Chapter on Freedom

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ أَحْرَارٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَقَرَّ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بِالرِّقِّ وَ هُوَ مُدْرِكٌ مِنْ عَبْدٍ أَوْ أَمَةٍ وَ مَنْ شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِ شَاهِدَانِ بِالرِّقِّ صَغِيراً كَانَ أَوْ كَبِيراً.

"I heard Abu Abdullah (as) say: Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, used to say: 'Indeed, all people are free, except for the one who acknowledges servitude upon himself while being of sound understanding-whether he is a slave or a bondwoman-or the one upon whom two witnesses testify to his servitude, whether

لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع رَجُلٌ أَقَرَّ أَنَّهُ عَبْدٌ قَالَ يَأْخُذُهُ بِمَا قَالَ أَوْ يَرُدَّ الْمَالَ‌[1].

"I said to Abu Abdullah (as), 'A man admitted that he is a slave.' Imam (as) said: 'He will be held accountable based on what he said, or he must return the wealth.'"

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِذَا عَمِيَ الْعَبْدُ فَلَا رِقَّ عَلَيْهِ وَ الْعَبْدُ إِذَا أَجْذَمَ فَلَا رِقَّ عَلَيْهِ‌[2].

The Messenger of Allah (swt), peace be upon him and his family, said: "If a slave becomes blind, there is no servitude upon him; and if a slave becomes leprous, there is no servitude upon him."

إِذَا عَمِيَ الْعَبْدُ فَقَدْ عَتَقَ[1]

قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِيمَنْ نَكَّلَ بِمَمْلُوكِهِ أَنَّهُ حُرٌّ لَا سَبِيلَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ سَائِبَةٌ يَذْهَبُ فَيَتَوَلَّى إِلَى مَنْ أَحَبَّ فَإِذَا ضَمِنَ حَدَثَهُ فَهُوَ يَرِثُهُ[2].

رُوِيَ‌ فِي امْرَأَةٍ قَطَعَتْ ثَدْيَ وَلِيدَتِهَا أَنَّهَا حُرَّةٌ لَا سَبِيلَ لِمَوْلَاتِهَا عَلَيْهَا[3].

Hadith.3520 - It is narrated regarding a woman who cut off the breast of her female slave; "She (the slave) is free, and her mistress has no authority over her."

هُوَ حُرٌّ كُلُّهُ لَيْسَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ شَرِيكٌ‌[4].

Hadith.3521 - It is narrated by Talhah bin Zayd, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as), peace be upon him, regarding a man who freed part of his slave. Imam (as) said: "He is completely free; there is no partner with Allah (swt), the Almighty."

الْأَمَةُ حُرَّةٌ وَ مَا فِي بَطْنِهَا حُرٌّ لِأَنَّ مَا فِي بَطْنِهَا مِنْهَا[6].

Hadith.3522 - It is narrated by Al-Sakooni, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as), peace be upon him, regarding a man who freed a pregnant bondwoman but excluded what was in her womb. Imam (as) said: "The bondwoman is free, and what is in her womb is also free b

أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَ يَجُوزُ لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يُعْتِقَ مَمْلُوكاً مُشْرِكاً قَالَ لَا[1].

"I asked Abu Abdullah (as), 'Is it permissible for a Muslim to free a slave who is a polytheist?'" Imam (as) said: "No."

لَا يَجُوزُ فِي الْعَتَاقِ[2] الْأَعْمَى وَ الْأَعْوَرُ وَ الْمُقْعَدُ وَ يَجُوزُ الْأَشَلُّ وَ الْأَعْرَجُ.

أَعْتَقَ مَنْ أَغْنَى نَفْسَهُ‌[3] الشَّيْخُ الْكَبِيرُ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الشَّابِّ الْأَجْرَدِ[4].

"I asked him about a man who is obligated to free a slave and intends to emancipate one. Which is better-to free an old man or a young, healthy man?" Imam (as) replied: 'Free the one who is more self-sufficient. The old man is better than the young, healthy (strong) man.' "

إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع‌[5] كَانَ‌ عَلَيَّ عِتْقُ رَقَبَةٍ فَهَرَبَ لِي مَمْلُوكٌ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَيْنَ هُوَ أَ يُجْزِينِي عِتْقُهُ فَكَتَبَ ع نَعَمْ.

"I wrote to Abu al-Hasan (as), stating that I was obligated to free a slave, but my slave had escaped, and I did not know where he was. Would his emancipation suffice for fulfilling my obligation?" Imam (as) wrote back: 'Yes.' "

أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ لَهُ مَمْلُوكٌ قَدْ أَبَقَ مِنْهُ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُعْتِقَهُ فِي كَفَّارَةِ الظِّهَارِ قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهِ مَا لَمْ يَعْرِفْ مِنْهُ مَوْتاً[1].

"I asked Abu al-Hasan (as), about a man who had a runaway slave. Is it permissible for him to free the slave as an expiation for zihar?" Imam (as) replied: 'There is no harm in it, as long as he has not come to know of the slave's death.'"