Buying Slaves

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَهُ قَرَابَةٌ مَاتَ وَ تَرَكَ أَوْلَاداً صِغَاراً وَ تَرَكَ مَمَالِيكَ غِلْمَاناً وَ جَوَارِيَ وَ لَمْ يُوصِ فَمَا تَرَى فِيمَنْ يَشْتَرِي مِنْهُمُ الْجَارِيَةَ يَتَّخِذُهَا أُمَّ وَلَدٍ وَ مَا تَرَى فِي بَيْعِهِمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُمْ وَلِيٌّ يَقُومُ بِأَمْرِهِمْ‌[1] بَاعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ نَظَرَ لَهُمْ وَ كَانَ مَأْجُوراً فِيهِمْ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَ

“I once asked abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), about the case of a man who is of my relatives who has left behind small children, slave-boys and slave-girls, and has not made any will. ‘What do you say about one who buys from them a slave-girl for a mother of one’s child and what do you say about selling them?’ He (the Imam

مَاتَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا وَ لَمْ يُوصِ فَرُفِعَ أَمْرُهُ إِلَى قَاضِي الْكُوفَةِ فَصَيَّرَ عَبْدَ الْحَمِيدِ الْقَيِّمَ بِمَالِهِ وَ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ خَلَّفَ وَرَثَةً صِغَاراً وَ مَتَاعاً وَ جَوَارِيَ فَبَاعَ عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ الْمَتَاعَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ بَيْعَ الْجَوَارِي ضَعُفَ قَلْبُهُ فِي بَيْعِهِنَّ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الْمَيِّتُ صَيَّرَ إِلَيْهِ الْوَصِيَّةَ وَ كَانَ قِيَامُهُ فِيهَا بِأَمْرِ الْقَاضِي لِأَنّ

“A certain person of our people died without a will and his case was presented before a judge of al- Kufah. ‘Abd al-Hamid was appointed as the supervisor over his affairs. The man had left behind small heirs, assets and slave-girls. ‘Abd al-Hamid sold the assets and when he wanted to sell the slave-girls, His heart bec

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الْعَبْدَ وَ هُوَ آبِقٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ فَقَالَ لَا يَصْلُحُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ مَعَهُ شَيْئاً آخَرَ فَيَقُولَ أَشْتَرِي مِنْكَ هَذَا الشَّيْ‌ءَ وَ عَبْدَكَ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ كَانَ ثَمَنُهُ الَّذِي نَقَدَ فِي الشَّيْ‌ءِ.

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a man who buys a slave, who is a runaway one, from his people. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not valid unless he buys something else along with him and says, “I buy from you this thing and your slave so and so for so and so amount” and if he cannot find the slave his

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقُلْتُ سَاوَمْتُ رَجُلًا بِجَارِيَةٍ لَهُ فَبَاعَنِيهَا بِحُكْمِي فَقَبَضْتُهَا مِنْهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ بَعَثْتُ إِلَيْهِ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ وَ قُلْتُ لَهُ هَذِهِ الْأَلْفُ حُكْمِي عَلَيْكَ فَأَبَى أَنْ يَقْبَلَهَا مِنِّي وَ قَدْ كُنْتُ مَسِسْتُهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ أَبْعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَرَى أَنْ تُقَوَّمَ الْجَارِيَةُ بِقِيمَةٍ عَادِلَةٍ فَإِنْ كَانَ ثَمَنُه

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I have made a deal with a man in the manner of Musawamah (fixed price regardless of capital) about his slave-girl. He sold her to me on my demand and I took possession on that basis, sent him a thousand dirham and said to him, ‘This is a thousand because of my order.’ He refused

فِي الْمَمْلُوكِ يَكُونُ بَيْنَ شُرَكَاءَ فَيَبِيعُ أَحَدُهُمْ نَصِيبَهُ فَيَقُولُ صَاحِبُهُ أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِهِ أَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَانَ وَاحِداً فَقِيلَ فِي الْحَيَوَانِ شُفْعَةٌ فَقَالَ لَا.

“This is about the case of a slave who is owned by several people and one of them sells his share and the other says, ‘I am more rightful to buy it if his claim is right.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a right if there is only one shareholder.’ It then was asked if there is right of al-Shuf’ (priority right over others to

فِي شِرَاءِ الرُّومِيَّاتِ قَالَ اشْتَرِهِنَّ وَ بِعْهُنَّ.

“About the case of buying and the sale of Romans, Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘(If they are for sale), buy and sell them.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ شِرَاءِ مَمْلُوكِي أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا لَهُمْ بِذَلِكَ فَاشْتَرِ وَ انْكِحْ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about buying slaves of tax payers if their government approves. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the authority over them approves you can buy and marry them.’”

سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا ع عَنْ قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْعَدُوِّ صَالَحُوا ثُمَّ خَفَرُوا[1] وَ لَعَلَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا خَفَرُوا لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُعْدَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَ يَصْلُحُ أَنْ يُشْتَرَى مِنْ سَبْيِهِمْ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ قَدِ اسْتَبَانَ عَدَاوَتُهُمْ فَاشْتَرِ مِنْهُمْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ قَدْ نَفَرُوا وَ ظَلَمُوا فَلَا تَبْتَعْ مِنْ سَبْيِهِمْ قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ سَبْيِ الدَّيْلَمِ يَسْرِقُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ يُ

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the enemy people who make peace, then breach it because justice was not practiced with them; if it is permissible to buy their captives. He (the Imam) said, ‘If they are open enemies you can buy but if they are exiled and treated unjustly, then do not buy their captives.’ I asked hi

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع إِنَّ الرُّومَ يُغِيرُونَ عَلَى الصَّقَالِبَةِ[2] فَيَسْرِقُونَ أَوْلَادَهُمْ مِنَ الْجَوَارِي وَ الْغِلْمَانِ فَيَعْمِدُونَ إِلَى الْغِلْمَانِ فَيَخْصُونَهُمْ‌[3] ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُونَ بِهِمْ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ إِلَى‌ التُّجَّارِ فَمَا تَرَى فِي شِرَائِهِمْ وَ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ سُرِقُوا وَ إِنَّمَا أَغَارُوا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَرْبٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِشِرَائ

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about Romans who invade al-Saqalibah (a people who lived between Bulgaria and Constantinople (Istanbul)), steal their children, slave-girls and slave-boys, then castrate the slave-boys, then send them to Baghdad for the merchants. What do you say about them and we know they are stole

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ رَقِيقِ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ أَشْتَرِي مِنْهُمْ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ اشْتَرِ إِذَا أَقَرُّوا لَهُمْ بِالرِّقِّ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the slaves of the taxpayers; if I can buy from them. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can buy them if they certify their slavery.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اشْتَرَى جَارِيَةً بِثَمَنٍ مُسَمًّى ثُمَّ بَاعَهَا فَرَبِحَ فِيهَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْقُدَ صَاحِبَهَا الَّذِي هِيَ لَهُ فَأَتَاهُ صَاحِبُهَا يَتَقَاضَاهُ وَ لَمْ يَنْقُدْ مَالَهُ فَقَالَ صَاحِبُ الْجَارِيَةِ لِلَّذِينَ بَاعَهُمْ اكْفُونِي غَرِيمِي هَذَا وَ الَّذِي رَبِحْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ‌[1].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who buys a slave-girl for a certain price, then sells her (on credit) and makes a profit before paying the owner. The owner comes and demands payment but he does not pay. The owner says to those who have bought her to pay him what th

قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص فِي وَلِيدَةٍ بَاعَهَا ابْنُ سَيِّدِهَا وَ أَبُوهُ غَائِبٌ فَاسْتَوْلَدَهَا الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا فَوَلَدَتْ مِنْهُ غُلَاماً ثُمَّ جَاءَ سَيِّدُهَا الْأَوَّلُ فَخَاصَمَ سَيِّدَهَا الْآخَرَ فَقَالَ وَلِيدَتِي بَاعَهَا ابْنِي بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِي فَقَالَ الْحُكْمُ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ وَلِيدَتَهُ وَ ابْنَهَا فَنَاشَدَهُ الَّذِي اشْتَرَاهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ خُذِ ابْنَهُ الَّذِي بَاعَكَ الْوَلِيدَةَ حَتَّى

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), issued a judgment in the case of a slave-girl who is the mother of a child who is sold by the son of her master in the absence of his father. The buyer made her to become pregnant and a boy was born. Then her first master came and disputed the second master, s

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَدْخُلُ السُّوقَ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ جَارِيَةً فَتَقُولُ لِي إِنِّي حُرَّةٌ فَقَالَ اشْتَرِهَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ لَهَا بَيِّنَةٌ.

‘You can buy her unless she presents proof of her freedom.’”

كُنْتُ جَالِساً عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ وَ مَعَهُ ابْنٌ لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا تِجَارَةُ ابْنِكَ فَقَالَ التَّنَخُّسُ‌[2] فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَا تَشْتَرِيَنَّ شَيْناً وَ لَا عَيْباً[3] وَ إِذَا اشْتَرَيْتَ رَأْساً فَلَا تُرِيَنَّ ثَمَنَهُ فِي كِفَّةِ الْمِيزَانِ فَمَا مِنْ رَأْسٍ رَأَى ثَمَنَهُ فِي كِفَّةِ الْمِيزَانِ فَأَفْلَحَ وَ إِذَا اشْتَرَيْتَ رَأ

“Once I was sitting with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when a man came in with his son. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked, ‘What kind of business does your son do?’ He replied, ‘He sells slaves.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘You must not buy what is defective physically or morally. When you buy a head, you must not show its price

مَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَى ثَمَنِهِ وَ هُوَ يُوزَنُ لَمْ يُفْلِحْ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One who looks at his own price when he is weighed, he does not succeed.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ شَارَكَ رَجُلًا فِي جَارِيَةٍ لَهُ وَ قَالَ إِنْ رَبِحْنَا فِيهَا فَلَكَ نِصْفُ الرِّبْحِ وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ وَضِيعَةٌ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقَالَ لَا أَرَى بِهَذَا بَأْساً إِذَا طَابَتْ نَفْسُ صَاحِبِ الْجَارِيَةِ.

“I once asked abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), about the case of a man who shares a slave-girl with another man and says, ‘If we made profit half is for you, if it is a loss then there is nothing on you.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not see anything unlawful in it if the owner of the slave-girl agrees without compulsion.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الشَّرْطِ فِي الْإِمَاءِ أَلَّا تُبَاعَ وَ لَا تُورَثَ وَ لَا تُوهَبَ فَقَالَ يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ غَيْرَ الْمِيرَاثِ فَإِنَّهَا تُورَثُ وَ كُلُّ شَرْطٍ خَالَفَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ[5].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of slave- girls and conditions that say, ‘She must not be sold or transferred in inheritance or given as gift.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful except inheritance; she is inherited. Any condition against the book of Allah is rejected.’”

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ لِي يَا شَابُّ أَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تُعَالِجُ فَقُلْتُ الرَّقِيقَ فَقَالَ أُوصِيكَ بِوَصِيَّةٍ فَاحْفَظْهَا لَا تَشْتَرِيَنَّ شَيْناً وَ لَا عَيْباً وَ اسْتَوْثِقْ مِنَ الْعُهْدَةِ[6].

‘It is slaves.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘I recommend you so keep my recommendations safe. You must not buy physically or morally defective ones. You must make the guarantees strong and firm.’”