This document contains summaries of hadith pertaining to servitude and proper treatment of slaves. It discusses topics like: 1) The virtue of freeing slaves and the rewards for freeing believing slaves. 2) Hadith instructing kind and fair treatment of slaves, such as feeding and clothing them similarly to oneself. 3) Punishments for falsely accusing a slave of adultery or beating them, and rewards for virtuous slaves who worship Allah and serve their master well.

1. Authentic Hadith pertaining to
SERVITUDE
Extracted from Imam Nawawi’s Reference
“The Gardens of Righteousness”
translated and presented by
Shaykh Ahmad Darwish, Anne (Khadeijah) Stephens
Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com
©1984-2012 Darwish Family. All rights reserved
BOOK 17
THE VIRTUE OF FREEING A SLAVE
Allah, the Exalted says:
“Yet he has not scaled the height.
What could let you know what the height is!
(It is) the freeing of a slave. 90:11-13 Koran
REWARD FOR FREEING A BELIEVING SLAVE
|H 1387
“Whosoever frees the neck of a believer, Allah will free from the Fire
a limb for each limb, even his genitals.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
AMONG THE BEST OF DEEDS
|H 1388
“I (Abu Dharr) asked the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be
upon him, ‘Which deeds are best?’ He replied, ‘The belief in Allah
and fighting in the Way of Allah.’ I asked, ‘The freeing of which slave
is best?’ He replied, ‘The one whom his master likes best and
whose value is highest.’ I asked, ‘What if one is unable to do that?’
He replied, ‘Then help someone with his work, or do something for
someone who is unable to do it himself.’ I asked, ‘What if one does
not have the strength?’ He replied, ‘Then restrain yourself from
harming anyone because that also is charity for yourself.’"
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Dharr who related that the Messenger
of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
KINDNESS TOWARDS THOSE WHO

2. YOUR RIGHT HAND OWNS
Allah, the Exalted says:
“Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him.
Be kind to parents and near kinsman,
to the orphans and to the needy,
and to the neighbor who is your kindred,
and to the neighbor at your far side,
and the companion at your side,
and to the destitute traveler,
and to that which your right hands own.
Allah does not love he who is proud and struts.” 4:36 Koran
FAIR TREATMENT
|H 1389
“I (Ma'arur the son of Su'ud) saw Abu Dharr wearing a cloak and
also noticed his servant wore one similar. I asked him about this and
he explained that in the time of the Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him, he had an argument with a man and humiliated
him by making reference to his mother. Thereupon the Messenger
of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said to me (Abu Dharr) ‘You
still have traces of the pre-Islamic disposition in you. Your servants
are your brothers whom your Lord has placed under your authority.
Whosoever has a brother under his authority should feed him out of
that which he eats himself and should clothe him as he clothes
himself. He should not assign a task to him beyond his strength, but
if you do, help him with it.’"
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Ma'arur the son of Su'ud who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
TREATING YOUR SERVANT WITH THOUGHTFULNESS
|H 1390
“When a servant of yours brings you your food, if you do not ask him
to sit down with you, you should at least give him some from it,
because he has worked in its preparation.”
Bukhari with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Messenger of Allah,
praise and peace be upon him, said this.
VIRTUOUS SERVANT WHO
DISCHARGES HIS DUTY TO ALLAH
AND HIS MASTER
Islam has many regulations to free slaves. As for the slavery in the
west, it was illegal because free people were taken captive and sold
into slavery, this practice was started by Portuguese Jews.
THE REWARD OF A GOOD SERVANT
|H 1391
2

3. “A servant who serves his master well and worships Allah well will
have a double reward.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to ibn Omar who related that the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
DOUBLE REWARD FOR A BELIEVING SERVANT
|H 1392
“A pious, diligent servant receives a double reward.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
THE OBEDIENCE OF A BELIEVING SERVANT
|H 1393
“A servant who worships his Sustainer well and discharges his
obligations diligently and obediently to his master will have a double
reward.”
Bukhari with a chain up to Abu Musa Ash'ari who related that the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
THREE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL RECEIVE A
DOUBLE REWARD
|H 1394
“There are three (kinds of people) who will receive a double reward.
Whosoever among the People of the Book believes in his prophet,
and then believes in Muhammad. A servant who discharges his
obligation due to Allah and the obligation he owes to his master. A
man who owns a female servant, teaches her good manners,
educates and feeds her well, and marries her.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Musa Ash'ari who related that the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
PUNISHMENT FOR FALSE ACCUSATION OF ADULTERY
|H 1604
“Whosoever falsely accuses his female servant with adultery will be
subjected to the punishment of adultery on the Day of Judgement
unless what he said was true."
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who that the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
ADULTERY
|H 243
“If a slave-girl commits adultery and is proven guilty she should be
punished but not be rebuked. If she commits it a second time she
should be punished likewise, but if she commits it a third time she
should be sold even for as little as a hair rope.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related that the Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, said this.
3

4. BE KIND TO THOSE IN YOUR CARE
|H 1646
”I (Abu Ali Su'ud) was one of seven from the Bani Muqrin; between
us we had only one female slave. The youngest amongst us
slapped her whereupon the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace
be upon him, ordered that she be set free.”
Muslim with a chain up to Abu Ali Su'ud the son of Muqrin who related this.
BEWARE OF BEATING
|H 1647
“I (Abu Mas'ud Badri) was striking a slave with a whip when I heard
a voice from behind me say, 'Beware Abu Mas'ud. At that time I was
so upset I did not recognize the voice until the person drew near and
I discovered it was the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be
upon him, and it was he who was saying, 'Beware Abu Mas'ud,
Allah has more power over you than you have over this slave.'
Thereupon I responded, 'I will never strike a slave again.' The whip
fell from my hand in awe of the Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace
be upon him, I set him free seeking the pleasure of Allah. The
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, commented, ‘If
you had not done so you would have been burned by the Fire.’"
Muslim with a chain up to Abu Mas'ud Badri who related that the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
DO NOT BEAT OR SLAP THOSE IN YOUR CARE ON THE FACE
|H 1648
“The atonement for beating or slapping a slave on the face for
something he has not done is that he should be set free.”
Muslim with a chain up to ibn Omar who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise
and peace be upon him, said this.
RUNAWAY SLAVE
|H 1817
“If a slave runs away from his master the favorable safety and
covenant becomes void.”
Muslim with a chain up to Jabir who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him, said this.
OBEDIENCE OF A BELIEVING SLAVE
H 1818
“If a slave runs away from his master, his prayer is not accepted.”
We are also informed:
“He is guilty of disbelief.”
Muslim with a chain up to Jabir who related that the Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him, said this.
4

5. INDEX
SERVITUDE
BOOK 17
THE VIRTUE OF FREEING A SLAVE
KORAN
REWARD FOR FREEING A BELIEVING SLAVE
AMONG THE BEST OF DEEDS
KINDNESS TOWARDS THOSE WHO
YOUR RIGHT HAND OWNS
KORAN
FAIR TREATMENT
TREATING YOUR SERVANT WITH THOUGHTFULNESS
VIRTUOUS SERVANT WHO
DISCHARGES HIS DUTY TO ALLAH
AND HIS MASTER
THE REWARD OF A GOOD SERVANT
DOUBLE REWARD FOR A BELIEVING SERVANT
THE OBEDIENCE OF A BELIEVING SERVANT
THREE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL RECEIVE A
DOUBLE REWARD
PUNISHMENT FOR FALSE ACCUSATION OF ADULTERY
ADULTERY
BE KIND TO THOSE IN YOUR CARE
BEWARE OF BEATING
DO NOT BEAT OR SLAP THOSE IN YOUR CARE ON THE FACE
RUNAWAY SLAVE
OBEDIENCE OF A BELIEVING SLAVE
5

6. INDEX
SERVITUDE
BOOK 17
THE VIRTUE OF FREEING A SLAVE
KORAN
REWARD FOR FREEING A BELIEVING SLAVE
AMONG THE BEST OF DEEDS
KINDNESS TOWARDS THOSE WHO
YOUR RIGHT HAND OWNS
KORAN
FAIR TREATMENT
TREATING YOUR SERVANT WITH THOUGHTFULNESS
VIRTUOUS SERVANT WHO
DISCHARGES HIS DUTY TO ALLAH
AND HIS MASTER
THE REWARD OF A GOOD SERVANT
DOUBLE REWARD FOR A BELIEVING SERVANT
THE OBEDIENCE OF A BELIEVING SERVANT
THREE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WHO WILL RECEIVE A
DOUBLE REWARD
PUNISHMENT FOR FALSE ACCUSATION OF ADULTERY
ADULTERY
BE KIND TO THOSE IN YOUR CARE
BEWARE OF BEATING
DO NOT BEAT OR SLAP THOSE IN YOUR CARE ON THE FACE
RUNAWAY SLAVE
OBEDIENCE OF A BELIEVING SLAVE
5