Hi Folks
Before the advent of Islam slavery prevailed all over the world. To
men in those days, it seemed perfectly normal for the strong and
wealthy to have slaves whom they had captured in war or purchased in
the market. The Greeks were the leaders of thought in the ancient
world. No Greek thinker had ever raised his voice against the
institution of slavery. The Quran proclaimed the equality of all men
in the sight of God. It struck at the root of slavery by recognizing
the moral worth of man as man. However, there were, at the time of the
advent of Islam, numerous slaves, both men and women, in Arabia as
elsewhere in the world. The Arab economy was based on slavery. To
abolish it at one stroke was impracticable. It could not be done
without plunging the whole society into confusion. Yet, in every
conceivable way, the Quran discouraged slavery and improved the lot of
the slaves. The Muslims were urged to be kind and considerate to their
slaves. They were told that to emancipate a slave was a meritorious
act. They could atone for some of their offences by setting a slave
free. Thus the number of slaves was gradually reduced and society was
made less dependent on slave labour. The words "whom your right hand
possessed" occurring in the Quran are in the past tense and refer to
those who had already been enslaved. When they were emancipated
through a gradual process, slavery died a natural death. The main
source of slaves-men and women-was prisoners in war. The Quran laid
down that they should be set free either for a ransom or as a favour
(47 : 4). The door for future slavery was thus closed by the Quran for
ever. Whatever happened in subsequent history, was the responsibility
of the Muslims and not of the Quran.
Islam brought about a revolution in human relations placing master and
slave, man and woman, on a footing of equality before God. In Arabia,
as in most other countries, man had been accustomed to look on women
just for the gratification of his lust. Marriage was a device to
prevent men from quarrelling for the possession of desirable women.
The Quran raised the status of women in society and made them equal
partners of men in the enterprise of living.
Thanks
Nawaz
Religion Islam
http://www.parvez-video.com
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