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Template:Fiqh-Mil Ma malakat aymanukum ("what your rights possess", ما ملكت أيمانکم) is a reference in the Qur'an to slaves.

Overview

The term itself is normally considered to refer to prisoners of war, or more broadly to slaves in general, according to the classic tafsirs. Bernard Lewis proposes the translation "those whom you own,"

A common misconception is to translate yameen as "right hand", the correct translation would be just "right". While right hand would be "yad alyumna", يد اليمنى.

The general term ma malakat aymanukum (literally "what your rights possess") appears fourteen times in the Qur'an, in the following Arabic variations:

• Note: Masculine plural may also refer to a group of males and females.

The Quranic verses 90:12-13 may be translated as below, though these verses do not use "what your rights possess", and the word used in the verse means "neck" and not a slave:

Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is? - It is the freeing of a slave.

Although slavery was not outright condemned, Muslims argue that this is because slavery was a vital part of the world during the time of the revelation and it would be difficult for society to end it immediately. Muslims (apologetics) argue that God sought to incrementally push for the abolishment of slavery through personal humanitarian initiatives. For example, "The Prophet said, «Give food to the hungry, pay a visit to the sick and release (set free) the one in captivity (by paying his ransom).»" Also when an individual erred such as missing a day of fasting, they were to free a slave. Slavery was not encouraged, i.e. there was no command to take slaves. On the contrary, there were commands that freeing slaves is a righteous act. Therefore, this set the emancipation of slaves in motion. While this emancipation was occurring, the Qur'an and the Prophet established rights for slaves that were not previously enjoyed, as well as limiting the source of slaves to only prisoners of war.

After the Muslims executed the male members of the Banu Qurayza tribe, the women and children were taken as slaves, Muhammad himself took Rayhana as his slave.

During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, the tribe of Tayy that lived to the North East of the city of Madina, engaged in banditry and highway robbery, and came in conflict with the Muslims of Madina, which led to battles in between them that led to Tayy's defeat, and the subsequent captivity of some of their tribes folk.

Abu Hamid al Ghazzali narrated in his Ihya Uloom ad deen that when the daughter of the Hatim at-Tayy was taken as a captive, she came to the Prophet Muhammad asking for her release, and not to be made a subject of humiliation amongst the various Arab quarters, as her father, Hatim at-Tayy, was a person who used to aid the needy, feed the hungry, spread greetings, free slaves, and never refused an assisting request; to which the Prophet Muhammad replied that these described qualities of her father are those of the believers, and if her father was a Muslim then indeed he would have asked for (Divine)mercy on him. He then asked his companions to release her stating that her father loved the noble-character, and God loves the noble-character.

Sexual relations with captives

According to Muslim theologians, it is lawful for male masters to have sexual relations with female captives and slaves, regardless of whether or not the slave woman gave her consent. Al-Muminun 6 and Al-Maarij 30 both, in identical wording, draw a distinction between spouses and "those whom one's right hands possess", saying " أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ" (literally, "their spouses or what their right hands possess"), while clarifying that sexual intercourse with either is permissible. Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi explains that "two categories of women have been excluded from the general command of guarding the private parts: (a) wives, (b) women who are legally in one's possession".

"Ma malakat aymanukum" in the Qur'an

For the main points about "those whom one's rights possess" (ie slaves) in the Qur'an, see Islamic views on slavery.

List of Slaves amongst Muhammad's Companions

A list of people who were amongst Ma malakat aymanukum includes:

622 – 719 AD

• Rayhana bint Zayd
• Salim Mawla Abu Hudhayfah
• Safiyya bint Huyayy
• Maria al-Qibtiyya
• Abu Suhail an-Nafi
• Pirouz, the father of Hasan al-Basri

See also

• Islamic views on slavery
• Nikah Mut'ah ("temporary marriage" in Shia Islam)
• Nikah Misyar
• Mamluk
• Pilegesh

References

1. Bernard Lewis, Race and Slavery in the Middle East, page 146.
2. http://www.quran.com/90/12-16
3. Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Food, Meals, Volume 7, Book 65, Number 286
4. Slavery
5. Guillaume, Alfred. The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah. pp. 461–464.
6. Rodinson, Maxine. Muhammad: Prophet of Islam. p. 213.
7. Dr. Zakir Naik's views on sex with slave women
8. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/slavery_1.shtml
9. http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/33597
10. Surah - Al - Muminoon

External links

Traditional Sunni viewpoints

• Islam Q&A fatwa

Traditional Shi'a viewpoints

• Slavery in islam

• Articles to be expanded from March 2007
• Arabic words and phrases in Sharia
• Quranic words and phrases
• Islam and women
• Islam and slavery