Author: Dr. Muhammad Ziya-ur-Rahman A'zami (رحمه الله)
Chapter: Atonement for Striking a Servant is to Free Him
«باب: كفارة من ضرب عبده أن يعتقه»
❖ «عن زاذان أبي عمر، قال: أتيت ابن عمر وقد أعتق مملوكًا، قال: فَأخذ من الأرض عودًا أو شيئًا، فقال: ما فيه من الأجر ما يسوى هذا، إلا أني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من لطم مملوكه أو ضربه، فكفارته أن يعتقه.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1657]
Narrated by Zādhān Abū ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
He said: I came to Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) after he had freed a slave. He picked up a stick or a twig from the ground and said:
“The reward in this act is not even equal to this (twig), except that I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘Whoever slaps or strikes his slave, his expiation is to free him.’”
❖ «عن أبي مسعود الأنصاري، قال: كنت أضرب غلامًا لي، فسمعت من خلفي صوتًا: اعلم أبا مسعود، لله أقدر عليك منك عليه. فالتفتُّ، فإذا هو رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقلت: يا رسول الله، هو حرٌّ لوجه الله. فقال: أما لو لم تفعل، للفحتك النار، أو لمستك النار.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1659:35]
Narrated by Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī (رضي الله عنه):
I was beating a slave of mine when I heard a voice behind me:
“Know, O Abū Masʿūd, that Allah has more power over you than you have over him.”
I turned and saw it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
I said: “O Messenger of Allah, I free him for the sake of Allah!”
He ﷺ said:
“Had you not done that, the Fire would have scorched you or touched you.”
❖ «عن هلال بن يساف، قال: عَجِل شيخٌ فلطَم خادمًا، فقال له سُوَيد بن مقرن: أعَجزَ عليك إلا حر وجهها؟ لقد رأيتني سابع سبعة من بني مقرن، ما لنا خادم إلا واحدة، لطمها أصغرنا، فأمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نُعتقها.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1658:32]
Narrated by Hilāl ibn Yasāf:
A certain elder hastily slapped a maidservant. Suwayd ibn Muqarrin said to him:
“Was there no other place to strike but her face? I was one of seven brothers from the family of Muqarrin. We had only one maidservant. The youngest among us slapped her, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered us to set her free.”
❖ «عن معاوية بن سويد، قال: لطمتُ مولى لنا، فهربتُ، ثم جئت قبيل الظهر، فصلَّيتُ خلف أبي، فدعاه ودعاني، ثم قال: امتثل منه. فعفا، ثم قال: كنا بني مقرن على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ليس لنا إلا خادم واحدة، فلطمها أحدُنا، فبلغ ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: أعتقوها. قالوا: ليس لهم خادم غيرها. قال: فليستخدموها، فإذا استغنوا عنها فليُخلوا سبيلها.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1658:31]
Narrated by Muʿāwiyah ibn Suwayd:
He said: I slapped a servant of ours and fled. I returned before Ẓuhr and prayed behind my father. He called the servant and me, then said:
“Take retribution from him.”
The servant forgave me. Then he said:
“We, the sons of Muqarrin, during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, had only one maid. One of us slapped her, and when the Prophet ﷺ heard of it, he said: ‘Free her.’”
They said: “They have no other servant.”
He ﷺ said: “Then let them continue taking service from her. When they no longer need her, let her be set free.”
✔ Striking a servant is a serious offense in Islam.
✔ The expiation for such an act is the immediate freeing of the servant.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ emphasized divine accountability and mercy, urging justice and restraint.
✔ Even a slap to the face was considered a violation requiring moral correction.
✔ Compassion and human dignity must be upheld, regardless of social status.
Chapter: Atonement for Striking a Servant is to Free Him
«باب: كفارة من ضرب عبده أن يعتقه»
✦ The Prophet’s ﷺ Command on the Rights of Slaves
❖ «عن زاذان أبي عمر، قال: أتيت ابن عمر وقد أعتق مملوكًا، قال: فَأخذ من الأرض عودًا أو شيئًا، فقال: ما فيه من الأجر ما يسوى هذا، إلا أني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: من لطم مملوكه أو ضربه، فكفارته أن يعتقه.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1657]
Narrated by Zādhān Abū ʿUmar (رضي الله عنه):
He said: I came to Ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) after he had freed a slave. He picked up a stick or a twig from the ground and said:
“The reward in this act is not even equal to this (twig), except that I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘Whoever slaps or strikes his slave, his expiation is to free him.’”
❖ «عن أبي مسعود الأنصاري، قال: كنت أضرب غلامًا لي، فسمعت من خلفي صوتًا: اعلم أبا مسعود، لله أقدر عليك منك عليه. فالتفتُّ، فإذا هو رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقلت: يا رسول الله، هو حرٌّ لوجه الله. فقال: أما لو لم تفعل، للفحتك النار، أو لمستك النار.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1659:35]
Narrated by Abū Masʿūd al-Anṣārī (رضي الله عنه):
I was beating a slave of mine when I heard a voice behind me:
“Know, O Abū Masʿūd, that Allah has more power over you than you have over him.”
I turned and saw it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
I said: “O Messenger of Allah, I free him for the sake of Allah!”
He ﷺ said:
“Had you not done that, the Fire would have scorched you or touched you.”
❖ «عن هلال بن يساف، قال: عَجِل شيخٌ فلطَم خادمًا، فقال له سُوَيد بن مقرن: أعَجزَ عليك إلا حر وجهها؟ لقد رأيتني سابع سبعة من بني مقرن، ما لنا خادم إلا واحدة، لطمها أصغرنا، فأمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نُعتقها.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1658:32]
Narrated by Hilāl ibn Yasāf:
A certain elder hastily slapped a maidservant. Suwayd ibn Muqarrin said to him:
“Was there no other place to strike but her face? I was one of seven brothers from the family of Muqarrin. We had only one maidservant. The youngest among us slapped her, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered us to set her free.”
❖ «عن معاوية بن سويد، قال: لطمتُ مولى لنا، فهربتُ، ثم جئت قبيل الظهر، فصلَّيتُ خلف أبي، فدعاه ودعاني، ثم قال: امتثل منه. فعفا، ثم قال: كنا بني مقرن على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ليس لنا إلا خادم واحدة، فلطمها أحدُنا، فبلغ ذلك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: أعتقوها. قالوا: ليس لهم خادم غيرها. قال: فليستخدموها، فإذا استغنوا عنها فليُخلوا سبيلها.»
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Reported by Muslim 1658:31]
Narrated by Muʿāwiyah ibn Suwayd:
He said: I slapped a servant of ours and fled. I returned before Ẓuhr and prayed behind my father. He called the servant and me, then said:
“Take retribution from him.”
The servant forgave me. Then he said:
“We, the sons of Muqarrin, during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, had only one maid. One of us slapped her, and when the Prophet ﷺ heard of it, he said: ‘Free her.’”
They said: “They have no other servant.”
He ﷺ said: “Then let them continue taking service from her. When they no longer need her, let her be set free.”
✦ Summary of Teachings
✔ Striking a servant is a serious offense in Islam.
✔ The expiation for such an act is the immediate freeing of the servant.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ emphasized divine accountability and mercy, urging justice and restraint.
✔ Even a slap to the face was considered a violation requiring moral correction.
✔ Compassion and human dignity must be upheld, regardless of social status.
