16/18. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1414 — Justice for a Slave
What Has Been Related About A Man Who Killed His Slave
Hadith About Killing or Maiming a Slave
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1414
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1414
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ قَتَلَ عَبْدَهُ قَتَلْنَاهُ وَمَنْ جَدَعَ عَبْدَهُ جَدَعْنَاهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ وَقَدْ ذَهَبَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنَ التَّابِعِينَ مِنْهُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ النَّخَعِيُّ إِلَى هَذَا وَقَالَ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمُ الْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ وَعَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ الْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدِ قِصَاصٌ فِي النَّفْسِ وَلاَ فِيمَا دُونَ النَّفْسِ . وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ . وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِذَا قَتَلَ عَبْدَهُ لاَ يُقْتَلُ بِهِ وَإِذَا قَتَلَ عَبْدَ غَيْرِهِ قُتِلَ بِهِ . وَهُوَ قَوْلُ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ وَأَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ .
Samurah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Whoever Kills His Slave, Then We Will Kill Him, And Whoever Maims His Slave, Then We Will Maim Him."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1414In-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 30English translation : Vol. 3, Book 14, Hadith 1414
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1414
This Hadith about killing or maiming a slave gives a stern warning. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that whoever kills his slave, then we will kill him, and whoever maims his slave, then we will maim him. The narration is direct and serious. It shows that harming a slave is not treated as a small matter in the text. The Hadith does not give all legal discussions around the issue, so we should not add details beyond it. What we can say clearly is that the wording warns against abuse, killing, and bodily harm. It places responsibility on the owner and speaks strongly against violent misuse of power.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Hadith warns against killing a slave.
- It also warns against maiming a slave.
- The text treats bodily harm as a serious matter.
- Power over another person must not be used for abuse.
