varies. Some people can write, yet no one but they themselves can read what they have written.

In short, the expression “able to write” involves a degree of uncertainty. It must therefore be said: “a writer whose handwriting is of average quality”—that is, handwriting which a person can read without having to spell it out letter by letter or rearrange it.

His statement, “or that he be castrated”: that is, the purchaser stipulates that the slave be castrated, meaning that his testicles have been removed. This is something desired by the purchaser, for when his testicles are removed, people are safe from his harm: his sexual desire is eliminated or greatly weakened, such that he will have no interest in women. This is a desired quality for his purchaser. Yet the question remains: how did he come to be castrated? If his owner removed his testicles, he is emancipated as a consequence, because if an owner mutilates his slave—even by cutting off a fingertip—the slave is emancipated.

It may be said: perhaps he was castrated before being enslaved, or perhaps someone other than his owner castrated him, in which case he is not emancipated.

The point is that stipulating castration is a valid condition if the purchaser makes it.

His statement, “or that he be Muslim”: if the purchaser stipulates that the slave be Muslim, this is a valid condition. But if he stipulates that he be a disbeliever, this is not valid, because it is a condition stipulating an attribute disliked by Allah. Even if the purchaser were to say, “I want him to be a disbeliever so that he will not burden me: when the caller to prayer gives the call, he will say, ‘I want to pray’; when Ramadan comes, he will say, ‘I will fast’; when the time for umrah comes, he will say, ‘I will perform umrah’; and when Hajj comes, he will say, ‘I will perform Hajj.’ I want a disbelieving slave.” We say: this is an invalid aim, for it encourages disbelievers to remain in their disbelief so that they may serve as workers or slaves for Muslims.