Freeing a Shared Slave
Total Hadiths 32
Authentic Hadiths on Freeing a Shared Slave
These authentic Sahih Hadiths outline the clear legal and financial rules for freeing a shared slave in Islam. According to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), if a person decides to liberate their particular share in a co-owned slave, they are required to complete the manumission process entirely, provided they have the financial capability to do so. A just assessor or appraiser must evaluate the slave's fair monetary value so the freeing partner can compensate the other co-owners for their specific portions. If the initiating master lacks sufficient funds to cover the remaining shares, the slave is only freed partially to the extent of that person's financial share. These traditions showcase Islamic focus on justice and the step-by-step reduction of slavery.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، وَابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ وَمَعْنَاهُ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَرَوَاهُ رَوْحُ بْنُ عُبَادَةَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، لَمْ يَذْكُرِ السِّعَايَةَ وَرَوَاهُ جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ وَمُوسَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ جَمِيعًا عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، بِإِسْنَادِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ زُرَيْعٍ وَمَعْنَاهُ وَذَكَرَا فِيهِ السِّعَايَةَ .
The tradition mentioned above by Rawh b. 'Ubadah from Sa'id b. Abu 'Arubah. In this version he did not mention the words "the slave should be required to work." If has also been transmitted by Jarir b. Hazim and Musa b. Khalaf from Qatadah through the chain of Yazid b. Zurai' and to the same effect. In this version they mentioned the words "the slave should be required to work"
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3939In-book reference : Book 31, Hadith 14English translation : Book 30, Hadith 3928
حَدَّثَنَا مُؤَمَّلٌ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَعْنَاهُ قَالَ وَكَانَ نَافِعٌ رُبَّمَا قَالَ " فَقَدْ عَتَقَ مِنْهُ مَا عَتَقَ " . وَرُبَّمَا لَمْ يَقُلْهُ .
The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Ibn 'Umar to the same effect through a different chain of narrators. Nafi' sometimes said: He will be emancipated to the extent of the share which he emancipated, and sometimes he did not say these words.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3941In-book reference : Book 31, Hadith 16English translation : Book 30, Hadith 3930
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ أَيُّوبُ فَلاَ أَدْرِي هُوَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْ شَىْءٌ قَالَهُ نَافِعٌ وَإِلاَّ عَتَقَ مِنْهُ مَا عَتَقَ .
The tradition mentioned above has also been narrated by Ibn 'Umar from the Prophet (ﷺ). The narrator Ayyub said: I do not know whether the following words are part of the tradition of the Prophet (ﷺ) or Nafi' told them himself: "Otherwise he will be emancipated to the extent of the first man's share."
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3942In-book reference : Book 31, Hadith 17English translation : Book 30, Hadith 3931
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَعْتَقَ شِقْصًا لَهُ فِي عَبْدٍ فَخَلاَصُهُ فِي مَالِهِ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ اسْتُسْعِيَ الْعَبْدُ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ " .
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased witli him) reported Allah's Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone emancipates a share in a slave, he is to be completely emancipated if he has money; but if he has none, the slave will be required to work to pay for his freedom, but must not be over-burhened.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1503aIn-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 4USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3581
حَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا وَهْبُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ، سَمِعْتُ قَتَادَةَ، يُحَدِّثُ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ بِمَعْنَى حَدِيثِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ وَذَكَرَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ قُوِّمَ عَلَيْهِ قِيمَةَ عَدْلٍ.
A hadith like this is reported on the authority of the same chain of transmitters but with a slight change of words.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1503cIn-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 9, Hadith 3583
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي رَجَاءٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ آدَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، سَمِعْتُ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي النَّضْرُ بْنُ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم {مَنْ أَعْتَقَ شَقِيصًا مِنْ عَبْدٍ }
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever frees his portion of a (common) slave."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2526In-book reference : Book 49, Hadith 10USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 46, Hadith 703
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَعْتَقَ نَصِيبًا أَوْ شَقِيصًا فِي مَمْلُوكٍ، فَخَلاَصُهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي مَالِهِ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ، وَإِلاَّ قُوِّمَ عَلَيْهِ، فَاسْتُسْعِيَ بِهِ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ ". تَابَعَهُ حَجَّاجُ بْنُ حَجَّاجٍ وَأَبَانُ وَمُوسَى بْنُ خَلَفٍ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ. اخْتَصَرَهُ شُعْبَةُ.
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever frees his portion of a common slave should free the slave completely by paying the rest of his price from his money if he has enough money; otherwise the price of the slave is to be estimated and the slave is to be helped to work without hardship till he pays the rest of his price."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2527In-book reference : Book 49, Hadith 11USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 46, Hadith 704
حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبَانُ، - يَعْنِي الْعَطَّارَ - حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ أَعْتَقَ شَقِيصًا فِي مَمْلُوكِهِ فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُعْتِقَهُ كُلَّهُ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ وَإِلاَّ اسْتُسْعِيَ الْعَبْدُ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone emancipates a share in his slave, he should completely emancipate him if he has money; but if he has none, then slave will be required to work (to pay for his freedom), but he must not be overburdened.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3937In-book reference : Book 31, Hadith 12English translation : Book 30, Hadith 3926
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَزِيدُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زُرَيْعٍ - ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، - وَهَذَا لَفْظُهُ - عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَعْتَقَ شِقْصًا لَهُ - أَوْ شَقِيصًا لَهُ - فِي مَمْلُوكٍ فَخَلاَصُهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي مَالِهِ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ قُوِّمَ الْعَبْدُ قِيمَةَ عَدْلٍ ثُمَّ اسْتُسْعِيَ لِصَاحِبِهِ فِي قِيمَتِهِ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ فِي حَدِيثِهِمَا جَمِيعًا " فَاسْتُسْعِيَ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ " . وَهَذَا لَفْظُ عَلِيٍّ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying: If anyone emancipates his share in a slave, he is to be completely emancipated by his money if he has money. But if he has no money, a fair price for the slave should be fixed, and the slave is required to work for his master according to the proportion of his price, but he must not be overburdened. Abu Dawud said: In the version of both the narrators the words are "he will be required to work and must not be overburdened". This is the version of 'Ali.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 3938In-book reference : Book 31, Hadith 13English translation : Book 30, Hadith 3927
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ بَشِيرِ بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ أَعْتَقَ نَصِيبًا لَهُ فِي مَمْلُوكٍ أَوْ شِقْصًا فَعَلَيْهِ خَلاَصُهُ مِنْ مَالِهِ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَالٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ اسْتُسْعِيَ الْعَبْدُ فِي قِيمَتِهِ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever frees his share of a slave or part of his share, must pay from his wealth if he has any wealth if he has any wealth (in order to buy the rest of the slave's freedom). If he does not have wealth, then the slave should be asked to work for the price (of his freedom), without that causing him too much hardship.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2527In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 16English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2527
