Continuation of the discussion on the issue of slavery in Islam.

The Shaykh : So we say, and Glorified is Allah, I have said this repeatedly and again and again, and perhaps in that is a reminder for whoever remembers. The enslavement of disbelievers of Muslims, their ultimate goal in themselves, or rather, let us say, of non-Muslims, their goal from this enslavement is arrogance and corruption on earth. As for the ultimate goal of Muslims in the enslavement prescribed in their religion, it is the opposite of that. Do you have any doubt about this fact?

The questioner : No, by Allah.

The Shaykh : No, there is no presence of the apparent distinction.

The questioner : There is no presence, there is a distinction, of course, but there is no presence that the enslavement in Islam is that everything in it is good for the enslaved person.

The Shaykh : Everything is what?

The questioner : Everything in it is good for the enslaved person because he will be a slave.

The Shaykh : Everything in it is what?

The questioner : Good.

The Shaykh : Everything is good?

The questioner : For the benefit of the enslaved person, meaning.

The Shaykh : I am going to stand with you on the word "everything." Is everything good for the Muslim? There is no "everything" that is good for the Muslim. There is nothing where everything is good for the Muslim.

The questioner : In general life.

The Shaykh : Of course, and let it be so. Likewise, regarding the disbeliever who is captured. And so, as long as we have reached the point, we do not come to say that he entered Islam or lived in the Muslim society, everything is fine for him. The Muslims did not make this thing fine for him. Everything is fine? Let me proceed in my speech. I said that when disbelievers enslave one another, it does not mean, first in his heart and second in his form, that he intends to do good to his slave. Do you have any doubt about this issue?

The questioner : When this story was... there was no enslavement.

The Shaykh : What do you mean there was no enslavement? Now there is enslavement in general. May Allah guide you. You are now clinging to the word "enslavement."

The questioner : And controlling the fates of nations and controlling their economies?

The Shaykh : Or what is this? This is more terrible, Professor. Is there a poem, who remembers it? The enslavement of a people in general. Say with me, you, Professor, do you not remember poetry?

The questioner : No, do not enslave and kill a safe people...

The Shaykh : Where are you? You forgot that poem. This is the truth. Anyway, let us clarify what the difference is between the enslavement of disbelievers of disbelievers, let alone Muslims, and the difference between them and the Muslims who enslave others, who are disbelievers.
First, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed to this distinction with a very, very, very strong indication when he said Does this meaning apply to the enslavement of disbelievers of others? It does not apply. So we say to them, "This difference is sufficient for us *** And every vessel emits what is in it." Then, from the historical aspect, the great scholars of the Muslims in the previous eras and those that followed them came through the path of capture and enslavement, and that is because they became slaves, let us say it frankly, to masters who were Muslims. They lived with them, not as a free person lives with a free person today, but they lived with them as if they were sons of the family. And it has come in the authentic hadiths that Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him), or Abu Dharr, I am doubtful, but in any case, one of them, a man from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), saw on him a garment and saw on a man with him a garment, and he knew that this man was his slave. How did he clothe him with the same garment? He said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say So I applied this Prophetic command to my slave."

The questioner : It might be Abu al-Darda, because Abu Dharr was often... and he had nothing to eat...

The Shaykh : It is possible, but this does not mean that he had... for example, the important thing is that this care from Islam for the slaves of the Muslims is an honor for the slaves, first in this world and second in the Hereafter, because when they see this happy life they live while they are slaves, disbelievers, they have no choice but to believe in Allah and His Messenger, because this religion that created these people is a master, but he equates his slave and his bondman.

The questioner : If he becomes a Muslim, is he freed?

The Shaykh : If he becomes a Muslim, he is not freed, meaning his Islam does not result in his freedom. Rather, if he became a Muslim before being enslaved, that is what prevents him from being enslaved.

The questioner : ... without right.

The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. I want to return to the original ruling. Also, in a recent session, we mentioned, on the occasion of the current situation between the mujahideen in Afghanistan, perhaps with our brother Jamal, the discussion about their fighting the Russians and those among the Russians who believed and disbelieved in Allah (Mighty and Majestic). What do they do? The truth is, news that greatly distressed us, and I told my interlocutor that this indicates that those commanders have no knowledge of Islam. Two distressing pieces of news: the first is that every member of the Kabul group who is taken prisoner by the Muslims, and it is known that he is a communist, is killed immediately. The second is that they issued an order to their women that if they are taken prisoner by these communists, they should kill themselves so that their chastity is not violated by that disbeliever. So I said regarding this second ruling, it is not permissible. Rather, we order the honorable Muslim woman to defend herself as much as she can, and she is weak in any case. If she is overcome, there is no sin on her. In the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, a man assaulted a woman, so the aggressor was arrested and the victim was brought in. She said he raped her, so the hadd was carried out on the rapist and she was released because she was forced. Why is it ruled permissible for a Muslim woman to kill herself for fear of being assaulted? As for the first matter, which is killing those who are taken prisoner, I said here that this Afghan communist, who is originally a Muslim, first of all, it is not permissible for us to rule that every individual belonging to a party is a disbeliever, because this party, as a party, is undoubtedly disbelieving because it adopts a system other than Islam. But we cannot rule that every individual in these parties is a disbeliever who has apostatized from his religion, because he may have adopted his affiliation as a means of living and earning a livelihood, meaning he does not consider permissible what the party considers permissible as a system. Therefore, this communist who is originally a Muslim and is taken prisoner by the mujahideen, it is obligatory that repentance be offered to him before he is killed. On this occasion, I said that Islam does not obligate the Muslim ruler to kill the prisoner, but gives him the choice between one of four options. Two of these four are mentioned in the text of the Noble Qur'an, which is His saying (Mighty and Majestic) and the other two are mentioned in the Sunnah, which is enslavement, which we were discussing, or killing. The commander of the Muslim army here, it is important that we know Islam before we fall into problems like these, and like those who call for establishing the Muslim state but do not know what Islam is. We must know Islam and study it so that if we are able one day to establish the state of Islam, we sit and study Islam, as we mentioned earlier, "I lost the milk in the summer," meaning we will be studying Islam and what the mechanism is for implementing it at the first opportunity that presents itself for implementing Islam. So now we have entered an experience in several matters, including jihad in Afghanistan. The jihad in Afghanistan recently stumbled, as you know, because it became clear that they were seeking help from the greatest of the enemies of the Muslims today, the Americans. And the same problem has now occurred in Saudi Arabia and was not considered by the Afghans. The point is that the Muslim commander should be knowledgeable about Islam and its rulings, firm, and know what achieves the benefit of the Muslim army or the Muslim community. Undoubtedly, and we know this from reading magazines and newspapers, there are prisoners of the mujahideen with the communists. So I said, instead of killing this person merely because it is established with them that he belongs to the party, we can free the necks of the Muslims who are prisoners with the disbelievers. Islam gives the commander the choice to select one of four, and this depends on the situation he is living in. He may need to free the prisoners and say to them, as came in some weak hadiths, "Go, you are free." When does this commander do this? When he is in a position of strength and power, not when he is weak and acting tough, saying "Go, you are free," and then these freed ones will return to fight him, quite the opposite. Similarly, if he sees the benefit in killing, he kills. If he sees the benefit in ransom, he ransoms. If he enslaves, he enslaves. I do not think a Muslim army on the face of the earth is thinking of implementing this now. Why? Because the scientific Western armies have invaded the ideas of the Muslims and at least weakened their faith in some of the rulings of their Shari'ah. For example, marrying a second wife, "Oh, jealousy of Allah, this is not permissible, this is not permissible except out of necessity." And enslavement is not permissible, why? Because the United Nations Council has forbidden it. When was this forbidden and made permissible? And let this prohibition be real, but it is only another means of enslaving others in the name of freedom. So enslavement is a past Shari'ah, but it is not necessary because it is one of four options that the Muslim ruler chooses.
Al-Halabi : I once asked you, our Shaykh, you mentioned a phrase from a book, a very beautiful phrase on this topic.

The Shaykh : Please.
Al-Halabi : A professor mentioned that slavery under Islam is better than freedom outside of Islam.

The Shaykh : Without a doubt.
Al-Halabi : This supports the statement.

The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
Abu Layla : By the way, Shaykh, may Allah help you with ... .