Title: Further Clarification On 'Slavery, International Treaties & the Shari`ah' Question/Comments: I have to agree with Anonymous Of course by analyzing the Qur'an and the history of Islam one can say without a doubt that it is not favored but rather detested ( makrooh ) but because of no explicity about it in the Shari`ah of Qur'an and Sunnah, no one can say it is haram . From what we can gather is that Islam recognized the right of a slave to buy his freedom and gives the master incentives to free his slaves, but in keeping them it is expected to treat them with human dignity. Your choice of words are not relevant in that Islam "allowed" or "forbid" slavery, what is explicit here is that Islam "acknowledged" but "detest" slavery. I can totally understand why slavery is detestable and not promoted by Islam, as you said in safe gaurding our citizens and women, but it is no where found to classify it "haram" "makrooh" yes but not "haram". Of course due to any treaties stating among nations that prisoner of war should not be taken in as slaves should be honored, but this is irrelevant to the whole " haram " issue. By no means do I advocate slavery personally, so please do not draw the wrong conclusion. Salaam u Alaikum . Zayd Jamil Abdulkareem Answer: I have not used the words 'haram' 'allowed' or 'forbidden' in my referred response. I have written: It is quite clear that even during the times when the whole world was drowned in the moral vice involved in the acceptance of the institution of slavery, Islam took all the possible steps to discourage its promotion and promote its abolition. Keeping this obvious corollary in perspective, I really do not see any option but to submit that after the world has been completely relieved of the great vice of slavery, Islam would be strictly against its reinstatement in the world. All efforts of reinstatement of this institution would obviously be in clear contradiction of all the steps taken by Islam for the social and socio-moral reformation of the society, especially with respect to the institution of slavery. In other words, what I have stated is that keeping the directives of Islam regarding the improvement of the status of slaves and subsequently preparing the society to free them, it would clearly be against the spirit of the directives of Islam to even think about the reinstatement of the institution after its general abolition from the world societies. I respect your opinion but I would appreciate if you would kindly take a look at my referred response once again and let me know what is it that you disagree with in that response. One more thing that should be kept in mind is that according to the Qur'an (Muhammad 47: 4), Muslims have been directed to free their prisoners of war, rather than making taking them in as slaves, as a show of graciousness or by taking ransom money from them. This directive of the Qur'an closed all doors for Muslims to make new slaves - as prisoners of wars were, in fact, a major source of making new slaves in the world. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad October 2, 2001