30/8. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3653 — Freeing a Believing Slave for the Deceased
The Virtue Of Charity Given On Behalf Of The Deceased
Freeing a Slave on Behalf of a Deceased Mother: Faith and Fulfillment
Sunan an-Nasai : 3653
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3653
أَخْبَرَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنِ الشَّرِيدِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ الثَّقَفِيِّ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ أُمِّي أَوْصَتْ أَنْ تُعْتَقَ عَنْهَا رَقَبَةٌ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي جَارِيَةً نُوبِيَّةً أَفَيُجْزِئُ عَنِّي أَنْ أَعْتِقَهَا عَنْهَا قَالَ " ائْتِنِي بِهَا ". فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ رَبُّكِ ". قَالَتِ اللَّهُ. قَالَ " مَنْ أَنَا ". قَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. قَالَ " فَأَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ ".
Ash-Sharid bin Suwaid Ath-Thaqafi Narrated from:
I came to the Messenger of Allah and said: 'My mother left a will saying that a slave should be freed on her behalf. I have a Nubian slave girl; will it suffice if I free her on her behalf?' He said: 'Bring her here.' The Prophet said to her: 'Who is your Lord?' She said: 'Allah.' He said: 'Who am I?' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Set her free, for she is a believer.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3653In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 43English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3683
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3653
This hadith is about carrying out a deceased mother’s will to free a slave. Ash-Sharid bin Suwaid tells the Messenger of Allah that his mother had instructed that a slave be freed on her behalf. He owned a Nubian slave woman and asked whether freeing her would be enough. The Prophet asked that she be brought to him. He then asked her, “Who is your Lord?” She answered, “Allah.” He asked, “Who am I?” She answered, “The Messenger of Allah.” He then told Ash-Sharid to free her because she was a believer. The narration joins two points found directly in the text: fulfilling the mother’s stated will and recognizing the woman’s declaration of faith before her emancipation was approved.
What we learn from this hadith
- Take a deceased person’s stated will seriously when it calls for a lawful act.
- Ask for guidance when unsure whether a specific action will fulfill the will.
- The slave woman openly affirmed Allah as her Lord and Muhammad as Allah’s Messenger.
- The Prophet directed that she be freed and described her as a believer.
