Chapter: Two partners who place a slave under a manumission contract—whether they do so jointly or only one of them does—and the ruling on a man who combines several of his slaves in a single contract.

Neither of the two partners may independently draw up a manumission contract (mukātaba) for his own share of the slave, whether or not his co-partner has given permission. If one partner nevertheless contracts his share and the other then decides to contract his share as well, that is permissible; but if the first partner has already collected part of the instalments, he must return what he has taken and divide it equally with his partner.

If one of them contracts his share while the other refrains, the non-contracting partner is entitled to take from his colleague half of whatever he has received from the slave, and the contract between them is annulled. The same ruling applies if the entire contract price has been paid: he takes half of what has reached his partner and the contract is rescinded. The rescission, however, is not effected until he swears by Allah that he did not know the slave would become free for him upon payment; only after the oath is the contract invalidated.

When both partners agree to the contract together, they may not divide the instalments between themselves; every instalment must be shared equally. Neither partner may make an early settlement (muqāṭaʿa) for any portion of his share without the permission of the other. If he does so without permission and the mukātab subsequently dies or defaults while possessing property, the partner who made the settlement acquires no share of that property on the slave’s death, nor any portion of his person should he default; nor may he reclaim what he accepted in settlement.