Question

Assalaam-u-Alaikum,

I have read your responses to slavery in Islam and slave girls. I have a question on Maria Qibtia, the slave girl that our beloved Prophet (pbuh) possessed and was given by the ruler of Egypt. If Islam was trying to gradually remove slavery (since it was part of deep social roots) and Allah rewarded the one to free a slave, then why did the Prophet (pbuh) not free the slave girl upon her possession instead of engaging in sexual relations. Our Prophet (pbuh) could have set an excellent example to free the slave girl. I understand from your response that “Islam has always been against the very existence of the institution of slavery.

Nevertheless, like most of the other social phenomena, slavery too, because of its deep roots in the society, could not have been abolished by a single stroke of the ruler’s pen.” But then again our beloved Prophet (pbuh) could have set an example and accepted the slave girl and thus freed her. Also, would you please provide the Quranic ayahs that states sexual relations were allowed with slave girls outside of marriage? As always, I am grateful of your wonderful work and I have benefited from it greatly. I greatly appreciate your time. I respect and love our Prophet (pbuh) dearly and I hope I have not offended anyone.

Thank you.

Answer

For an answer to the first part of the question please refer to the discussion: The Marriages of the Prophet (pbuh).

There are many Qur’anic verses that allow Muslims to establish sexual relationship with their slave women. See for example the following verse of Surah 23. Al-Mu’minoon:

And who guard their modesty, Save from their wives or the (slaves) that their right hands possess, for then they are not blameworthy. [23:5-6]