْرِ حِصَّتِهِ، فَإِنْ تَرَكَ الْمُكَاتَبُ فَضْلًا عَنْ كِتَابَتِهِ، أَخَذَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الْكِتَابَةِ، وَكَانَ مَا بَقِيَ بَيْنَهُمَا بِالسَّوَاءِ، فَإِنْ عَجَزَ الْمُكَاتَبُ وَقَدِ اقْتَضَى الَّذِي لَمْ يُنْظِرْهُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا اقْتَضَى صَاحِبُهُ، كَانَ الْعَبْدُ بَيْنَهُمَا نِصْفَيْنِ وَلَا يَرُدُّ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَضْلَ مَا اقْتَضَى، لِأَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا اقْتَضَى الَّذِي لَهُ بِإِذْنِ صَاحِبِهِ، وَإِنْ وَضَعَ عَنْهُ أَحَدُهُمَا الَّذِي لَهُ ثُمَّ اقْتَضَى صَاحِبُهُ بَعْضَ الَّذِي لَهُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ عَجَزَ، فَهُوَ بَيْنَهُمَا وَلَا يَرُدُّ الَّذِي اقْتَضَى عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ شَيْئًا، لِأَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا اقْتَضَى الَّذِي لَهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَذَلِكَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الدَّيْنِ لِلرَّجُلَيْنِ بِكِتَابٍ وَاحِدٍ عَلَى رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَيُنْظِرُهُ أَحَدُهُمَا وَيَشِحُّ الْآخَرُ، فَيَقْتَضِي بَعْضَ حَقِّهِ ثُمَّ يُفْلِسُ الْغَرِيمُ، فَلَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِي اقْتَضَى أَنْ يَرُدَّ شَيْئًا مِمَّا أَخَذَ .¤
And whoever has taken more will not return anything to his partner, because he took it with his partner’s permission. If one of them had forgiven his share and the other had received something, then if the slave becomes incapable, the slave will remain shared between both, and the one who received something will not give anything to the other partner, because he has received his right. Its example is that two men have a debt upon one man by the same document, then one of them grants him respite and the other, out of eagerness, collects something, and afterwards the debtor becomes insolvent. Then the one who collected will not give anything from it to the other partner.
