Slavery In Islam
To fully grasp the concept of slavery, it is essential to first understand the state of the world before the revelation of the Quran. Slavery was deeply ingrained in societies, with human lives being treated as mere commodities, and oppression prevailing without restraint. It was a system imposed upon mankind by ruthless individuals who sought power and control. However, with the arrival of Prophet Muhammad, significant reforms were introduced, gradually transforming the institution of slavery. Through his teachings and actions, he laid the foundation for justice, compassion, and the eventual eradication of oppressive practices, bringing humanity closer to equality and dignity,
Before the Quran, the world was ruled by Christians, Jews, Hindus, and powerful empires. In Arabia, the Quraysh tribe held significant power in Makkah, controlling trade and the Kaaba, while Bedouin Arabs lived a nomadic lifestyle in the desert. Both the Quraysh and the Bedouins practiced idolatry, worshiping multiple gods and following ancestral traditions. To understand the historical context, we must examine their actions and influence.
Related article: Slavery In Hinduism
Related article: Caste System In Hinduism
Did Islam start slavery in the first place?
It is important to note that Islam did not invent the practice of slavery. Rather, slavery was a widespread and longstanding institution in many societies around the world, including pre-Islamic Arabia. When Prophet Muhammad emerged in the 7th century, the institution of slavery was already well-established, and it continued in various forms under Islamic rule. The Qur’an and the Hadith (sayings and actions of Muhammad) contain several passages that regulate the practice of slavery and provide guidance on how slaves were to be treated. According to Islamic tradition, slaves were to be treated with kindness and respect, and they were granted certain rights and protections. The Qur’an also encourages the freeing of slaves as an act of piety and good deeds, and it states that those who free slaves will receive a reward from God.
- Islamic views on slavery – Wikipedia
- Slavery, Slave Trading and the Law in the Pre-Islamic Middle East
- On the Provenance of Slaves in Mecca during the Time of the Prophet Muhammad
- Previewing Pre-Islamic and Islamic Slavery
The Existence of Slavery in Arabia
Sunan Ibn Majah 2517 Jabir bin `Abdullah was heard to say:
“We used to sell our slave women and the mothers of our children (Umahat Awaldina) when the Prophet (ﷺ) was still living among us, and we did not see anything wrong with that.”
This hadith highlights the transformation of societal values in Arabia under the teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ). It shows that people used to insult their slaves by calling their mothers with bad names, a practice that the Prophet did not allow. Instead, he emphasized kindness and brotherhood, reminding people that slaves are their brothers whom Allah has placed under their care. The Prophet (ﷺ) instructed that they should be treated with dignity, fed with the same food, clothed with the same clothes, and not overburdened beyond their capacity. This hadith reflects how Islam worked to change the cruelty of the society that had inherited harsh traditions from ancient paganism and previous religious practices.
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 97:
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The best of you are those who are best to their slaves, and the most blessed of you are the most blessed in their provision to them.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 7138
Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Surely! Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges: The Imam (ruler) of the people is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects; a man is the guardian of his family (household) and is responsible for his subjects; a woman is the guardian of her husband’s home and of his children and is responsible for them; and the slave of a man is a guardian of his master’s property and is responsible for it. Surely, everyone of you is a guardian and responsible for his charges.”
The meaning of this hadith is that everyone has a responsibility and is accountable for what is entrusted to them. The Prophet (ﷺ) is emphasizing that leadership, guardianship, and authority are not about power or ownership, but about duty and care. A ruler is responsible for his people, meaning he must govern with justice and ensure their well-being. A husband is responsible for his wife and family, meaning he must provide, protect, and care for them with love and fairness, A wife is responsible for managing the home and raising children, meaning she must maintain the household and nurture the family, A slave (referring to those who already existed in society at that time) is responsible for his master’s property, meaning he must take care of it with honesty and sincerity, This hadith does not mean that people are the property of one another. Instead, it means that everyone is in a position of trust and must fulfill their duties faithfully. Islam did not encourage the continuation of slavery but rather sought to transform the status of slaves, ensuring their fair treatment, education, and eventual freedom.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1463
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “There is no Zakat either on a horse or a slave belonging to a Muslim.”
This hadith makes it clear that during that time, Muslims who had slaves or bought them from cruel Jewish tribes, the pagan Quraysh, or others were not required to pay Zakat on them. Instead, these slaves were to live among Muslims as part of their households, receiving better treatment and opportunities for freedom Sahih al-Bukhari 30
Sahih al-Bukhari 2283
The Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited the earnings of slave girls (through prostitution).
This hadith highlights the reform brought by the Prophet (ﷺ) in a society where women and children were sold into slavery by Arabs, including the Jews living in Arabia, who followed what was approved in their scriptures. The Bible itself permitted selling daughters as slaves, as stated in Exodus 21:7: “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. This practice was common among past societies. However, when Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) came, he made it clear that earning money through such exploitation, especially prostitution, was strictly forbidden. This applied to both Muslims and non-Muslims, ensuring that those who had newly embraced Islam or even those who were still non-Muslim could no longer profit from such immoral practices.
Hinduism: Devadasi System, Caste, Slavery, and Human Sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as an offering to a deity or for some other ritual purpose. While it was practiced in pre-Islamic Arabia, there are reports suggesting that this practice still exists in India today. Numerous cases of human sacrifice have been reported in India in recent years, often involving children and young people. These incidents have caused shock and outrage across the country. Despite the illegality of human sacrifice in India, it appears that the practice continues in certain isolated communities.
- Child killed for ‘human sacrifice to Lord Shiva’ in South Delhi
Man allegedly hacked youth to death as human sacrifice after birth of male child
Man kills 12-year-old sister in sacrifice to goddess of war
Human sacrifice in Orissa sends shock waves across the state, throughout Indiao
There have been numerous cases of human sacrifice reported in India in recent years, with many involving children and young people. These incidents, which are often linked to religious or superstitious beliefs, have caused shock and outrage across the country. Despite being illegal, it appears that the practice of human sacrifice continues in certain isolated communities in India, with reports suggesting that there are thousands of such cases happening even today.
Related article: Slavery In Hinduism
Related article: Caste System In Hinduism
Oh, so now suddenly everyone wants to act holy and civilized while ignoring centuries of bloodshed, oppression, and immorality? The same people who enslaved millions, shed rivers of blood, and normalized adultery and prostitution now want to lecture others? Shameless.
Hinduism: A Caste-Based Oppression Machine
For thousands of years, Hindu society was built on caste-based slavery, where millions were treated as subhuman. People were burned alive (Sati), sacrificed to gods, and forced into sexual slavery (Devadasi system). Their temples weren’t places of worship but centers of exploitation, where young girls were “dedicated” to gods but ended up as sex slaves for priests and kings, And yet today, they act “modern” and “progressive” while still enforcing caste discrimination in every aspect of life. Even in 2025, Dalits and lower castes are still treated like dirt, and yet they want to act like they are the moral authority? Shameless.
Christianity: A Blood-Soaked History of Genocide and Corruption
Let’s talk about Christianity, the same religion that spread through the sword, crusades, colonialism, and forced conversions. From the Spanish Inquisition to the mass slaughter of indigenous people, they killed in the name of their faith but now pretend to be “peaceful.” Millions were wiped out, enslaved, and tortured—but they have the audacity to talk about violence? And what about morality? Priests and pastors committing scandals left and right, churches covering up abuse, and yet they preach about “purity” and “family values.” What happened to “thou shalt not commit adultery”? Or does that not apply when they are the ones doing it?
- “Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory to itself than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid or produces only atheists or fanatics. As an engine of power, it serves the purpose of despotism, and as a means of wealth, the avarice of priests, but so far as respects the good of man in general it leads to nothing here or hereafter.”
- ― The Age of Reason
Judaism: The Foundation of Bloodshed and Exploitation
And then we have Judaism, a religion that started with massacres, tribal warfare, and laws that treated outsiders like animals. They took lands, killed innocent people, and enslaved entire populations, and now they cry about oppression? Their own scriptures talk about stoning women, killing children, and treating non-Jews as inferior, but they act like victims. And let’s not forget, who controls the modern-day filth industry? Hollywood, pornography, and media that spread adultery, nudity, and moral corruption, all dominated by those who claim to be the “chosen people.” They talk about God while their industries destroy families, push degeneracy, and promote shamelessness worldwide.
And now? They went from enslaving and killing to promoting pornography, adultery, and OnlyFans. They act like they brought “civilization,” but the only thing they gave the world is colonialism, corruption, and the normalization of filth.
- From temple prostitution to modern sex work.
From crusades and massacres to illegal wars and invasions.
From enslaving women physically to enslaving them digitally through pornography.
They have nothing left, no true morality, no values, no purpose, so they hide behind atheism, agnosticism, and fake progressiveness. They mock religion and claim “free speech” only when it benefits them, but when the truth about their history is exposed, they run. Before pointing fingers at Islam, take a hard look at the centuries of oppression, slavery, genocide, and moral decay in your own history. Because no matter how much you try to rewrite history, the truth remains, and it’s ugly.