Uislamu ulimtendea mtumwa kwa namna iliyoifanya hali ya utumwa aliyowekewa iwe nyepesi, na ukapelekea kuwaacha huru kwa lazima na kwa hiari. Umeweka kanuni nyingi katika jambo hili ambazo wanafiqh wamezieleza kwa undani kamili. Kanuni hizi zimefupishwa katika masuala yafuatayo:

Islam treated slaves with a treatment resulting in making easier the position of the slavery imposed upon him, and resulting in freeing them compulsorily and voluntarily. It placed many rules in this matter which the fuqaha elaborated in complete detail. These rules summarized in the following issues:

1. Uislamu ulipokuta watu wakiwa na watumwa, ulishughulikia matatizo ya watumwa kati ya wamiliki wao kwa namna ambayo iliwapa watumwa haki na kuwahifadhi heshima yao ya kuwa binadamu sawa na mtu huru, kulingana na sifa za asili ambazo mwanadamu alijaliwa nazo kwa maumbile. Allah (swt) aliwasihi katika Qur'ani Tukufu, kama alivyofanya Mtume ﷺ katika hadithi tukufu, watendewe wema watumwa na waishi nao kwa upole. Allah (swt) amesema:

1. Islam found people owning slaves so it treated the problems of slaves between the owners with a treatment giving the slaves rights and preserving him his consideration of being a human being like the free person in relation to the natural attributes man was naturally endowed with. Allah (swt) exhorted in the Noble Qur’an as did the Messenger (saw) in the honoured hadith with kindness to slaves and living with them kindly. Allah (swt) said:

Maana ya "wale ambao mikono yenu ya kuume inamiliki" ni watumwa wenu. Na yeye ﷺ alisema:

The meaning of “those your right hands possess” is your slaves. And he (saw) said:

Pia alisimulia kwa njia ya Abu Hurairah (ra), kwamba yeye alisema: Yeye ﷺ alisema:

He also narrated via the way of Abu Hurairah (ra) of his saying: He (saw) said:

Shariá (Sheria) ilimwinua cheo cha mtumwa na kumfanya kuwa sawa na mtu huru pale ilipofanya damu yake ilindwe, hivyo mtu huru anauawa kwa ajili yake, kwa sababu Allah (SWT) anasema:

The Shar’a lifted the rank of the slave and made him like the free person when it made his blood protected so the free person is killed for it because Allah (swt) says:

Kisasi kinafanana na kumlipiza mkosaji, na kumwadhibu mkosaji kwa kisasi kunatumika (kimaana ya lugha) kama malipo kwa mkosaji, na hutumika kumtendea mtendaji sawa na kile alichokifanya. Maana ya "mmewekewa kisasi" kama malipo ya dhambi katika mauaji ni kumuua muuaji. Hili ni la jumla linalowahusu mwanamume na mwanamke, mtu huru na mtumwa. Hili linathibitishwa na kile Ibn Majah alichosimulia kupitia njia ya Ibn Abbas (ra) kutoka kwa Mtume ﷺ aliposema:

Retaliation is similar and punishing the sinner as retaliation is used (linguistically) as recompense for the sinner, and it is used for doing upon the doer similar to what he did. The meaning of “retaliation has been imposed upon you” as recompense for the sin in murder is to kill the killer. This is general covering the male and female, free person and slave. This is strengthened by what ibn Majah narrated via the way of ibn Abbas (ra) of his (saw) saying:

Hili ni la jumla. Mtu huru na mtumwa wako sawa katika kwamba damu ya kila mmoja wao inalindwa, na ni haramu kumuua, hivyo muuaji atauawa, awe nani. Kwa hiyo Uislamu uliifanya maisha ya mtumwa sawa na maisha ya mtu huru kwa usawa, na damu yake inalindwa kama damu ya mtu huru. Mtume ﷺ alisema:

This is general. The free person and slave are equal in that the blood of each of them is protected and it is haram to kill them, so the killer is killed whoever he is. Hence Islam made the life of the enslaved slave like the life of the free person equally, and his blood is protected like the blood of a free person. He (saw) said:

Uislamu pia ulimpa mtumwa haki ya kuoa, kuachika, kusoma, na yeye ni shahidi juu ya wengine, awe mtu huru au mtumwa. Kuhusu kile ambacho Uislamu umetoa kama haki kwa mmiliki wa mjakazi wa kike kufurahia naye, hii huinua hadhi ya mtumwa na huleta uhuru wake, kwa sababu starehe ya mmiliki na mjakazi wake ni kama starehe ya mume na mke wake, ikiinua hadhi ya mjakazi hadi kufikia hadhi ya mke huru na kumpa hadhi mbele ya bwana wake. Mbali na hayo, kutokana na starehe hii kunatokea ujauzito na kuzaa, na hili linamwandaa mjakazi huyu kuachiwa huru kwa lazima baada ya kifo cha bwana wake.

Also Islam gave the slave the right to marry, divorce, study and he is a witness upon others whether a free person or slave. As for what Islam gave as a right to the owner of a slave-girl to enjoy with her, this lifts the status of the slave and result in his freedom because the enjoyment of the owner with his slave-girl is like the enjoyment of the husband with his wife, lifting the status of the slave girl to the status of the free wife and gives her a status before her master. In addition to what results from this enjoyment of pregnancy and childbirth and this prepares this slave-girl to be freed compulsorily after the death of her master.

2. Uislamu uliwahimiza kuwaachia huru watumwa. Uliufanya uwaachie huru watumwa kuwa ni kumsaidia mwanadamu kumshukuru Allah jalalah kwa neema Yake, na humsaidia kupanda ('aqabah). Allah (swt) amesema:

2. Islam encouraged the freeing of slaves. It made the freeing of the slave as helping the human being to be grateful for the favour of Allah jalalah and assists him to climb the (‘aqabah). Allah (swt) said:

“Al-iqtiham” ni kuingia na kupita kwa ukali na ugumu, na (‘aqabah) ni ugumu. Amefanya tendo jema kuwa ni (‘aqabah), na utekelezaji wake kuwa ni kupanda juu yake kwa sababu ya yaliyomo ndani yake ya mashaka na ugumu, na kupambana na nafsi. “Kukomboa shingo” ni kuiweka huru kutoka utumwani, hivyo Allah (SWT) amehimiza kuwaacha huru watumwa katika aya hii. Vilevile Mtume ﷺ alihimiza kuwaacha huru watumwa. Alisema ﷺ:

“Al-iqtiham” is the entry and cross over with strictness and difficulty, and (‘aqabah) is difficulty. It made the righteous deed as (‘aqabah) and made its performance as climbing for it due to what is therein of mu’anat the difficulty and the struggling with the soul. “Freeing the neck” is liberating it from slavery so Allah (swt) encouraged the freeing of slaves in this ayah. Similarly did the Messenger (saw) encourage the freeing of slaves. He (saw) said:

Hii inaonyesha kwamba Uislamu ulihimiza kuwaachia huru watumwa na ukaweka thawabu kubwa kwa jambo hilo. 4. Uislamu uliweka kanuni za kivitendo zinazowalazimu watu kuwaachia huru watumwa. Kwa hiyo uliweka kanuni zinazolazimu kuachiwa huru pale ulipofanya kuachiwa huru kwa mtumwa wa jamaa wa karibu asiyeweza kuolewa naye (mahram) kutimia kwa umiliki tu, awe mmiliki amekubali au hajakubali, awaachie huru au asiwaachie. Kila mtu anayemiliki jamaa wake wa karibu asiyeweza kuolewa naye (mahram) kwa kununua au kwa urithi, jamaa huyo anaachiwa huru kabisa kutokana na umiliki tu, bila haja ya yeye kumwachia huru. Abu Dawud amesimulia kutoka kwa Al-Hasan, kutoka kwa Sumra, kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema:

This demonstrates that Islam urged the freeing of slaves and gave it a great reward. 4. Islam legislated practical rules obliging the freeing of slaves. So it legislated rules obliging the freeing when it made the freeing on an enslaved slave to the related mahrem as being accomplished upon mere ownership whether the owner consents or not, or frees or not. Each human being who owns a relative mahrem by purchase or inheritance, his relative is freed from him completely due to mere ownership without need for his freeing him. Abu Dawud narrated from Al-Hasan from Sumra that the Prophet (saw) said:

Ilifanya kumwadhibu mtumwa kwa kumchoma kwa moto, kukata kiungo chake, kumharibu, au kumpiga pigo lenye maumivu kuwa jambo linalolazimu kumwachia huru. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa bwana wake hamwachi huru, mtawala humwachia huru kabisa kutoka kwa bwana wake. Mtume ﷺ alisema:

It made punishing the slave by burning, cutting an organ, spoiling him or striking him with a painful strike as obliging his freedom. So if his owner does not free him, the ruler frees him entirely from his owner. He (saw) said:

Maana ya kupiga hapa ni kupiga kwa uchungu, kutokana na hadithi zinazomruhusu mmiliki kumpiga mtumwa wake pigo la kuadibu. Uislamu uliweka kuachwa huru kwa mtumwa kuwa ni kafara ya lazima (kaffara) kwa dhambi nyingi. Basi yeyote atakayemuua muumini kwa bahati mbaya, kafara yake ni kumwacha huru mtumwa muumini. Allah (SWT) amesema:

The meaning of the strike is the painful strike due to the ahadith permitting the owner to strike his slave a disciplinary strike. Islam made the freeing of the slave as a compulsory atonement (kaffara) for many sins. So whoever kills a believer accidentally, his atonement is freeing a believing slave. Allah (swt) said:

Na atakayevunja kiapo chake, basi miongoni mwa mambo yanayofidia kosa lake ni kumwacha huru mtumwa. Allah (SWT) amesema:

And whoever perjures his oath, then among what atones his mistake is freeing a slave. Allah (swt) said:

Yeyote atakayefanya Dhihar na mke wake kwa kumwambia, 'Wewe ni kama mama yangu,' kisha akarejea kwake, kafara yake ni kumwacha huru mtumwa. Allah (SWT) amesema:

Whoever does Dhihar with his wife by saying to her, ‘You are like my mother’ then he returns to her, his atonement is freeing a slave. Allah (swt) said:

Yeyote atakayebatilisha funga ya Ramadhani kwa kujamiiana, kafara yake ni kumwacha huru mtumwa. Imepokewa kutoka kwa Abu Hurairah (ra) aliyesema:

Whoever invalidates the fast of Ramadhan by sexual intercourse, his atonement is freeing a slave. It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (ra) who said:

Kwanza, Mtume ﷺ alimwamuru afungue mtumwa, na hakubadilisha chochote isipokuwa baada ya kudhihirika kwake kwamba hawezi kufanya hivyo. Kanuni zote hizi za kafara zinamlazimu mwenye kutoa kafara kumwachia huru mtumwa.

Firstly the Prophet (saw) commanded him with freeing a slave, and he did not change anything except after his inability of doing so was clear to him. All these rules of atonements oblige the atoner to free the slave.

Uislamu haukuishia hapo, bali pia ulimfanya mtumwa kuwa na njia ya kufanya kazi ili ajikomboe mwenyewe, na ulimpa mmiliki njia ya kulipwa thamani ya mtumwa kupitia hilo. Hii ni katika kuhimiza mkataba wa ukombozi. Uislamu uliuhimiza, na Mwenyezi Mungu aliuamuru kwa Qur'ani. Mwenyezi Mungu (SWT) amesema:

Nor was Islam satisfied with this, but it also made more the slave a way to work to free himself as it made for the owner a way to be compensated the value of the slave by it. This is in the encouragement of the manumission contract. Islam encouraged this and Allah commanded it by the Qur’an. Allah (swt) said:

Ikiwa bwana atamfanyia mkataba mtumwa wake kwa kumwambia: Ukinipa kiasi fulani ndani ya muda fulani basi wewe u huru, basi inamlazimu bwana huyo kumwacha huru mtumwa wake ili afanye kazi apate fedha aliyoweka juu yake. Inamlazimu kumwacha huru iwapo ataleta fedha hiyo, na haifai kwake kuurudisha mkataba huu wa kumwacha huru. Wanazuoni wa fiqhi wameuchukulia mkataba wa kumwacha huru mtumwa kuwa ni kumwachia huru mara moja na kumtoa shingoni kwa wakati huo, na kwamba mkataba ukishathibitika, mtumwa huondoka mikononi mwa bwana wake, na kila atakapolipa kiasi kilichowekwa hutoka katika umiliki wa bwana wake.

If the master contracts his slave by saying to him: If you give me so much in such and such time then you are free, it is obligatory upon the master to free his slave so that he works to attain the money which he contracted upon him. It is obligatory upon him to free him if he brings the money and it is not correct for him to revert from this manumission contract. The fuqaha recognised the manumission contract as the immediate freeing of a slave and his neck in time, and that if the contract is validated then the slave leaves the hands of his master and whenever he pays the substitute he leaves the ownership of his master.

Sheria hizi zote zinahusu kuwaachia huru watumwa. Imebainishwa humo kwamba zinaelekeza kwenye njia ya kuhimiza na kutamanisha, na njia ya kuweka kanuni zinazotekelezwa kwa nguvu na Dola endapo mtu binafsi hatazitekeleza kwa msukumo wa uchaji wa Allah (swt). Kanuni hizi zote zinaleta kuamsha fikra na vitendo miongoni mwa wamiliki wa kuwaachia huru watumwa, na zinaleta kuamsha fikra na vitendo miongoni mwa watumwa wenyewe wakifanya juhudi za kujikomboa kutoka utumwani. Hii inafanya mwelekeo ulioelekezwa katika kumaliza utumwa katika jamii. 5. Wala Uislamu haukuridhika kuhimiza kuwaachia huru watumwa na kuweka kanuni zinazolazimisha kuachiwa huru, bali pia ulifanya katika Bait al-Mal ya Waislamu kitengo maalum cha kuwaachia huru watumwa pale ulipofanya zakat itumike kuwakomboa watumwa, na kulifanya hili kuwa mojawapo ya vitengo vminane. Allah (swt) amesema:

All of these rules are for freeing slaves. It is noted therein that they take the path of directing the encouragement and desire, and the path of legislating rules executed by the State forcefully if the individual does not execute them by the push of piety of Allah (swt). All of these rules lead to creating thinking and action among the owners to free slaves, and lead to creating thinking and action among the slaves themselves to work to free themselves from slavery. This makes the course directed to ending slavery in society. 5. Nor was Islam satisfied with encouraging the freeing of slaves and formulating rules compelling freeing, but rather made in the Bait al-Mal of Muslims a specific category for freeing slaves when it made zakat expended to freeing slaves and made this one of the eight categories. Allah (swt) said:

Kauli yake: “na kwa (riqab)” inamaanisha kuwaweka huru watumwa. Hakubainisha kiasi maalum kwa kundi hili, hivyo inaruhusiwa kwa Dola kutenga kiasi kwa ajili ya kuwaweka huru watumwa. Bali inaruhusiwa kwake kutoa fedha zote za zakat kwa ajili ya kuwaweka huru watumwa iwapo wakati huo mahususi hakuna haja ya matumizi mengine kutoka katika matumizi ya zakat. Hii ni kwa sababu matumizi ya zakat hayalazimiki kuwa kwa makundi manane pekee, bali inaruhusiwa kuelekezwa kwa kundi moja kati ya makundi hayo kulingana na anavyoona Khalifah wa Waislamu.

His statement: “and for (riqab)” means freeing slaves. It did not specify for this category a specific amount, so it is allowed for the State to allocate an amount for freeing slaves. Rather it is allowed for it to make all the zakat money for freeing slaves if at that particular time there is no necessity for other expenditure from the expenses of zakat. This is because the expenditure of zakat is not obliged to be only for the eight categories but rather it is allowed to be specified for one category from these categories according to what the Khalifah of the Muslims views.