but rather he should say, “my young man” and “my young woman.”
Moreover, the criterion of human dignity in Islam—both in this life and the next—has nothing to do with lineage or race; it rests on competence and moral worth: “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most God-fearing” (Q 49:13).
Accordingly, certain figures from among the mawālī (freedmen), by virtue of their knowledge and ability, rose to heights their former masters never reached: they led armies, governed nations, presided over the judiciary, and held illustrious posts through the very competence that became the source of their honor.
Even while the Lawgiver elevated the status of the slave, He also set His sights on liberating necks and breaking chains. He urged believers to do so and promised salvation from the Fire and entrance into Paradise for it—some of which has already been cited.
He then established multiple avenues for emancipation, some compulsory and others voluntary.
Among the compulsory causes is that if an owner injures his slave, the slave is automatically set free. In the hadith a man cut off the nose of his boy-servant, whereupon the Prophet ﷺ said, “Go, for you are free.” The lad asked, “Messenger of Allah, whose freedman am I, then?” He replied, “The freedman of Allah and His Messenger.”
Likewise, whoever frees his share in a jointly owned slave triggers the forced manumission of his partner’s share. The hadith states: “Whoever frees his share in a slave must free him completely,” related by al-Bukhārī, with detail to follow.
And whoever comes to own a close blood-relative to whom marriage is forbidden (a maḥram) sets that relative free automatically: “Whoever owns a maḥram relative is thereby freeing him,” reported by the compilers of the Sunan.
These compulsory causes annul the master’s ownership because of their binding legal force—leaving him no choice and no way to retract.
Beyond urging manumission, the Legislator made it the foremost expiation for ridding oneself of sins and dissolving oaths. Freeing a slave is the first expiation for intercourse during the daytime in Ramadan, for ẓihār, for broken oaths, and for unintentional killing.
A Religion of Honor, Dignity, and Equality
How, then, can Westerners—and those infatuated with the West—criticize Islam for recognizing slavery while boasting of freedom and championing human rights, when they themselves have enslaved peoples, humiliated nations, reduced them to bondage in their own lands, devoured their wealth, and usurped their homes? Do they still dare to lift their heads while they