He—may Allah have mercy on him—was also asked:

A man gave a slave to a king. The recipient then died, and another king succeeded him. May the latter free that slave?

He replied:

Slaves purchased with Muslim public funds are assets of the public treasury, like horses and weapons purchased with Muslim public funds or presented as gifts to Muslim rulers. If the second king disposes of them by freeing them or giving them away, his action has the same standing as that of the first. Does the second king’s disposal of them through emancipation or gift take legal effect just as the first king’s does? Yes. This is the position of all the imams. Allah knows best.

He was also asked:

A boy was taken captive from dār al-harb (the abode of war) before reaching puberty and was purchased by Christians. He grew up, married, had Christian children, and then died. Evidence established that he had been captured before puberty, but it was not known who had taken him captive—whether someone belonging to the People of the Book or a Muslim. Are his children to be regarded as Muslims or not?