Separation of Slaves from their Relatives (Is Not Permissible)

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص بِسَبْيٍ مِنَ الْيَمَنِ فَلَمَّا بَلَغُوا الْجُحْفَةَ نَفِدَتْ نَفَقَاتُهُمْ فَبَاعُوا جَارِيَةً مِنَ السَّبْيِ كَانَتْ أُمُّهَا مَعَهُمْ فَلَمَّا قَدِمُوا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص سَمِعَ بُكَاءَهَا فَقَالَ مَا هَذِهِ الْبُكَاءُ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ احْتَجْنَا إِلَى نَفَقَةٍ فَبِعْنَا ابْنَتَهَا فَبَعَثَ بِثَمَنِهَا فَأُتِيَ بِهَا وَ قَالَ بِيعُوهُم

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Once captives were brought to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, from Yemen. When they arrived at al-Juhfah, their supplies depleted and they sold one girl from the captives whose mother was with

سَأَلْتُهُ‌ عَنْ أَخَوَيْنِ مَمْلُوكَيْنِ هَلْ يُفَرَّقُ بَيْنَهُمَا وَ عَنِ الْمَرْأَةِ وَ وَلَدِهَا قَالَ لَا هُوَ حَرَامٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يُرِيدُوا ذَلِكَ.

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of two slaves who are brothers; if they can be separated from each other or a woman slave, if she can be separated from her children. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it is not lawful unless they want it.’”

فَذَهَبَ لِتَقُومَ فِي بَعْضِ الْحَاجَةِ فَقَالَتْ يَا أُمَّاهْ فَقَالَ لَهَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَ لَكِ أُمٌّ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَرُدَّتْ فَقَالَ مَا آمَنْتُ لَوْ حَبَسْتُهَا أَنْ أَرَى فِي وُلْدِي مَا أَكْرَهُ.

“I once bought a slave-girl from al-Kufah for abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). He then went so she can do a certain task. She said, ‘O mother!’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), asked, ‘Do you have a mother?’ She replied, ‘Yes, I have a mother.’ He (the Imam) commanded to return her and said, ‘On keeping her I did not feel safe from seeing

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْجَارِيَةُ الصَّغِيرَةُ يَشْتَرِيهَا الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَتْ قَدِ اسْتَغْنَتْ عَنْ أَبَوَيْهَا فَلَا بَأْسَ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if one can buy a small slave-girl. He (the Imam) said, ‘If she is independent of her parents, it is not unlawful.’”

فِي الرَّجُلِ يَشْتَرِي الْغُلَامَ أَوِ الْجَارِيَةَ وَ لَهُ أَخٌ أَوْ أُخْتٌ أَوْ أَبٌ أَوْ أُمٌّ بِمِصْرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْصَارِ قَالَ لَا يُخْرِجْهُ إِلَى مِصْرٍ آخَرَ إِنْ كَانَ صَغِيراً وَ لَا يَشْتَرِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَهُ أُمٌّ فَطَابَتْ نَفْسُهَا وَ نَفْسُهُ فَاشْتَرِهِ إِنْ شِئْتَ.

“Regarding a man who buys a slave-girl or a slave boy who has a brother or sister, or a father or mother in a city of the cities, he must not take such slave out of that city to another city if the slave is a minor, and must not buy such slaves but if the slave has a mother who agrees as well as the slave, then you can