✿ Historical, Islamic, and Modern Perspectives on Slavery ✿
Slavery has been a longstanding and widespread practice throughout human history. Dominant nations would enslave weaker nations and subject them to intense labor. These slaves could legally be subjected to all forms of oppression and abuse, and were bought and sold like animals.
✔ Egyptians, Hindus, and Persians: In these societies, slaves had no rights whatsoever. In the event of any mistake, they were treated inhumanely — even burned alive.
✔ Greek and Roman Civilizations: Slaves were treated like animals and subjected to extreme cruelty in these cultures.
✔ Jewish and Christian Societies: Slavery was a common practice here as well, and slaves were treated with utter inhumanity.
✔ French Laws of 1685: Severe punishments were imposed on slaves, such as ear mutilation, branding the body, or execution.
✔ Exploitation of African Slaves: European nations captured Africans like animals and transported them to America as slaves, where they were forced to work on farmlands.
✔ Native Americans (Red Indians): The indigenous people of America were also enslaved, deprived of their freedom and dignity. Women were made sexual slaves.
✔ Europe and America continued the practice of slavery until just 150 years ago. Their agricultural progress heavily relied on the hard labor of thousands of African slaves.
Islam declared it forbidden to enslave a free person. However, in the context of warfare, slavery was retained as a limited and necessary option:
① It was completely forbidden to enslave non-combatants such as women, children, and the elderly.
② Muslims were allowed to treat war captives with leniency in various ways, such as:
Islam established rules for the treatment of slaves, ensuring their rights and preserving their dignity.
✔ Various measures were introduced to increase the chances of their emancipation.
✔ Kind treatment and social rights were guaranteed.
✔ In Islamic history, many slaves served as scholars, saints, and rulers.
Western nations have consistently criticized Islam for allowing limited slavery, despite the fact that they themselves practiced the buying and selling of human beings until the 19th century. Africans were crammed into ships and sold in markets like cattle.
✔ Islam maintained the limited permissibility of slavery as long as it remained internationally recognized.
✔ Through United Nations agreements, all nations agreed to abolish slavery, and Muslim countries also accepted these agreements.
✔ According to Article 11 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, slavery was abolished and declared a violation of human rights.
Islamic jurists consider slavery to be a historical matter, and see no need to discuss its rulings in the modern context. However, if non-Muslim nations were to reintroduce slavery in the future, Muslims may also return to this limited permissibility.
Although the Western world has outwardly abolished slavery, it has economically and politically enslaved entire nations.
✔ Various tactics are used today to plunder resources and economically subjugate countries.
In modern times, the concept of concubines has been replaced with sex workers.
✔ In classical Islamic society, laws and rights were assigned to concubines, while no such legal protections exist for modern sex workers.
✔ Today’s sex workers are exploited and their dignity is trampled.
The so-called “civilized” West has also treated war prisoners inhumanely:
✔ In Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, American soldiers abducted and raped thousands of women.
✔ Prisoners were tortured and humiliated.
✔ Camps like Guantanamo Bay remain glaring examples of such atrocities, which can still be witnessed today.
◈ Slavery in Ancient Times
Slavery has been a longstanding and widespread practice throughout human history. Dominant nations would enslave weaker nations and subject them to intense labor. These slaves could legally be subjected to all forms of oppression and abuse, and were bought and sold like animals.
✔ Egyptians, Hindus, and Persians: In these societies, slaves had no rights whatsoever. In the event of any mistake, they were treated inhumanely — even burned alive.
✔ Greek and Roman Civilizations: Slaves were treated like animals and subjected to extreme cruelty in these cultures.
✔ Jewish and Christian Societies: Slavery was a common practice here as well, and slaves were treated with utter inhumanity.
◈ Slavery in Europe and America
✔ French Laws of 1685: Severe punishments were imposed on slaves, such as ear mutilation, branding the body, or execution.
✔ Exploitation of African Slaves: European nations captured Africans like animals and transported them to America as slaves, where they were forced to work on farmlands.
✔ Native Americans (Red Indians): The indigenous people of America were also enslaved, deprived of their freedom and dignity. Women were made sexual slaves.
✔ Europe and America continued the practice of slavery until just 150 years ago. Their agricultural progress heavily relied on the hard labor of thousands of African slaves.
◈ Slavery in Islam: A Restricted Permission
The Islamic Concept of Slavery
Islam declared it forbidden to enslave a free person. However, in the context of warfare, slavery was retained as a limited and necessary option:
① It was completely forbidden to enslave non-combatants such as women, children, and the elderly.
② Muslims were allowed to treat war captives with leniency in various ways, such as:
- Releasing them without ransom.
- Releasing them in exchange for compensation.
- Exchanging captives with the enemy.
Restricting Slavery Under Human Rights
Islam established rules for the treatment of slaves, ensuring their rights and preserving their dignity.
✔ Various measures were introduced to increase the chances of their emancipation.
✔ Kind treatment and social rights were guaranteed.
✔ In Islamic history, many slaves served as scholars, saints, and rulers.
◈ Western Criticism of Islamic Slavery
Western nations have consistently criticized Islam for allowing limited slavery, despite the fact that they themselves practiced the buying and selling of human beings until the 19th century. Africans were crammed into ships and sold in markets like cattle.
◈ Slavery Abolished in the Modern Era
United Nations Agreements
✔ Islam maintained the limited permissibility of slavery as long as it remained internationally recognized.
✔ Through United Nations agreements, all nations agreed to abolish slavery, and Muslim countries also accepted these agreements.
✔ According to Article 11 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, slavery was abolished and declared a violation of human rights.
Stance of Islamic Jurists
Islamic jurists consider slavery to be a historical matter, and see no need to discuss its rulings in the modern context. However, if non-Muslim nations were to reintroduce slavery in the future, Muslims may also return to this limited permissibility.
◈ Modern Forms of Slavery
Enslavement of Nations
Although the Western world has outwardly abolished slavery, it has economically and politically enslaved entire nations.
✔ Various tactics are used today to plunder resources and economically subjugate countries.
Sexual Slavery
In modern times, the concept of concubines has been replaced with sex workers.
✔ In classical Islamic society, laws and rights were assigned to concubines, while no such legal protections exist for modern sex workers.
✔ Today’s sex workers are exploited and their dignity is trampled.
Abuse of War Prisoners
The so-called “civilized” West has also treated war prisoners inhumanely:
✔ In Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, American soldiers abducted and raped thousands of women.
✔ Prisoners were tortured and humiliated.
✔ Camps like Guantanamo Bay remain glaring examples of such atrocities, which can still be witnessed today.
