Authored by: Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani حفظ اللہ
Sexual Relations with Female Slaves
Question: Is it necessary to marry a slave girl in order to have sexual relations with her? Furthermore, what does Islam command in this regard? Please provide clarification so that we may be mindful before Allah.
Answer:
To understand this issue, consider the following verses:
『وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلَّا تَعُولُوا』
[An-Nisa: 3]
“And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphans, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].”
『وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ』
[An-Nisa: 24]
“And [also prohibited to you are] married women, except those your right hands possess.”
『وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْكُمْ طَوْلًا أَنْ يَنْكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِنْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ مِنْ فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُمْ بَعْضُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَانْكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ』
[An-Nisa: 25]
“And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls. And Allah is most knowing about your faith. You [believers] are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their people.”
『وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ﴿5﴾ إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿6﴾ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ ﴿7﴾』
[Al-Mu’minun: 5-7]
“And they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed— but whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.”
In these verses, Allah Almighty has provided a general command for guarding one’s private parts, except for two types of women: “Azwaaj” (wives) and “Ma Malakat Aimanukum” (those whom your right hands possess). According to the usage of the Arabic language and the Qur'anic context, the term “Azwaaj” applies to those women with whom a man has formally contracted marriage according to the known manner, which in Urdu is referred to as “biwi” (wife). On the other hand, “Ma Malakat Aimanukum” refers to slave girls—those who are owned and possessed by a man.
Thus, these verses clarify that it is permissible for a master to establish sexual relations with a female slave he owns, and this permissibility is not based on the requirement of marriage (nikah) but rather on ownership itself. If nikah were a requirement, there would be no need to separately mention “Ma Malakat Aimanukum” because in that case, these women would also be included in “Azwaaj.”
Sexual Relations with Female Slaves
Question: Is it necessary to marry a slave girl in order to have sexual relations with her? Furthermore, what does Islam command in this regard? Please provide clarification so that we may be mindful before Allah.
Answer:
To understand this issue, consider the following verses:
『وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَى وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَلَّا تَعُولُوا』
[An-Nisa: 3]
“And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphans, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].”
『وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ』
[An-Nisa: 24]
“And [also prohibited to you are] married women, except those your right hands possess.”
『وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنْكُمْ طَوْلًا أَنْ يَنْكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِنْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ مِنْ فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُمْ بَعْضُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَانْكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ』
[An-Nisa: 25]
“And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands possess of believing slave girls. And Allah is most knowing about your faith. You [believers] are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their people.”
『وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ لِفُرُوجِهِمْ حَافِظُونَ ﴿5﴾ إِلَّا عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَيْرُ مَلُومِينَ ﴿6﴾ فَمَنِ ابْتَغَى وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْعَادُونَ ﴿7﴾』
[Al-Mu’minun: 5-7]
“And they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed— but whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.”
In these verses, Allah Almighty has provided a general command for guarding one’s private parts, except for two types of women: “Azwaaj” (wives) and “Ma Malakat Aimanukum” (those whom your right hands possess). According to the usage of the Arabic language and the Qur'anic context, the term “Azwaaj” applies to those women with whom a man has formally contracted marriage according to the known manner, which in Urdu is referred to as “biwi” (wife). On the other hand, “Ma Malakat Aimanukum” refers to slave girls—those who are owned and possessed by a man.
Thus, these verses clarify that it is permissible for a master to establish sexual relations with a female slave he owns, and this permissibility is not based on the requirement of marriage (nikah) but rather on ownership itself. If nikah were a requirement, there would be no need to separately mention “Ma Malakat Aimanukum” because in that case, these women would also be included in “Azwaaj.”
