In another narration by Muslim: “When a slave woman gives birth to her master.” (1)

Scholars have differed over the meaning of this sign, offering several interpretations. The hadith master Ibn Hajar mentioned four of them:

1 – Al-Khattābī said: “It means the spread of Islam, the Muslims’ conquest of the lands of polytheism, and their taking the inhabitants’ offspring captive. Thus, when a man owns a slave woman and fathers a child by her, her child becomes like her master, because he is the child of her master.” (2)

Al-Nawawī stated that this was the view of the majority of scholars. (3)

Ibn Hajar said: “However, there is reason to question whether this is what was intended (4), because slave women were already bearing their masters’ children when this statement was made. Moreover, most of the conquests of the lands of polytheism, the taking of their offspring captive, and the taking of concubines occurred during the early period of Islam. Yet the context indicates something that had not yet occurred and would take place shortly before the Hour.” (5)

2 – Masters will sell the slave women who have borne them children, and this will become widespread. These women will pass from one owner to another until their own children purchase them without realizing it.

3 – A slave woman will bear a free child by someone other than her master through intercourse mistakenly believed to be lawful, or a slave child through marriage or