Section

A master must provide his slaves with sufficient food and clothing—even if a slave is blind, chronically ill, declared a mudabbar, or is an umm walad—drawing on the staple fare, condiments, and garments normally allotted to slaves in that town. Simply covering the private parts is not enough. It is recommended that he let the slave share in the kinds of food, relish, and clothing by which the master himself enjoys comfort.

This obligation does not become a debt once the time for it has passed; nonetheless, if a slave is left without support the judge may order the sale of the master’s property to supply it, and if the master owns nothing he is instructed either to sell the slave or to set him free.

A man may compel his slave-woman to breast-feed her own child, and likewise—so long as her milk exceeds the child’s need—to nurse another. He may wean the child before two full years provided this will not harm the child, and he may require her to continue nursing after two years provided this will not harm her.

A free mother, however, has the primary right of upbringing. Therefore neither parent may wean the child before two years, though they may do so jointly if no harm is feared; after two years either of them may decide to wean, and they may also agree to extend the nursing period.

A master must not burden his slave with work beyond his capacity. He may enter into a kharāj arrangement with him—with the consent of both sides—whereby the slave pays a fixed levy each day or week.

The master is also responsible for feeding and watering his beasts. If he refuses, then in the case of animals whose meat is lawful he is compelled either to sell, feed, or slaughter them; for other animals he is compelled either to sell or feed them. He may not milk an animal if that would harm its young. As for lifeless property, such as an irrigation canal or a house, no obligation of repair rests upon him.