27/10. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1661a — Servants Are Your Brothers
Feeding a slave what one eats and clothing him as one clothes oneself, and not burdening him with more than he bear
Servants Are Your Brothers: Hadith on Fair Treatment
Sahih Muslim : 1661a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1661a
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنِ الْمَعْرُورِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، قَالَ مَرَرْنَا بِأَبِي ذَرٍّ بِالرَّبَذَةِ وَعَلَيْهِ بُرْدٌ وَعَلَى غُلاَمِهِ مِثْلُهُ فَقُلْنَا يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ لَوْ جَمَعْتَ بَيْنَهُمَا كَانَتْ حُلَّةً . فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ إِخْوَانِي كَلاَمٌ وَكَانَتْ أَمُّهُ أَعْجَمِيَّةً فَعَيَّرْتُهُ بِأُمِّهِ فَشَكَانِي إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَقِيتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنَّكَ امْرُؤٌ فِيكَ جَاهِلِيَّةٌ " . قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ سَبَّ الرِّجَالَ سَبُّوا أَبَاهُ وَأُمُّهُ . قَالَ " يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنَّكَ امْرُؤٌ فِيكَ جَاهِلِيَّةٌ هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ جَعَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَحْتَ أَيْدِيكُمْ فَأَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ وَأَلْبِسُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَلْبَسُونَ وَلاَ تُكَلِّفُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ فَإِنْ كَلَّفْتُمُوهُمْ فَأَعِينُوهُمْ " .
Ma’rur b. Suwaid Narrated from:
We went to Abu Dharr (Ghifari) in Rabadha and he had a mantle over him, and his slave had one like it. We said: Abu Dharr, had you joined them together, it would have been a complete garment. Thereupon he said: There was an altercation between me and one of the persons among my brothers. His mother was a non-Arab. I reproached him for his mother. He complained against me to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ).As I met Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) he said: Abu Dharr, you are a person who still has (in him the remnants) of the days (of Ignorance). Thereupon I said: Allah's Messenger, he who abuses (other) persons, they abuse (in return) his father and mother. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Abu Dharr, you are a person who still has (the remnants) of Ignorance in him They (your servants and slaves) are your brothers.Allah has put them in your care, so feed them with what you eat, clothe them with what you wear. and do not burden them beyond their capacities; but if you burden them (with an unbearable burden), then help them (by sharing their extra burden).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1661aIn-book reference : Book 27, Hadith 60USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 15, Hadith 4092
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1661a
This famous Hadith about servants are your brothers gives a complete moral lesson from a real moment. Abu Dharr wore a mantle, and his slave wore one like it. When asked about it, he explained that he had once reproached a man because of his non-Arab mother. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected him and said he still had traces of Ignorance in him. Then the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave the rule found in the text: servants and slaves are brothers placed under one’s care by Allah. They should be fed from what one eats and clothed from what one wears. They should not be burdened beyond their strength, and if they are burdened, they should be helped. This Hadith is a key text on servant rights in Islam, anti-racism, and fair work.
What we learn from this hadith
- Mocking someone because of his mother was corrected by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- Servants and slaves are described as brothers under one’s care.
- They should be fed and clothed in a fair way.
- Work should not be beyond capacity, and help should be given when needed.
