Sunan Ibn Majah: The Chapters on Manumission (of Slaves)

1

Chapter: The Mudabbar

It was narrated from Jabir that:
the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sold a Mudabbar.
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2512
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 1
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2512
It was narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said:
“A man among us promised freedom to a slave after his death, and he did not have any property other than him (this slave). So the Prophet (ﷺ) sold him, and Ibn (Nahham), a man from Banu 'Adi, bought him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2513
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 2
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2513
It was narrated from Ibn`Umar that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“The Mudabbar is part of the one third of the estate.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2514
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 3
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2514
2

Chapter: Umahatul-Awlad

It was narrated from Ibn`Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Any man whose slave won an bears him a child, she will be free after he dies.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2515
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 4
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2515
It was narrated that Ibn`Abbas said:
“Mention was made of the mother of Ibrahim in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he said: 'Her son set her free.'”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2516
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 5
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2516
Jabir bin `Abdullah was heard to say:
“We used to sell our slave women and the mothers of our children (Umahat Awaldina) when the Prophet (ﷺ) was still living among us, and we did not see anything wrong with that.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2517
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 6
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2517
3

Chapter: The Mukatab

Abu Hurairah (ra) said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said "Three who's support is a right upon Allah:
the warrior in the path of Allah, the mukatab seeking to fulfill (his manumission debt), and the one getting married seeking chastity."
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2518
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 7
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2518
It was narrated from `Amr bin Shu'aib , from his father, from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Any slave who has made a contract to buy his freedom for one hundread Uqiyyah and pays it all except ten Uqiyyah; he is still a slave.” (One Uqiyyah is equal to 40 Dirham.)
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2519
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 8
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2519
It was narrated from Umm Salamah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“If anyone of you (women) has a Mukatab, and he has enough (wealth) to pay off (his contact of manumission), she must veil herself from him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2520
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 9
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2520
It was narrated from Hisham bin 'Urwah, from his father, about 'Aishah the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) - :
that Barirah came to her when she was came to her when she was Muktabah, and her masters had written a contract of manumission for nine Uqiyyah. She (`Aishah) said: “If your masters wish I will pay them that in one sum, and the right of inheritance will belong to me.” He said: “So she went to her masters and told them about that, but they insisted that the right of inheritance should belong to them. `Aishah mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: 'Do it.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) stood up and addressed the people. He praised and glorified Allah (SWT), then he said: 'What is the matter with some people who stipulated conditions that are not in the Book of Allah (SWT)? Every conditions that is not in the Book of Allah (SWT) is invalid, even if there are one hundred conditions. The Book of Allah(SWT) is more deserving of being followed and the conditions of Allah (SWT) are more binding. And the Wala belongs to the one who manumits (the slave).”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2521
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 10
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2521
4

Chapter: Manumission

It was narrated that Shurahbil bin Simt said:
I said to Ka'b bin Murrah, tell us a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but be careful. He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Whoever frees a Muslim man, he will be his ransom from the Fire; each of his bones will suffice (as a ransom) for each of his bones. Whoever frees two Muslim women, they will be his ransom from the Fire; each of their two bones will suffice (as a ransom) for each of his bones.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2522
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 11
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2522
It was narrated that Abu Dharr said:
“I said: 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), which slave is best?' He said: ‘The one who is most precious to his master and most valuable in price.' ”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2523
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 12
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2523
5

Chapter: If A Person Becomes The Master Of A Mahram, Then He Becomes Free

It was narrated from Samurah bin Jundub that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever becomes the master of a Mahram relative (with whom marriage is not lawful), he becomes free.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2524
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 13
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2524
It was narrated from Ibn`Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever becomes the master of a Mahram relative, he becomes free.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2525
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 14
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2525
6

Chapter: Whoever Frees A Slave But Stipulates That He Should Serve Him

It was narrated from that Safinah - Abu 'Abdur-Rahman-said :
“Umm Salamah freed me but stipulated that I should serve the Prophet (ﷺ) as long he lived.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2526
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 15
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2526
7

Chapter: Whoever Frees His Share Of A Slave

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever frees his share of a slave or part of his share, must pay from his wealth if he has any wealth if he has any wealth (in order to buy the rest of the slave's freedom). If he does not have wealth, then the slave should be asked to work for the price (of his freedom), without that causing him too much hardship.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2527
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 16
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2527
It was narrated from Ibn`Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever frees his share of a slave, the price of the slave should be fairly evaluated, and he (the partner who initiated this process) should free him (in full, by giving the rest of his price to the other co-owners), if he has enough wealth to do so. Otherwise, he will have freed whatever he freed.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2528
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 17
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2528
8

Chapter: One Who Frees A Slave Who Has Some Wealth

It was narrated from Ibn`Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever frees a slave who has some wealth, the slave's wealth belongs to him, unless the master stipulates that it will belong to him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2529
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 18
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2529
It was narrated from Ishaq bin Ibrahim, from his grandfather 'Umair, who was the freed slave of Ibn Mas'ud, that `Abdullah said to him:
“O Umair, I have set you free in a good way. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Any man who frees a slave and does not say anything about his (the slave's) wealth, it belongs to him (the slave).' So tell me, how much wealth do you have?”

Another chain reports a similar hadith.

Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2530
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 19
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2530
9

Chapter: Freeing Illegitimate Children

It was narrated from Maimunah bint Sa`d, the freed slave woman of the Prophet (ﷺ) that :
the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about illegitimate children. He said: “Two sandals in which I wage Jihad are better than freeing an illegitimate child.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2531
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 20
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2531
10

Chapter: One Wants To Free A Man Along With His Wife, He Should Start With The Man

It was narrated that :
`Aishah had a male slave and a female slave who were married. She said: “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I want to free them both.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “If you free them, then start with the man before the woman.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2532
In-book reference : Book 19, Hadith 21
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 19, Hadith 2532