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Ma malakat aymanukum ("what your right hands possess" ما ملكت أيمانکم) is a reference in the Qur'an to slaves.
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The term itself is normally considered to refer to prisoners of war, or more broadly to slaves in general, according to the classic tafsirs. Bernard Lewis proposes the translation "those whom you own,"[1] but this is neither a literal nor properly idiomatic translation.
The general term ma malakat aymanukum (literally "what your right hands possess") appears fourteen times in the Qur'an, in the following Arabic variations:
| Arabic | Literal translation |
|---|---|
| ما ملكت أيمانكم | what your (masculine plural) right hands possess * |
| ما ملكت أيمانهم | what their (masculine plural) right hands possess * |
| ما ملكت أيمانهن | what their (feminine plural) right hands possess |
| ما ملكت يمينك | what your right hands possess |
| الذين ملكت أيمانكم | Those whom your (masculine plural) right hands possess * |
Although slavery was not outright condemned, Muslims argue that this is because slavery was a vital part of the world during the time of the revelation and it would be difficult for society to end it immediately. Muslims (apologetics) argue that God sought to incrementally push for the abolishment of slavery through personal humanitarian initiatives. For example, "The Prophet said, "Give food to the hungry, pay a visit to the sick and release (set free) the one in captivity (by paying his ransom)."[2] Also when an individual erred such as missing a day of fasting they were to free a slave. Slavery was not encouraged, i.e. there was no command to take slaves. On the contrary, there were commands that freeing slaves is a righteous act. Therefore this set the emancipation of slaves in motion. While this emancipation was occurring the Qur'an and the Prophet established rights for slaves that were not before enjoyed as well as limiting the source of slavery to only prisoners of war.[3]
It was a practice and tradition of the Prophet Muhammad to release from captivity those females who would face the risk of being disgraced or humiliated as a result of being held as captives or slaves, and those who came from respected backgrounds that were known for their philanthropic contributions to the general masses, regardless if their charitable deeds benefited Muslims or non-Muslims.
After the Muslims executed the male members of the Banu Qurayza tribe,[4] the women and children were taken as slaves, Muhammad himself took Rayhana as his slave.[5]
During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, the tribe of Tayy that lived to the North East of the city of Madina, engaged in banditry and highway robbery, and came in conflict with the Muslims of Madina, which led to battles in between them that led to Tayy's defeat, and the subsequent captivity of some of their tribes folk.
Abu Hamid al Ghazali narrated in his Ihya Uloom ad deen, that when the daughter of the Hatim at-Tayy was taken as a captive, she came to the Prophet Muhammad asking for her release, and not to be made a subject of humiliation amongst the various Arab quarters, as her father , Hatim at-Tayy, was a person who used to aid the needy, feed the hungry, spread greetings, free slaves, and never refused an assisting request; to which the Prophet Muhammad replied that these described qualities of her father are those of the believers, and if her father was a Muslim then indeed he would have asked for (Divine)mercy on him. He then asked his companions to release her stating that her father loved the noble-character, and God loves the noble-character.
The main points about "those whom one's right hands possess" in the Qur'an are:
The Qur'an states:
Al-Bukhari said: "Rawh narrated from Ibn Jurayj: `I said to `Ata', "If I know that my servant has money, is it obligatory for me to write him a contract of emancipation." He said, "I do not think it can be anything but obligatory." `Amr bin Dinar said: "I said to `Ata', `Are you narrating this from anybody' He said, `No,' then he told me that Musa bin Anas told him that Sirin, who had a lot of money, asked Anas for a contract of emancipation and he refused. So he went to `Umar (bin Al-Khattab), may Allah be pleased with him, and he said, `Write it for him.' He refused, so `Umar hit him with his whip and recited, (give them such writing, if you find that there is good and honesty in them.) Then he wrote the contract." This was mentioned by Al-Bukhari with a disconnected chain of narration. It was also narrated by `Abdur-Razzaq who said Ibn Jurayj told them: I said to `Ata', "If I know that my servant has some money, is it obligatory for me to write him a contract of emancipation" He said, `I do not think it can be anything but obligatory.'" (It was also said by `Amr bin Dinar who said, "I said to `Ata', `Are you narrating this from anybody' He said, `No.') Ibn Jarir recorded that Sirin wanted Anas bin Malik to write a contract of emancipation and he delayed, then `Umar said to him, "You should certainly write him a contract of emancipation." Ibn Kathir comments that the chain of narrators in the latter is Sahih (Authentic).[7]
(And give them something out of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you.) This is the share of the wealth of Zakah that Allah stated to be their right. This is the opinion of Al-Hasan, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and his father and Muqatil bin Hayyan. It was also the opinion favored by Ibn Jarir.[7]
(And give them something out of the wealth of Allah which He has bestowed upon you.) Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, "This is urging the people, their masters and others." This was also the view of Buraydah bin Al-Husayb Al-Aslami and Qatadah. Ibn `Abbas said: "Allah commanded the believers to help in freeing slaves."[7]
Ibn Kathir supports donation of money for this cause by quoting a hadith from Al-Bara' bin `Azib, in which Muhammad is supposed to have said that an action that draws closer to paradise and away from the fire is emancipating the person by freeing him on your own or by helping in the price to gain his freedom.[8]
Muhammad Asad notes that for the expression ma malakat aymanukum ("those whom your right hands possess", i.e., "those whom you rightfully possess"), it is often taken to mean female captives can be taken in marriage irrespective of whether they have husbands in the country of their origin or not. Despite the differences of opinion, even among the Companions of the Prophet, regarding the legality of such a marriage, Razi in his commentary on this verse, and Tabari in one of his alternative explanations (going back to ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, and others) hold the view that ma malakat aymanukum denotes here "women whom you rightfully possess through wedlock".[10]
Ibn Kathir comments:
Imam Bukhari relates that Muhammad said that one of the three who would have a double reward is "a master of a woman-slave who teaches her good manners and educates her in the best possible way (the religion) and manumits her and then marries her."[14]
Ibn Kathir comments on verse 36 in Chapter An-Nisa [Women (4)] in the Qur'an that people must behave kindly to the one held as captive by others since they are weak by quoting an authentic hadith, in his opinion, in which Muhammad during an illness before his death recommended people to care of the captives. He also supports good treatment of captives by quoting hadiths from Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim that the slave has the right to have food, clothing and to only be required to perform what he can bear of work.[15]
In Islamic Divine Law (Arabic: Sharia), Ma malakat aymanukum is the term for slaves or captives of war.
According to some Muslim theologians, it is lawful for male masters to have sexual relations with female captives. This is problematic because believers are taught that righteousness is to free the slave. "Quran 2:177 Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous."
Some however like Ibn Kathir claims for verse 25 in Chapter An-Nisa [Women (4)] in the Qur'an that the interpretation of it is that it is not allowed for "that your right hand possess" to commit fornication, and quotes Ibn Abbas interpretation to be not refraining from illicit sexual intercourse with whoever asks for it. In the same verse Ibn Kathir continues his interpretation by commenting that is not either allowed for "that your right hand possess" to take boyfriends according to Abu Hurayrah, Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Yahya bin Abi Kathir, Muqatil bin Hayyan and As-Suddi.[13]
An-Nur 30–33, in the course of laying down the familiar dress code of Islam, explains that women "should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty" except to various familiar people, including those "whom their right hands possess". Al-Ahzab 55 makes it explicit that the same liberty is given to the Prophet's wives.
An-Nur 58 says that "those whom your right hands possess" and underage children should ask a believer's permission (before they come to their presence) at the three times of day when one is likely to be undressed.
An-Nur 24:33 states, ... But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is Allah, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to the one being forced).[16]
Ibn Abi Talhah narrated that Ibn `Abbas said, "If you do that, then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, and their sin will be on the one who forced them to do that." This was also the view of Mujahid, `Ata' Al-Khurasani, Al-A`mash and Qatadah.[17]
An-Nisa 36 reminds readers that a believer should do good to a variety of people, including "what your right hands possess".
an-Nahl 71 and ar-Rum 28 both use the same metaphor: just as the fortunate among people do not share their wealth with "those whom their right hands possess" to the point of making them equals, nor fear them as they fear each other, so does God with people, bestowing more on some than others, but never making them equals, let alone fearing them.
A list of people who were amongst Ma malakat aymanukum includes: