Islam and the Liberation of Slaves

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, what is the ruling on this statement: "Islam came to liberate slaves, and this is clear in the expiations involving manumission, and in the assignment of great reward for freeing slaves"?

Answer:
Yes, Islam came with an exhortation to free slaves; it is not an obligation, it is not an obligation, but rather it is an exhortation to do so and an encouragement of it. Yes, manumission is not obligatory; rather, one is exhortated to do it. And regarding this statement, do they say that Islam does not establish slavery? That it only came to liberate slaves? We say: No, Islam came with lawful slavery, not with slavery by force. Lawful slavery was brought by Islam, and indeed it was brought by the heavenly religions. As for the obligation of manumission, no. Rather, one is exhortated to it, encouraged in it, and it is made one of the greatest acts of nearness to Allah. Yes.