Muwatta Imam Malik — Setting Free and Wala'

Malik related to me from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,said, "If a man frees his share of a slave and has enough money to cover the full price of the slave justly evaluated for him, he must buy out his partners so that the slave is completely freed. If he doesn't have the money, he partially frees him

حدثني مالك، عن نافع، عن عبد الله بن عمر، ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال " من اعتق شركا له في عبد فكان له مال يبلغ ثمن العبد قوم عليه قيمة العدل فاعطى شركاءه حصصهم وعتق عليه العبد والا فقد عتق منه ما عتق

Malik said, "The generally agreed-on way of doing things among us in the case of slave whose master makes a bequest to free part of him - a third, a fourth, a half, or any share after his death, is that only the portion of him is freed that his master has named. This is because the freeing of that portion is only obliged to take place after the death of the master because the master has the option to withdraw the bequest as long as he lives. When the slave is freed from his master, the master is a testator and the testator only has access to free what he can take from his property, being the third of the property he is allowed to bequeath, and the rest of the slave is not free because the man's property has gone out of his hands. How can the rest of the slave which belongs to other people be free when they did not initiate the setting free and did not confirm it and they do not have the wala' established for them? Only the deceased could do that. He was the one who freed him and the one for whom the wala' was confirmed. That is not to be borne by another's property unless he bequeaths within the third of his property what remains of a lave to be freed. That is a request against his partners and inheritors and the partners must not refuse the slave that when it is within the third of the dead man's property because there is no harm in that to the inheritors." Malik said, "If a man frees a third of his slave while he is critically ill, he must complete the emancipation so all of him is free from him, if it is within the third of his property that he has access to, because he is not treated in the same way as a man who frees a third of a slave after his death, because had the one who freed a third of his slave after his death lived, he could have cancelled it and the slave's being set free would be of no effect. The master who made the freeing of the third of the slave irrevocable in his illness, would still have to free all of him if he lived. If he died, the slave would be set free within the third of the bequest. That is because the command of the deceased is permissible in his third as the command of the healthy is permissible in all his property." Malik said, "A master who frees a slave of his and settles his emancipation so that his testimony is permitted, his inviolability complete, and his right to inherit confirmed, cannot impose stipulations on him like what he imposes on a slave about property or service, nor get him to do anything of slavery, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If a man frees his share of a slave and has enough money to cover the full price of the slave justly evaluated for him, he must give his partners their shares so the slave is completely free." Malik commented, "If he owns the slave completely, it is more proper to free him completely and not mingle any slavery with it." Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said and somebody else from al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan al-Basri and from Muhammad ibn Sirin that a man in the time of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, freed six of his slaves while he was dying. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew lots between them and freed a third of those slaves. Malik added that he had heard that the man did not have any property other than them

حدثني مالك، عن يحيى بن سعيد، وعن غير، واحد، عن الحسن بن ابي الحسن البصري، وعن محمد بن سيرين، ان رجلا، في زمان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم اعتق عبيدا له ستة عند موته فاسهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بينهم فاعتق ثلث تلك العبيد . قال مالك وبلغني انه لم يكن لذلك الرجل مال غيرهم

Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman that a man in the time of Aban ibn Uthman's amirate freed all of his slaves and did not have other property than them. Aban ibn Uthman took charge of the slaves and they were divided into three groups. Then he drew lots on the basis that which ever group drew the dead man's arrow would be free. The arrow fell to one of the thirds, and that third was freed

وحدثني مالك، عن ربيعة بن ابي عبد الرحمن، ان رجلا، في امارة ابان بن عثمان اعتق رقيقا له كلهم جميعا ولم يكن له مال غيرهم فامر ابان بن عثمان بتلك الرقيق فقسمت اثلاثا ثم اسهم على ايهم يخرج سهم الميت فيعتقون فوقع السهم على احد الاثلاث فعتق الثلث الذي وقع عليه السهم

Malik related to me that he heard Ibn Shihab say, "The precedent of the sunna is that when a slave is freed, his property follows him." Malik said, "One thing which makes clear that the property of a slave follows him when he is freed is that when the contract (mukatab) is written for his freedom, his property follows him even if he did not stipulate it. That is because the bond of kitaba is the bond of wala' when it is complete. The property of a slave and a mukatab is not treated in the same way as any children they may have. Their children are only treated in the same way as their own slaves, not in the same way as their property. This is because the sunna, in which there is no dispute, is that when a slave is freed, his property follows him and his children do not follow him, and when a mukatab writes the contract for his freedom, his property follows him and his children do not follow him." Malik said, "One thing which makes that clear is that when a slave or a mukatab are bankrupt, their property is taken but the mothers of their children and their children are not taken because they are not their property." Malik said, "Another thing which makes it clear is that when a slave is sold and the person who buys him stipulates the inclusions of his property, his children are not included in his property." Malik said, "Another thing which makes it clear is that when a slave does injure some one, he and his property are taken, and his children are not taken

حدثني مالك، عن ابن شهاب، انه سمعه يقول مضت السنة ان العبد اذا عتق تبعه ماله . قال مالك ومما يبين ذلك ان العبد اذا عتق تبعه ماله ان المكاتب اذا كوتب تبعه ماله وان لم يشترطه وذلك ان عقد الكتابة هو عقد الولاء اذا تم ذلك وليس مال العبد والمكاتب بمنزلة ما كان لهما من ولد انما اولادهما بمنزلة رقابهما ليسوا بمنزلة اموالهما لان السنة التي لا اختلاف فيها ان العبد اذا عتق تبعه ماله ولم يتبعه ولده وان المكاتب اذا كوتب تبعه ماله ولم يتبعه ولده . قال مالك ومما يبين ذلك ايضا ان العبد والمكاتب اذا افلسا اخذت اموالهما وامهات اولادهما ولم توخذ اولادهما لانهم ليسوا باموال لهما . قال مالك ومما يبين ذلك ايضا ان العبد اذا بيع واشترط الذي ابتاعه ماله لم يدخل ولده في ماله . قال مالك ومما يبين ذلك ايضا ان العبد اذا جرح اخذ هو وماله ولم يوخذ ولده

Malik related to me from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "If a slave-girl gives birth to a child by her master, he must not sell her, give her away, or bequeath her. He enjoys her and when he dies she is free

حدثني مالك، عن نافع، عن عبد الله بن عمر، ان عمر بن الخطاب، قال ايما وليدة ولدت من سيدها فانه لا يبيعها ولا يهبها ولا يورثها وهو يستمتع بها فاذا مات فهي حرة

Malik related to me that he had heard that a slave-girl came to Umar ibn al-Khattab (who had been beaten by her master with a red hot iron) and he set her free. Malik said, "The generally agreed- on way of doing things among us is that a man is not permitted to be freed while he has a debt against him which exceeds his property. A boy is not allowed to be set free until he has reached puberty. The young person whose affairs are managed cannot set free in his property, even when he reaches puberty, until he manages his property

وحدثني مالك، انه بلغه ان عمر بن الخطاب، اتته وليدة قد ضربها سيدها بنار او اصابها بها فاعتقها . قال مالك الامر المجتمع عليه عندنا انه لا تجوز عتاقة رجل وعليه دين يحيط بماله وانه لا تجوز عتاقة الغلام حتى يحتلم او يبلغ مبلغ المحتلم وانه لا تجوز عتاقة المولى عليه في ماله وان بلغ الحلم حتى يلي ماله

Malik related to me from Hilal ibn Usama from Ata ibn Yasar that Umar ibn al-Hakam said, "I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah, a slave girl of mine was tending my sheep. I came to her and one of the sheep was lost. I asked her about it and she said that a wolf had eaten it, so I became angry and I am one of the children of Adam, so I struck her on the face. As it happens, I have to set a slave free, shall I free her?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, questioned her, 'Where is Allah?' She said, 'In heaven.' He said, 'Who am I?' She said, 'You are the Messenger of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Free her

حدثني مالك، عن هلال بن اسامة، عن عطاء بن يسار، عن عمر بن الحكم، انه قال اتيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقلت يا رسول الله ان جارية لي كانت ترعى غنما لي فجيتها وقد فقدت شاة من الغنم فسالتها عنها فقالت اكلها الذيب فاسفت عليها وكنت من بني ادم فلطمت وجهها وعلى رقبة افاعتقها فقال لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اين الله " . فقالت في السماء . فقال " من انا " . فقالت انت رسول الله . فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اعتقها

Malik related to me from Ibn Shihab from Ubaydullah ibn Abdullah ibn Utba ibn Masud that one of the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a black slave- girl of his. He said, "Messenger of Allah, I must set a slave free who is a mumina. If you think that she is mumina, I will free her." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, questioned her, "Do you testify that there is no god but Allah?" She said, "Yes." "Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?" She said, "Yes." "Are you certain about the rising after death?" She said, "Yes." The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Free her

وحدثني مالك، عن ابن شهاب، عن عبيد الله بن عبد الله بن عتبة بن مسعود، ان رجلا، من الانصار جاء الى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بجارية له سوداء فقال يا رسول الله ان على رقبة مومنة فان كنت تراها مومنة اعتقها . فقال لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اتشهدين ان لا اله الا الله " . قالت نعم . قال " اتشهدين ان محمدا رسول الله قالت نعم . قال " اتوقنين بالبعث بعد الموت " . قالت نعم . فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اعتقها

Malik related to me that he had heard that al-Maqburi said that Abu Hurayra was asked whether a man who had to free a slave, could free an illegitimate child to fulfil that obligation. Abu Hurayra said, "Yes. That will give satisfaction for him

وحدثني مالك، انه بلغه عن المقبري، انه قال سيل ابو هريرة عن الرجل، تكون عليه رقبة هل يعتق فيها ابن زنا فقال ابو هريرة نعم ذلك يجزي عنه

Malik related to me that he had heard that Fadala ibn Ubayd al- Ansari who was one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked whether it was permissible for a man who had to free a slave to free an illegitimate child. He said, "Yes, That will give satisfaction for him

وحدثني مالك، انه بلغه عن فضالة بن عبيد الانصاري، وكان، من اصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم انه سيل عن الرجل تكون عليه رقبة هل يجوز له ان يعتق ولد زنا قال نعم ذلك يجزي عنه

Malik related to me that he had heard that Abdullah ibn Umar was asked whether a slave could be bought on the specific condition that it was to be used to fulfil the obligation of freeing a slave, and he said, "No." Malik said, "That is the best of what I have heard on the obligation of freeing slaves. Someone who has to set a slave free because of an obligation on him, may not buy one on the condition that he sets it free because if he does that, whatever he buys is not completely a slave because he has reduced its price by the condition he has made of setting it free." Malik added, "There is no harm, however, in someone buying a person expressly to set him free." Malik said, "The best of what I have heard on the obligation of freeing slaves is that it is not permitted to free a christian or a jew to fulfil it, and one does not free a mukatab or a mudabbar or an umm walad or a slave to be freed after a certain number of years, or a blind person. There is no harm in freeing a christian, jew, or magian voluntarily, because Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, said in His Book, 'either as a favour then or by ransom,' (Sura 47 ayat 4) The favour is setting free." Malik said, "As for obligations of freeing slaves which Allah has mentioned in the Book, one only frees a mumin slave for them." Malik said, "It is like that in feeding poor people for kaffara. One must only feed muslims and one does not feed anyone outside of the deen of Islam

حدثني مالك، انه بلغه ان عبد الله بن عمر، سيل عن الرقبة الواجبة، هل تشترى بشرط فقال لا . قال مالك وذلك احسن ما سمعت في الرقاب الواجبة انه لا يشتريها الذي يعتقها فيما وجب عليه بشرط على ان يعتقها لانه اذا فعل ذلك فليست برقبة تامة لانه يضع من ثمنها للذي يشترط من عتقها . قال مالك ولا باس ان يشتري الرقبة في التطوع ويشترط ان يعتقها . قال مالك ان احسن ما سمع في الرقاب الواجبة انه لا يجوز ان يعتق فيها نصراني ولا يهودي ولا يعتق فيها مكاتب ولا مدبر ولا ام ولد ولا معتق الى سنين ولا اعمى ولا باس ان يعتق النصراني واليهودي والمجوسي تطوعا لان الله تبارك وتعالى قال في كتابه {فاما منا بعد واما فداء} فالمن العتاقة . قال مالك فاما الرقاب الواجبة التي ذكر الله في الكتاب فانه لا يعتق فيها الا رقبة مومنة . قال مالك وكذلك في اطعام المساكين في الكفارات لا ينبغي ان يطعم فيها الا المسلمون ولا يطعم فيها احد على غير دين الاسلام

Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Amra al-Ansari that his mother had wanted to make a bequest, but she delayed until morning and died. She had intended to set someone free, so Abd ar- Rahman said, 'I said to al-Qasim ibn Muhammad, 'Will it help her if I free a slave for her?' Al-Qasim replied, 'Sad ibn Ubada said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 'My mother died, will it help her if I set a slave free for her?' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said "Yes

حدثني مالك، عن عبد الرحمن بن ابي عمرة الانصاري، ان امه، ارادت ان توصي ثم اخرت ذلك الى ان تصبح فهلكت وقد كانت همت بان تعتق فقال عبد الرحمن فقلت للقاسم بن محمد اينفعها ان اعتق عنها فقال القاسم ان سعد بن عبادة قال لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ان امي هلكت فهل ينفعها ان اعتق عنها فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " نعم

Malik related to me that Yahya ibn Said said, ''Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr died in his sleep, and A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, set free many slaves for him." Malik said, "This is what I like best of what I have heard on the subject

وحدثني مالك، عن يحيى بن سعيد، انه قال توفي عبد الرحمن بن ابي بكر في نوم نامه فاعتقت عنه عايشة زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم رقابا كثيرة . قال مالك وهذا احب ما سمعت الى في ذلك

Malik related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father from A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked what was the most excellent kind of slave to free. The Messenger of Allah, May Allah bless him and grant him peace, answered, "The most expensive and the most valuable to his master

حدثني مالك، عن هشام بن عروة، عن ابيه، عن عايشة، زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم سيل عن الرقاب ايها افضل فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اغلاها ثمنا وانفسها عند اهلها

Malik related to me from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar freed an illegitimate child and its mother

وحدثني مالك، عن نافع، عن عبد الله بن عمر، انه اعتق ولد زنا وامه

Malik related to me from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Barira came to me and said, 'I have written myself as mukatab for my people for nine uqiyas, one uqiya per year, so help me.' A'isha said, 'If your people agree that I pay it all to them for you, and that if I pay it, your wala' is mine, then I will do it.' Barira went to her masters and told them that and they didn't agree. She came back from her masters while the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was sitting. She said to A'isha, 'I offered that to them and they refused me unless they had the wala'.' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, heard that and asked her about it A'isha told him and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Take her and stipulate that the wala' is yours, for the wala' is for the one who sets free.' So A'isha did that and then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stood up in front of the people, and praised Allah and gave thanks to Him. Then he said, 'What is wrong with the people who make conditions which are not in the Book of Allah? Any condition which is not in the Book of Allah is invalid even if it is a hundred conditions. The decree of Allah is truer and the conditions of Allah are firmer, and the wala' only belongs to the one who sets free

حدثني مالك، عن هشام بن عروة، عن ابيه، عن عايشة، زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم انها قالت جاءت بريرة فقالت اني كاتبت اهلي على تسع اواق في كل عام اوقية فاعينيني . فقالت عايشة ان احب اهلك ان اعدها لهم عنك عددتها ويكون لي ولاوك فعلت . فذهبت بريرة الى اهلها فقالت لهم ذلك فابوا عليها فجاءت من عند اهلها ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جالس فقالت لعايشة اني قد عرضت عليهم ذلك فابوا على الا ان يكون الولاء لهم . فسمع ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فسالها فاخبرته عايشة فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " خذيها واشترطي لهم الولاء فانما الولاء لمن اعتق " . ففعلت عايشة ثم قام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في الناس فحمد الله واثنى عليه ثم قال " اما بعد فما بال رجال يشترطون شروطا ليست في كتاب الله ما كان من شرط ليس في كتاب الله فهو باطل وان كان ماية شرط قضاء الله احق وشرط الله اوثق وانما الولاء لمن اعتق

Malik related to me from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that A'isha umm al-muminin wanted to buy a slave-girl and set her free. Her people said, "We will sell her to you provided that her wala' is ours." She mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, "Don't let that hinder you, for the wala' only belongs to the one who sets free

وحدثني مالك، عن نافع، عن عبد الله بن عمر، ان عايشة ام المومنين، ارادت ان تشتري جارية تعتقها فقال اهلها نبيعكها على ان ولاءها لنا فذكرت ذلك لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال " لا يمنعنك ذلك فانما الولاء لمن اعتق

Malik related to me from Yahya ibn Said from Amra bint Abd ar- Rahman that Barira came asking the help of A'isha, umm al-muminin. A'isha said, "If your masters agree that I pay them your price in one lump sum and set you free I will do it." Barira mentioned that to her masters and they said, "No, not unless your wala' is ours." Yahya ibn Said added that Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman claimed that A'isha mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace said, "Buy her and set her free. The wala' only belongs to the one who sets free

وحدثني مالك، عن يحيى بن سعيد، عن عمرة بنت عبد الرحمن، ان بريرة، جاءت تستعين عايشة ام المومنين فقالت عايشة ان احب اهلك ان اصب لهم ثمنك صبة واحدة واعتقك فعلت . فذكرت ذلك بريرة لاهلها فقالوا لا الا ان يكون لنا ولاوك . قال يحيى بن سعيد فزعمت عمرة ان عايشة ذكرت ذلك لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم " اشتريها واعتقيها فانما الولاء لمن اعتق

Malik related to me from Abdullah ibn Dinar from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade selling or giving away the wala

وحدثني مالك، عن عبد الله بن دينار، عن عبد الله بن عمر، ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم نهى عن بيع الولاء وعن هبته

Malik said that it was not permissible for a slave to buy himself from his master on the provision that he could give the wala' to whomever he wished as the wala' was for the one who set him free, and that had a man given permission to his mawla to give the wala' to whomever he wished, that would not have been permitted, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had said, "The wala' is for the one who sets free. " The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade selling or giving away the wala'. For if it was permitted to the master to stipulate that for him and to give him permission to give the wala' to whomever he liked, that would be a gift. Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abd ar-Rahman that az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam bought a slave and set him free. The slave had children by a free woman. When az-Zubayr freed him, he said, "They are my mawali." The man argued, "They are the mawali of their mother. Rather, they are our mawali." They took the dispute to Uthman ibn Affan, and Uthman gave a judgement that az-Zubayr had their wala

حدثني مالك، عن ربيعة بن ابي عبد الرحمن، . ان الزبير بن العوام، اشترى عبدا فاعتقه ولذلك العبد بنون من امراة حرة فلما اعتقه الزبير قال هم موالي . وقال موالي امهم بل هم موالينا . فاختصموا الى عثمان بن عفان فقضى عثمان للزبير بولايهم