BLACK SLAVES OF MUHAMMAD
Sahih Muslim,
Book 10, Number 3901:
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
There came a slave and pledged allegiance to Allah's Apostle
(peace_be_upon_him) on migration; he (the Prophet) did not know
that he was a slave. Then there came his master and demanded
him back, whereupon Allah's Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) said:
Sell him to me. And he bought him for two black slaves, and
he did not afterwards take allegiance from anyone until he
had asked him whether he was a slave (or a free man).
It is just and commendable that Muhammad does insist on paying
the owner, and that he (possibly even) frees this convert
(though this is not mentioned), but what about those other
two black slaves?
This hadith reports that Muhammad had two black slaves at his
disposal to trade in for the other man. And presumably these
two were Muhammad's own property. If he had to buy them first
before he could exchange them, why would he not just give the
owner the value in money or whatever else he would have given
the man he got the two from? Also, it seems that the black
slaves were worth less than this non-black slave, so that is
the reason for the 2:1 rate. We do know this from historical
documents (cf. Bernhard Lewis) about slavery in Islamic history
that white slaves got a much higher price than black slaves.
Malik's Muwatta, Book 21, Number 21.13.25:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili
from Abu'l-Ghayth Salim, the mawla of ibn Muti that Abu
Hurayra said, "We went out with the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the yearof
Khaybar. We did not capture any gold or silver except for
personal effects, clothes, and baggage. Rifaa ibn Zayd
presented a black slave boy to the Messenger of Allah,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, whose name was
Midam. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, made for Wadi'l-Qura, and when he arrived
there, Midam was unsaddling the camel of the Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when a
stray arrow struck and killed him. The people said, 'Good
luck to him! The Garden!' The Messenger of Allah said,
'No! By He in whose hand my self is! The cloak which he
took from the spoils on the Day of Khaybar before they were
distributed will blaze with fire on him.' When the people
heard that, a man brought a sandal-strap or two sandal-straps
to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, said, 'A sandal-strap or two sandal-straps of fire!' "
Muhammad got a black slave boy (as a present?) and he starts
working for Muhammad. No mention is made that Muhammad freed him.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 9, Book 91, Number 368:
Narrated 'Umar:
I came and behold, Allah's Apostle was staying on a Mashroba
(attic room) and a black slave of Allah's Apostle was at the
top if its stairs. I said to him, "(Tell the Prophet) that
here is 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (asking for permission to enter)."
Then he admitted me. ... (cf. Bukhari 3.648, 6.435, 7.119)
Note: It does not say "the black slave of Muhammad" it says
"a black slave" which is an indication there were more than
one.
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 182:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Allah's Apostle was on a journey and he had a black slave
called Anjasha, and he was driving the camels (very fast, and
there were women riding on those camels). Allah's Apostle said,
"Waihaka (May Allah be merciful to you), O Anjasha! Drive
slowly (the camels) with the glass vessels (women)!"
In addition to the above listed hadiths there are a considerable
number of other black slaves mentioned which were owned by `Aisha
or some of the companions of Muhammad.
Finally, Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 103:
Narrated 'Urwa on the authority of 'Aisha:
On the days of Mina, (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) Abu Bakr
came to her while two young girls were beating the tambourine and
the Prophet was lying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded
them and the Prophet uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr,
"Leave them, for these days are the days of 'Id and the days of
Mina." 'Aisha further said, "Once the Prophet was screening me and
I was watching the display of black slaves in the Mosque and ('Umar)
scolded them. The Prophet said, 'Leave them. O Bani Arfida! (carry
on), you are safe (protected)'."
The highlighted term in the above hadith may suggest that there was
a slave market (display for sale) in the mosque. Obviously, where
there are slaves, there must be slave markets, but in this case this
is a mistranslation.
It is 'Id time (a festival) and as in many parts of the world at festival times, there are people
who entertain others. At the time of Muhammad one of these entertainments is playing
with weapons. Like modern days circus dagger thrower or so. The above expression should
correctly be rendered "the play of black slaves in the Mosque". [The black slaves actually
are called Sudan (sud is black).]
Finally, there are a number of traditions in which Muhammad comments on skin color,
see the entry BLACK SKIN.
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