27/8. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1657a — Expiation for Slapping a Slave
Treatment of slaves, and the expiation of one who slaps his slave
Slave Rights in Islam Hadith: Expiation for Harm
Sahih Muslim : 1657a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1657a
حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كَامِلٍ، فُضَيْلُ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ فِرَاسٍ، عَنْ ذَكْوَانَ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ زَاذَانَ أَبِي عُمَرَ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ وَقَدْ أَعْتَقَ مَمْلُوكًا - قَالَ - فَأَخَذَ مِنَ الأَرْضِ عُودًا أَوْ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الأَجْرِ مَا يَسْوَى هَذَا إِلاَّ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ لَطَمَ مَمْلُوكَهُ أَوْ ضَرَبَهُ فَكَفَّارَتُهُ أَنْ يُعْتِقَهُ ".
Zadhan Abl Umar Narrated from:
I came to Ibn 'Umar as he had granted freedom to a stave. He (the narrator further) said: He took hold of a wood or something like it from the earth and said: It (freedom of a slave) has not the reward evert equal to it, but the fact that I heard Allah's Messenger (way peace be upon him) say: He who slaps his slave or beats him, the expiation for it is that he should set him free.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1657aIn-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 45USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 15, Hadith 4078
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1657a
This Hadith speaks about slave rights in Islam in a direct and serious way. Zadhan came to Ibn Umar after Ibn Umar had freed a slave. Ibn Umar picked up a piece of wood or something from the ground and said that the reward he had in freeing him was not even equal to that, except that he had heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say: whoever slaps his slave or beats him, the expiation is to set him free. The text puts the focus on accountability after harm. It does not praise the slap or make light of it. It shows that wrongful physical harm demanded a clear response: freeing the person as expiation.
What we learn from this hadith
- Slapping or beating a slave is treated as a serious wrong in the report.
- The expiation mentioned is to set the slave free.
- Ibn Umar acted because of what he heard from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The narration links harm with accountability.
