What is Umm Walad? Can Umm Walad be Sold?

When a slave woman under the authority of a master gives birth to his child, she is referred to as Umm Walad. In this case, her freedom is assured, and she cannot be sold (unless the slave woman passes away).
Nearly all the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) agreed on this matter. The renowned Imams of the 4 Sunni madhhabs also concur on this issue.
In the Sunan al-Daraqutni, it came in a sahih isnad,
اŲŲŲ ŲØŽŲØąŲŲŲ ŲŲŲŲ , ŲØ§ ØšŲØ¨ŲØ¯Ų Ø§ŲŲŲŲŲŲ Ø¨ŲŲŲ Ø¯ŲŲŲŲØ§ØąŲ , ØšŲŲŲ Ø§Ø¨ŲŲŲ ØšŲŲ ŲØąŲ , ŲŲØ§ŲŲ: ÂĢŲŲŲŲŲ ØąŲØŗŲŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲŲŲŲŲ ØĩŲŲŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲŲŲ ØšŲŲŲŲŲŲŲ ŲŲØŗŲŲŲŲŲ Ų ØšŲŲŲ Ø¨ŲŲŲØšŲ ØŖŲŲ ŲŲŲŲØ§ØĒŲ Ø§ŲŲØŖŲŲŲŲŲØ§Ø¯Ų , ŲŲØ§ ŲŲØ¨ŲØšŲŲŲ ŲŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲŲØ¨ŲŲŲ ŲŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲØąŲØĢŲŲŲ , ŲŲØŗŲØĒŲŲ ŲØĒŲØšŲ بŲŲŲØ§ ØŗŲŲŲŲØ¯ŲŲŲØ§ Ų ŲØ§ Ø¨ŲØ¯Ųا ŲŲŲŲ ŲŲØĨŲØ°Ųا Ų ŲØ§ØĒŲ ŲŲŲŲŲŲ ØŲØąŲŲØŠŲÂģFrom Abdullah ibn Mutiâ, from Abdullah ibn Jaâfar al-Mukharrami, from Abdullah ibn Dinar, from Ibn âUmar, who said: âThe Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited the sale of slave mothers. They should not be sold, gifted, or inherited. Their masters may enjoy their company as long as it pleases them, but when they pass away, they become free.â[1]Kitab Sunan al-Daraqutni [Arabic], 5/237, Hadith No. 4250, The hadith is sahih and narrated via several chains. See:
http://hadith.islam-db.com/single-book/542/ØŗŲŲ-Ø§ŲØ¯Ø§ØąŲØˇŲŲ/0/3726
http://hadith.islam-db.com/single-book/542/ØŗŲŲ-Ø§ŲØ¯Ø§ØąŲØˇŲŲ/0/3728
ØšŲŲŲ ØŽŲŲŲŲØ§ØĒŲ Ø¨Ų ØŦŲØ¨ŲŲŲØąŲØ ŲŲØ§ŲŲ: Ų ŲØ§ØĒŲ ØąŲØŦŲŲŲ ŲŲØŖŲŲŲØĩŲŲ ØĨŲŲŲŲŲŲ ŲŲŲŲØ§ŲŲ ŲŲŲŲ ŲØ§ ØŖŲŲŲØĩŲŲ Ø¨ŲŲŲ ØŖŲŲ ŲŲ ŲŲŲŲØ¯ŲŲŲ ŲŲØ§Ų ŲØąŲØŖŲØŠŲ ØŲØąŲŲØŠŲØ ŲŲŲŲŲŲØšŲ بŲŲŲŲŲ ØŖŲŲ ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲŲŲŲŲØ¯Ų ŲŲØ§ŲŲŲ ŲØąŲØŖŲØŠŲ ŲŲŲØ§Ų ŲØ ŲŲŲŲØ§ŲŲØĒŲ ŲŲŲŲØ§ اŲŲŲ ŲØąŲØŖŲØŠŲ: ŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØšŲا! ØēŲØ¯Ųا ŲŲŲØ¤ŲØŽŲØ°Ų Ø¨ŲØŖŲذŲŲŲŲŲ ŲŲØĒŲØ¨ŲاؚŲŲŲŲ ŲŲŲ Ø§ŲØŗŲŲŲŲŲ! ŲŲØ°ŲŲŲØąŲØĒŲ Ø°ŲŲŲŲŲ ŲŲØąŲØŗŲŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲŲŲ ØĩŲÛ Ø§ŲŲÛ ØšŲÛÛ ŲØŗŲŲ Ø ŲŲŲŲØ§ŲŲ: ŲØ§ ØĒŲØ¨ŲØ§ØšŲ ØŖŲŲ ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲŲŲØ¯Ų.Narrated by Khawwat ibn Jubayr, he said:âA man died and left a will to me, in which he mentioned a slave mother and a free woman.A dispute arose between the slave mother and the free woman regarding the will.The free woman said to the slave mother, âOh, you! Tomorrow, they will take hold of your ear and sell you in the market!âI mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he said, âThe slave mother should not be sold.'â
Stated in Muwatta Imam Malik,
ØŲدŲŲØĢŲŲŲŲ Ų ŲØ§ŲŲŲ ØšŲŲŲ ŲŲØ§ŲŲØšŲ ØšŲŲŲ ØšŲØ¨ŲØ¯Ų Ø§ŲŲŲŲ Ø¨ŲŲŲ ØšŲŲ ŲØąŲ ØŖŲŲŲŲ ØšŲŲ ŲØąŲ بŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲØŽŲØˇŲŲØ§Ø¨Ų ŲŲØ§ŲŲ ØŖŲŲŲŲŲ ŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲŲØ¯ŲØŠŲ ŲŲŲŲØ¯ŲØĒŲ Ų ŲŲŲ ØŗŲŲŲŲØ¯ŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲØĨŲŲŲŲŲŲ ŲŲØ§ ŲŲØ¨ŲŲØšŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØ¨ŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØąŲŲØĢŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲŲŲ ŲŲØŗŲØĒŲŲ ŲØĒŲØšŲ بŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲØĨŲØ°Ųا Ų ŲØ§ØĒŲ ŲŲŲŲŲŲ ØŲØąŲŲØŠŲ.Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said, âAny female slave who gives birth from her master, the master is not allowed to sell her, nor can he gift her to anyone else, and no one else can claim ownership over her. The master may enjoy her , but when the master passes away, she becomes free.â[4]Muatta Imam Malik 38:6 Both Abdullah bin Umar (RA) and Nafiâ (RA) are the rabbis of Bukhari-Muslim. The hadith is authentic.
Al-Jurqani stated, âUmar (may Allah be pleased with him), the majority of the Tabiâin, the four Imams, and most Islamic jurists are in agreement on this matter. When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) prohibited the sale of umm walad, it was also prohibited based on consensus.â[5]Sharh al-Jurkani 1509
For further references on the emancipation of slave mothers, refer to Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, volume 76, chapter of Ummu Walad[6]https://al-hadees.com/hadees/bayhaqi/76/1.
It is mentioned in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah,
Ø§Ø¨Ų Ø§Ø¨Û Ø´ÛØ¨Û
ÚŠØĒاب: ØŽØąÛØ¯ Ų ŲØąŲØŽØĒ ÚŠÛ Ų ØŗØ§ØĻŲ Ų Ø§ØÚŠØ§Ų
باب: Ø§Ų ŲŲØ¯ ÚŠÛ Ø¨ÛØš ÚŠØąŲØ§ ØŦب Ø§ŲØŗ ڊا ØŦŲÛŲ ( ŲØ§ØĒŲ Ø§Ų Ø¨ÚÛ) Ú¯Øą ØŦاØĻÛ
ØØ¯ÛØĢ ŲŲ Ø¨Øą: 21893
(Û˛ÛąÛ¸ÛšÛ´) ØŲدŲŲØĢŲŲŲØ§ ŲŲÚŠŲÛØšŲ Ø ØšŲŲŲ ØŗŲŲŲÛŲØ§ŲŲ Ø ØšŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲØ¨ŲÛÛŲ Ø ØšŲŲŲ ØšŲÚŠŲØąŲŲ ŲÛŲ Ø ŲŲØ§ŲŲ : ŲŲØ§ŲŲ ØšŲŲ ŲØąŲ بŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲØŽŲØˇŲŲØ§Ø¨Ų ŲŲÛ Ø§ŲŲŲ ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲŲŲŲŲØ¯Ų : اŲŲØšŲØĒŲŲŲÛŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØ¯ŲÛŲØ§ Ø ŲŲØĨŲŲŲ ÚŠŲØ§ŲŲ ØŗŲŲŲØˇŲاÛ(21894) Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) has mentioned regarding Umm Walad that even if her child is incomplete or disabled, she will be granted emancipation.[7]Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (Arabic) â 21894 (Islamone App).
If a female slave gives birth to the child of her master, whether the child is alive or stillborn, it guarantees the emancipation of the female slave after the death of her master. This hadith is found in Kanzul Ummal,
ÚŠŲØ˛Ø§ŲØšŲ Ø§Ų
ÚŠØĒاب: ØēŲØ§Ų ØĸØ˛Ø§Ø¯ ÚŠØąŲÛ ÚŠØ§ Ø¨ÛØ§Ų
باب: Ø§Ų ŲŲØ¯ ڊا Ø¨ÛØ§Ų :
ØØ¯ÛØĢ ŲŲ Ø¨Øą: 29653
29653- âØŖŲ Ø§ŲŲŲØ¯ ØØąØŠ ŲØĨŲ ŲØ§Ų ØŗŲØˇØ§â. âØˇØ¨â ØšŲ Ø§Ø¨Ų ØšØ¨Ø§Øŗ.Even if a female slave gives birth to an incomplete (imperfect) child, she will still be emancipated.[8]Qanjul Ummal â 29653 (Islamone App), Chain- Weak-Zaif-al-Jamiyyah 1275
This hadith is supported by other authentic/valid hadiths as well. Considering the presence of Shahid (witnessing) narration, this hadith is also considered authentic.
Regarding how the child will be, Ibn Rushd (RA), who passed away in 595 AH, has mentioned the following:
âMalik (the main Imam of the Maliki school of thought) stated that any form of sale related to the slave womanâs pregnancy, even if it is the fetus or a blood clot, is prohibited.
Al-Shafiâi (the main Imam of the Shafiâi school of thought) stated that the physical presence and physical characteristics (such as the shape of the hands and feet) should be evident.â
Ibn Rushd has also mentioned that:
âBased on consensus, it has been established that selling a slave woman even during pregnancy is prohibited.â[9]Book: Bidayat al-Mujtahid â The Distinguished Juristâs Premier
Translated into English by: Imran Ahsan Nyazee
Publisher: Garnet Publishing
Volume II, pp. 475-476
Ø§Ø¨Ų Ø§Ø¨Û Ø´ÛØ¨Û
ÚŠØĒاب: ØŽØąÛØ¯ Ų ŲØąŲØŽØĒ ÚŠÛ Ų ØŗØ§ØĻŲ Ų Ø§ØÚŠØ§Ų
باب: Ø§Ų ŲŲØ¯ ÚŠÛ Ø¨ÛØš ÚŠØąŲØ§ ØŦب Ø§ŲØŗ ڊا ØŦŲÛŲ ( ŲØ§ØĒŲ Ø§Ų Ø¨ÚÛ) Ú¯Øą ØŦاØĻÛ
ØØ¯ÛØĢ ŲŲ Ø¨Øą: 21896
(Û˛ÛąÛ¸ÛšÛˇ) ØŲدŲŲØĢŲŲŲØ§ ÛŲØ´ŲÛŲŲ ŲØ ØšŲŲŲ Ø¯ŲØ§ŲŲØ¯ŲØ ØšŲŲŲ Ø§ŲØ´ŲŲØšŲبŲÛŲŲØ ŲŲØ§ŲŲ: ØĨØ°ŲØ§ ØĒŲŲØ¨ŲŲØŗ ŲŲÛ Ø§ŲŲØŽŲŲŲŲŲ Ø§ŲØąŲŲØ§Ø¨ŲØšŲØ ŲŲÚŠŲØ§ŲŲ Ų ŲØŽŲŲŲŲŲŲØ§ اŲŲØšŲØĒŲŲŲØĒŲ Ø¨ŲÛŲ Ø§ŲØ§ŲŲŲ ŲÛŲÛHazrat Shabi (RA) stated that when a child has a small resemblance (such as facial features or physical characteristics) to someone, they should be considered as a child and their mother should be treated as free.[10]Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (21897).
To further explore the matter of whether an incomplete child is also considered free at birth, refer to Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith numbers 21894 to 21900. Seek assistance from a knowledgeable scholar for verification.
In the books of jurisprudence, it is explained that during the later period of the Prophetâs (peace be upon him) life, he prohibited the sale of umm walad and their children.[11]Majmu Sharh Al Muhajab 9/243
The majority of jurists agree that umm walads cannot be sold, mortgaged, or inherited. However, at the death of the owner, the umm walad is granted freedom.[12]Mausuâah al-Fiqhiyah
Original arabic-
ØŦŲ
ŲŲØą Ø§ŲŲŲŲØ§ØĄ â ŲØšŲŲŲ ØŖŲØĢØą Ø§ŲØĒابؚŲŲ ØšŲŲ ØŖŲ Ø§ŲØŗŲد ŲØ§ ŲØŦŲØ˛ ŲŲ ŲŲ ØŖŲ
ŲŲØ¯Ų Ø§ŲØĒØĩØąŲ Ø¨Ų
ا ŲŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲ
ŲŲØ ŲŲØ§ ŲØŦŲØ˛ Ø¨ŲØšŲØ§Ø ŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØ§Ø ŲŲØ§ ØąŲŲŲØ§Ø ŲŲØ§ ØĒŲØąØĢØ Ø¨Ų ØĒØšØĒŲ Ø¨Ų
ŲØĒ Ø§ŲØŗŲد Ų
Ų ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲ
Ø§Ų ŲŲØ˛ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲ
ŲŲ ØšŲŲØ§.
The two narrations mentioned from Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) can be perceived with a negative connotation. Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Jabir bin `Abdullah was heard to say:âWe used to sell our slave women and the mothers of our children (Umahat Awaldina) when the Prophet (īˇē) was still living among us, and we did not see anything wrong with that.â[13]Ibn Majah 2517
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
We sold slave-mothers during the time of the Messenger of Allah (īˇē) and of AbuBakr. When Umar was in power, he forbade us and we stopped.[14]Abu Dawud 3954
Based on the available evidence, scholars and jurists have provided the following explanation regarding this matter: Initially, during the early stages of Islam, there was no specific prohibition on the sale of slave mothers (umm al-walad). However, later on, it was prohibited.
Jabir ibn Abdullah and some others were not aware of this prohibition.[15]Majmu Sharh Al Muhajab 9/243
It was during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he became aware of this issue and brought it to the attention of Jabir ibn Abdullah.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed this issue in his caliphate and provided solutions in accordance with the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him)[16]Fatah al-Qadir al-Manawi, Volume 6, page 385.
Ultimately, Allah knows best.
Original Author- Tahsin Arafat
Main article- āĻāĻŽā§āĻŽā§ āĻā§āĻžāϞāĻžāĻĻ āĻā§? āĻāĻŽā§āĻŽā§ āĻā§āĻžāϞāĻžāĻĻ āĻŦāĻŋāĻā§āϰ⧠āĻāĻŋ āĻŦā§āϧ?
Translated into English by Fahim Khan
Footnotes
â§1 | Kitab Sunan al-Daraqutni [Arabic], 5/237, Hadith No. 4250, The hadith is sahih and narrated via several chains. See:
http://hadith.islam-db.com/single-book/542/ØŗŲŲ-Ø§ŲØ¯Ø§ØąŲØˇŲŲ/0/3726 http://hadith.islam-db.com/single-book/542/ØŗŲŲ-Ø§ŲØ¯Ø§ØąŲØˇŲŲ/0/3728 |
---|---|
â§2 | Muâzam al-Tabarani al-Kabir [Arabic] 4039; 4147 according to other publications. |
â§3 | Silsila Sahiha Arabic 2417, International 1305 Tahqeeq al-Albani: Sahih |
â§4 | Muatta Imam Malik 38:6 Both Abdullah bin Umar (RA) and Nafiâ (RA) are the rabbis of Bukhari-Muslim. The hadith is authentic. |
â§5 | Sharh al-Jurkani 1509 |
â§6 | https://al-hadees.com/hadees/bayhaqi/76/1 |
â§7 | Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (Arabic) â 21894 (Islamone App). |
â§8 | Qanjul Ummal â 29653 (Islamone App), Chain- Weak-Zaif-al-Jamiyyah 1275 This hadith is supported by other authentic/valid hadiths as well. Considering the presence of Shahid (witnessing) narration, this hadith is also considered authentic. |
â§9 | Book: Bidayat al-Mujtahid â The Distinguished Juristâs Premier Translated into English by: Imran Ahsan Nyazee Publisher: Garnet Publishing Volume II, pp. 475-476 |
â§10 | Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (21897). |
â§11, â§15 | Majmu Sharh Al Muhajab 9/243 |
â§12 | Mausuâah al-Fiqhiyah Original arabic- ØŦŲ ŲŲØą Ø§ŲŲŲŲØ§ØĄ â ŲØšŲŲŲ ØŖŲØĢØą Ø§ŲØĒابؚŲŲ ØšŲŲ ØŖŲ Ø§ŲØŗŲد ŲØ§ ŲØŦŲØ˛ ŲŲ ŲŲ ØŖŲ ŲŲØ¯Ų Ø§ŲØĒØĩØąŲ Ø¨Ų Ø§ ŲŲŲŲ Ø§ŲŲ ŲŲØ ŲŲØ§ ŲØŦŲØ˛ Ø¨ŲØšŲØ§Ø ŲŲØ§ ŲŲŲŲØ§Ø ŲŲØ§ ØąŲŲŲØ§Ø ŲŲØ§ ØĒŲØąØĢØ Ø¨Ų ØĒØšØĒŲ Ø¨Ų ŲØĒ Ø§ŲØŗŲد Ų Ų ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲ Ø§Ų ŲŲØ˛ŲŲ Ø§ŲŲ ŲŲ ØšŲŲØ§. |
â§13 | Ibn Majah 2517 |
â§14 | Abu Dawud 3954 |
â§16 | Fatah al-Qadir al-Manawi, Volume 6, page 385 |