islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

Islamic Slaveryworld that continued well into the late twentieth century (indeed, continues today) never existed. Thisperception amongst them is undoubtedly the result of their ignorance about the history of Islam. SomeMuslims—knowledgeable about it, or when presented with undeniable evidence—take recourse of the muchfamiliar denials. They offer two common arguments to counter the undeniable facts about the widespreadpractice of slavery in the Muslim world. Firstly, slavery is not at all approved in Islam; its practice in theMuslim world resulted from the abuse or disregard of Islam. The second type of response comes from themore knowledgeable Muslims, who—failing to deny the approval of slavery in Islam and its widespreadpractice in the Muslim world—would agree that slavery was accepted in Islam, albeit reluctantly and on alimited scale, because of its overwhelming practice in Arabia at the time. They then come with a set ofQuranic verses and prophetic traditions to claim that ‘Islam actually set the first example for the abolition ofslavery.’The first type of response definitely comes from the group of Muslims, the overwhelming majority,who are thoroughly ignorant of the theological content of Islam regarding the sanction of slavery and ProphetMuhammad’s engagement in enslavement, slave-trade and concubinage. The second group, deliberately usingdeceptive ploys, comes up with a set of arguments from the Quran and the Sunnah, which need addressinghere. The commonly cited set of Quranic references are:1. Quran 4:36 urges Muslims to show kindness to orphans, parents, travelers and slaves.2. Quran 9:60 directs part of obligatory charity toward freeing of slaves.3. Quran 24:33 advises owners of well-behaved slaves to set terms for their release in writing.4. Quran 5:92 and 18:3 propose freeing of slaves as a means of expiation for sins.5. Quran 4:92 states that a Muslim should free a believing slave as expiation for involuntarymanslaughter.Based on such references, Ahmad Alawad Sikainga, Professor of History at the Ohio State University,explains away the Quranic recognition of slavery as ‘broad and general propositions of an ethical naturerather than specific legal formulations.’ 887 In a similar vein, famous Pakistani scholar and poet MuhammadIqbal (d. 1938) held slavery in Islam as a benign institution, completely devoid of true servitude. According tohim, 888[Prophet Muhammad] declared the principle of equality and though, like every wise reformer, heslightly conceded to the social conditions around him in retaining the name of slavery, he quietlytook away the whole institution of slavery. The truth is that the institution of slavery is a merename in Islam.Other more emphatic apologists come up with such lofty claims that Islam has clearly and categoricallyforbidden the primitive practice of capturing a free man, to make him a slave, or to sell him into slavery. Theyaffirm their position by quoting Prophet Muhammad: ‘‘There are three categories of people against whom Ishall myself be a plaintiff on the Day of Judgment. Of these three: he, who enslaves a free man, then sells him,and eats this money.’’ 889 Muslim scholar Syed Ameer Ali (d. 1928), widely read in the West, argued thatMuslims should efface the dark page of slavery from the world ‘to show the falseness of the aspersions cast887. Islam and slavery, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_Slavery888. Iqbal M (2002) Islam as a Moral and Political Ideal, in Modernist Islam, 1840-1940: A Sourcebook, C Kurzmaned., Oxford University Press, London, p. 307–8889. Muhammad S (2004) Social Justice in Islam, Anmol Publications Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, p. 40250