Slavery has become an unimaginable concept in the modern era. However, throughout recorded human history, it remained an integral part of human societies. When a modern, educated individual encounters references to slavery in the Quran, they are often filled with astonishment and dismay. For many, this becomes a reason to doubt the truth of Islam.
Even those who do not go to such extremes often grapple with numerous questions on the subject. One such question is: Why did the Quran not explicitly declare slavery prohibited, just as it gradually prohibited alcohol and usury? What harm would there have been in doing so?
This is a very reasonable question. In our understanding, the primary reason Allah did not do this was that slavery had not only become a necessity of human society but had also been deeply embedded in its norms, gaining intellectual justification.
Slavery originated in history when humanity transitioned into the agricultural age. Prisoners of war, who were otherwise killed, were kept alive to work on agricultural lands and in households. This allowed captives the right to life and gave victors the benefit of their labor. Thus, slavery began as a less severe form of oppression. Over time, it gained intellectual and moral justification.
Gradually, male and female slaves became indispensable for society. This led to the rise of the slave trade. During the tribal era, individuals separated from their tribes or members of weaker tribes were captured and sold in major cities. Without the support of their tribes, it was unthinkable for slaves to live freely again. Even if they somehow gained freedom, they lacked protection and the economic opportunities to imagine living independently. Their master was their sole provider and protector, regardless of the treatment they received.
In addition to the slave trade, personal freedom was also seized as ransom for unpaid debts, as compensation for murder, or as punishment for certain crimes. In this way, society fully embraced slavery from every angle.
To completely abolish slavery, three fundamental changes were required in the social, economic, and intellectual structures of human societies:
1. Recognizing freedom as the greatest human right and ensuring its protection at all costs. 2. Guaranteeing that society would secure employment opportunities for every individual. 3. Transitioning from tribal civilizations to an era of international agreements, where a global law could be established.
Without these three changes, if all slaves had been freed by a single decree, most would have refused liberation. This was especially true in an Islamic society, where kind treatment of slaves was a religious obligation. To slaves, serving a wealthy master and securing food, clothing, and shelter was far more important than the idea of freedom. If they were freed, they would struggle to find work and might even be re-enslaved in other regions.
For this reason, Islam adopted a natural approach, granting slaves the right to purchase their freedom. While the implementation of this solution saw some practical shortcomings due to the moral decline of Muslims, issuing a blanket order for abolition without addressing these three prerequisites would have been futile.
In the modern era, the scientific and industrial revolution of the West transformed society in all three aspects. Freedom became the most cherished human value. This intellectual shift is why the mere mention of slavery causes discomfort today. In ancient times, however, it was fully justified morally and legally. Against this backdrop, the world began to view slavery as the greatest injustice.
Additionally, the industrial revolution created widespread employment opportunities, allowing every freed slave to manage their livelihood in some way. International treaties gradually compelled the entire world to abolish slavery within their territories.
Therefore, raising objections against Islam and the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) on this matter demonstrates not only ignorance of the Quran but also a lack of understanding of how human societies function and the principles that govern them.