موطا امام مالك رواية يحييٰ
Muwatta Imam Malik (Riwayat Yahya)
كتاب المكاتبBook: On the Explanation of Mukatib (Contracted Slave)
بَابُ مَا لَا يَجُوزُ مِنْ عِتْقِ الْمُكَاتَبِ
Chapter on What is Not Permissible in the Emancipation of a Mukatab
Hadith 1300Q11
قَالَ مَالِكٌ : إِذَا كَانَ الْقَوْمُ جَمِيعًا فِي كِتَابَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ. لَمْ يُعْتِقْ سَيِّدُهُمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ دُونَ مُؤَامَرَةِ أَصْحَابِهِ الَّذِينَ مَعَهُ فِي الْكِتَابَةِ وَرِضًا مِنْهُمْ. وَإِنْ كَانُوا صِغَارًا فَلَيْسَ مُؤَامَرَتُهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ. وَلَا يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ. .
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said that if several slaves are contracted as mukatab (contracted for emancipation) in a single agreement, the master cannot free one of the slaves unless the other mukatab slaves agree. If they are minors, their consent is not considered. The reason for this is that among several slaves, one slave may be very clever and hardworking, and it is expected that through his labor and effort, he may also secure the freedom of the others. The master might then free only that person so that the remaining slaves, being unable to work as hard, would remain slaves. This is not permissible, because it causes harm to the remaining slaves, and the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There is no harm in Islam."
Hadith 1300Q13
قَالَ مَالِكٌ فِي الْعَبِيدِ يُكَاتَبُونَ جَمِيعًا : إِنَّ لِسَيِّدِهِمْ أَنْ يُعْتِقَ مِنْهُمُ الْكَبِيرَ الْفَانِيَ وَالصَّغِيرَ الَّذِي لَا يُؤَدِّي وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا شَيْئًا وَلَيْسَ عِنْدَ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا عَوْنٌ وَلَا قُوَّةٌ فِي كِتَابَتِهِمْ فَذَلِكَ جَائِزٌ لَهُ.
Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said that if several slaves are contracted for manumission (mukatab), and among them there is a slave who is either extremely old or very young, such that the other slaves do not receive any help from him in fulfilling the payment of the contract, then it is permissible for the master to free him.
