Al-Adab al-Mufrad

Being a good master

'Ali ibn Talib reported that when the illness of the Prophet, (ﷺ), deepened, he said, "'Ali! Bring me a page on which I can write something for my community after which they will not go astray." 'Ali said, "I feared that he would die before I could do that, so I said, 'I will remember better than the paper.' His head was between my forearm and my leg. He recommended the prayer, zakat and kind treatment of slaves. he spoke like that until he died." He commanded him to testify, "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. Anyone who testifies to that is saved from the Fire."

Being a good master

'Abdullah reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "Respond to invitations. Do not reject gifts. Do not beat Muslims."

Being a good master

'Ali reported that the last words of the Prophet, (ﷺ), were: "The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves!"

Being a bad owner

Abu'd-Darda' used to say to people. "We know you better than the veterinarian knows his animals. We recognise the best of you from the worst of you. The best of you is the one whose good is hoped for and the one whose evil you are safe from. As for the worst of you, that is the person whose good is not hoped for and whose evil you are not safe from and he does not free slaves."

Being a bad owner

Abu Umama said, "Ingratitude is typified by someone who refuses to give, lives alone, and beats his slave."

Being a bad owner

Al-Hasan reported that a man ordered one of his slaves to draw water using one of his camels and the man fell asleep. The master came with a torch and put it in his face and the slave fell into the well. In the morning, the slave went to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and 'Umar saw what had happened to his slave and therefore 'Umar set him free."

Selling a slave among the Bedouins

'Amra reported that 'A'isha had made one of her slavegirls a mudabbar (one who would be set free after her death). Then 'A'isha became ill and her nephews consulted a gypsy doctor. He said, "You are asking me for information about a bewitched woman. A slavegirl of hers has bewitched her." 'A'isha was told and asked the girl, "Have you put a spell on me?" "Yes," she replied. "Why?' she asked. "Because you will never free me," she answered. Then 'A'isha said, "Sell her to the worst masters among the Arabs."

Forgiving a slave

Abu Umama said, "The Prophet, (ﷺ), came with two slaves and gave one of them to 'Ali and said, 'Do not beat him. I have forbidden beating the people of the prayer and I saw him praying before we came.' He gave Abu Dharr a slave and said, "I recommend that you treat him well,' so Abu Dharr set him free. He said, 'What have you done?' He replied, 'You commanded me to treat him well, so I set him free.'"

Anas said, "The Prophet, (ﷺ), came to Madina without any servant. Abu Talha took my hand and brought me to the Prophet, (ﷺ), and said, 'Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah!' This is Anas, a clever and intelligent boy. Let him serve him.'" Anas said, "I served him when he was at home and on journeys from the time he came to Madina until he died, (ﷺ). He never said to me about anything I had done, 'Why did you do this?' nor did he say to me about something I had not done, 'Why did you not do such-and-such?'"

When a slave steals

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), said, "When a slave steals, sell him, even for a half an awqiya."

A slave who commits wrong actions

Laqit ibn Sabira reported that his father said, "I went to the Prophet, (ﷺ), when a shepherd had driven a lamp into the evening pasture. The Prophet, (ﷺ), said, 'Do not suppose that we have a hundred sheep and do not want to give you more than only a lamb. When the shepherd brought the lamb, we sacrificed a sheep in its place.'" Laqit said, "Part of what he said is, 'Do not beat your wife as you would beat your slavegirl. When you wash your nose, snuff up water freely unless you are fasting.'"

Someone who finishes something for his slave, fearing

Abu'l-'Aliyya said, "We were ordered to finish off things for the servant and to measure and count because we did not want to allow them to accustom themselves to bad habits nor for anyone to think evil of us."

Someone who counts things for his slave fearing

Salman said, "I count the soup bones for my slave, fearing people's opinion."

Someone who counts things for his slave fearing

same as 168.

Disciplining the servant

Yazid ibn 'Abdullah said, "'Abdullah ibn 'Umar sent a slave of his with some gold - or silver - and he changed it and deferred the exchange (i.e. he changed gold into silver or vice versa and did not take the money straightaway. This is haram.) Then he went back to Ibn 'Umar who gave him a painful beating. He said, 'Go and take what is mine and do not exchange it!'"

Disciplining the servant

Abu Mas'ud said, "I was beating a slave of mine when I heard a voice behind me, 'Know, Abu Mas'ud, that Allah is able to call you to account for this slave.' I turned around and there was the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ). I said, 'Messenger of Allah, he is free for the sake of Allah!' He said, 'If you had not done that, the Fire would have touched you (or the Fire would have burned you).'"

Do not say, "May Allah make your face ugly"

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "Do not say, 'May Allah make your face ugly.'"

Do not say, "May Allah make your face ugly"

Abu Hurayra said, "Do not say, 'May Allah make your face ugly and any face like your face.' Allah Almighty created Adam, (ﷺ), in the form that He ordained."

Avoid striking the face

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, (ﷺ), said, "When one of you strikes his servant, let him avoid his face."

Avoid striking the face

Jabir said, "The Prophet, (ﷺ), passed by an animal which had been branded and its nostrils were smoking. The Prophet, (ﷺ), said, 'Allah curses any person who does this. No one should mark the face nor strike it.'"

Someone who slaps his slave should free him even

Hilal ibn Yasaf said, "We used to sell linen in the house of Suwayd ibn Muqarrin. A slavegirl came out and said something to one of the men and that man slapped her. Suwayd ibn Muqarrin asked him, 'Did you slap her face? We were seven and we only had a single servant. Then one of us slapped her and the Prophet, (ﷺ), ordered him to set her free.'"

Someone who slaps his slave should free him even

Ibn 'Umar said, "I heard the Prophet, (ﷺ), say, 'The expiation for someone who slaps his slave or beats him more than he deserves is to set him free.'"

Someone who slaps his slave should free him even

Mu'awiya ibn Muqarrin said, "I slapped a mawla of mine and he fled. Then my father called me and said, 'I will tell you a story. We, the sons of Muqarrin, were seven, and we had one servant. Then one of us slapped her and that was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ). He said, 'Order them to set her free.' The Prophet, (ﷺ), was told. 'She is the only servant they have.' He said, 'Then let them hire her and when they no longer need her, let her go on her way.'"

Someone who slaps his slave should free him even

Shu'ba said, "Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said to me, 'What is your name?' I replied, 'Shu'ba.' He said, 'Abu Shu'ba related to me that when Suwayd ibn Muqarrin al-Muzani saw a man strike his slave, he said. 'Do you not know that the face is forbidden? In the time of the Messenger of Allah, (ﷺ), we were seven brothers and we only had one servant. Then one of us slapped him (sic.) and the Prophet, (ﷺ), commanded that we set him free.'"

Someone who slaps his slave should free him even

Abu 'Umar Zadhan said, "We were with Ibn 'Umar when he summoned a slave of his whom he had beaten and he uncovered his back. 'Does it hurt?' he asked. 'No,' he replied. Then he set him free. He picked up a stick from the ground and then said, 'I do not have a reward (for him) worth as much as this stick.' I asked, 'Abu 'Abdu'r-Rahman, why do you say this?' He replied, 'I heard the Prophet, (ﷺ), say, "The expiation of someone who beats a slave more than he deserves or slaps his face is that he must set him free."'"