THE RIGHTS OF SLAVES UNDER ISLAM
According to the Hughes Dictionary of Islam, slaves had few civil or legal rights. For example:
1) Muslim men were allowed to have sex anytime with females slaves – Sura 4:3, 4:29, 33:49.
2) Slaves are as helpless before their masters as idols are before God – Sura 16:77
3) According to Islamic Tradition, people at the time of their capture were either to be killed, or enslaved. Shows you that they were at the bottom of the barrel to start with.
4) According to Islamic jurisprudence, slaves were merchandise. The sales of slaves was in accordance with the sale of animals.
5) Muhammad ordered that some slaves who were freed by their master be RE-ENSLAVED!
6) It is permissible under Islamic law to whip slaves.
7) According to Islam, a Muslim could not be put to death for murdering a slave. Ref. 2:178 and the Jalalayn confirm this.
According to Islam, the testimony of slaves is not admissible in court. Ibn Timiyya and Bukhari state this.
9) According to Islamic jurisprudence, slaves cannot choose their own marriage mate. – Ibn Hazm, vol. 6, part 9.
10) According to Islamic jurisprudence, slaves can be forced to marry who their masters want. – Malik ibn Anas, vol. 2, page 155.
Slavery continued in Islamic lands from about the beginning to this very day. Muslim rulers always found support in the Quran to call ‘jihad’, partly for booty, part for the purpose of taking slaves. As the Islamic empire disintegrated into smaller kingdoms, and each ruler was able to decide what Islam’s theology really meant. Usually, he always found it in support of what he wanted to do. Their calls of jihad against their neighbor facilitated the taking of slaves for Islam. The Quran and Islamic jurisprudence support the taking of slaves, so, those petty Muslim rulers were following the Quran when they needed slaves.