7 years ago
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Mohammed and Slavery
Slavery was rampant in the Arabian peninsula before the advent of Islam, moreover; it was not denied neither in the Christianity nor in Judaism. It is Islam that that laid heavy restrictions on it and enacted laws to free slaves and even put moral ethics to treat slaves. Islam has dried the sources of slavery: The sources of slaves were- prisoners of war ( men, women and children),banditry and highway robbery, where all members of the caravans were taken in as slaves by their captors, by a person selling him/herself into slavery or selling one of their children, through kidnap ,through loans , usury (interest) and Prisoners of war. Islam only permitted slavery from Holy Wars that were launched in defence of the Islamic state because had slaves been freed, they would have come back to launch war against the Muslim nation. It is noteworthy that Islam kept them till they were ransomed or given in exchange of freeing Moslem prisoners. Islam has put a long-run plan to free slave Unlike Christianity and Judaism, that were empathic on taking slaves, Islam has set codes to free slaves; these were holy ordinances that were applied on large scales; The prophet Muhammad himself bought a number of slaves and freed them, Abu-Baker, too, bought a large number of slaves and freed them. Lady Khadiga, the wife of the prophet, manumitted a large number of slaves. Abul Ala Mawdudi says
Why didn't Islam abolish slavery at one go The social and economic conditions in the Arab peninsula were highly connected with slavery. Had Islam banned abolished all at once; many social and economic troubles would have arisen; the slaves themselves wouldn't have had a source of livelihood; also many economic activities would have failed; Islam would have lost the people who were weak in faith and if their slaves whom they depended on were freed, civil wars would have broken out.
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