Why did Allah Almighty make lawful for Muslim men to have sexual intercourse with the married women whom are captives of war?

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫?

Mohamad Mostafa Nassar

Twitter@NassarMohamadMR

The sections of this article are:

1- Why did Allah Almighty make it lawful for Muslim men to have sexual intercourse with the married women from the captives?
2- The reasons behind why Allah Almighty allowed such a law. See the mass killing and enslavement of children and women as spoils of wars in Deuteronomy 20:13-20.

(a)- The Bible allows for the master to sleep with his slave’s wife and daughters.

3-   In Islam, the Muslims have to be very kind to their slaves.
4-   Can a slave request his freedom from his Muslim owner?
5-   Captivity was really brutal before Islam among the Pagans and the teachings of the Bible.
6- Does the Bible order its followers to inherit the slaves and their children?
7-   The entire Bible is corrupted anyway according to its Theologians!
8-   Can a Muslim man rape his slave woman?
9-   Can a Muslim man rape his domestic maid girl?
10- Response to the “Proofs” that men can rape their slave girls in Islam.

1- Why did Allah Almighty make it lawful for Muslim men to have sexual intercourse with the married women from the captives?

Let us look at the following Noble Verses from the Noble Quran:

“Prohibited to you (For marriage) are:- Your mothers, daughters, sisters; father’s sisters, Mother’s sisters; brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters; foster-mothers (Who gave you suck), foster-sisters; your wives’ mothers; your step-daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom ye have gone in,- no prohibition if ye have not gone in;- (Those who have been) wives of your sons proceeding from your loins; and two sisters in wedlock at one and the same time, except for what is past; for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful;-

Also (prohibited are) women already married, except those whom your right hands possess: Thus hath God ordained (Prohibitions) against you: Except for these, all others are lawful, provided ye seek (them in marriage) with gifts from your property,- desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them, give them their dowers (at least) as prescribed; but if, after a dower is prescribed, agree Mutually (to vary it), there is no blame on you, and God is All-knowing, All-wise. (The Noble Quran, 4:23-24)”

The definition of the term “right hands possess” is “Captives of war”. Those from among the population of the tribes who fought the Muslims are considered “right hand possessions” if their tribe is defeated and captured.

We first need to understand that back 1400 years ago, when Islam was growing among the Pagan Arab Tribes, the Muslims were at constant wars with the Pagans. The Pagan tribes highly objected to the presence and the rapid growth of Islam, and they all united to fight Islam and finish it once and for all.

During those days, the Muslims did not have any government. Governments provide welfare and protection to people. Back then, and when there was no Islamic Government yet, the Muslims were their own country and were their own government. Everyone had to share in the responsibility DIRECTLY by sheltering the captives of wars at their homes.

2- The reasons behind why Allah Almighty allowed such a law:

Justifications that Allah Almighty had made it lawful for Muslims to have sexual intercourse with the married women who are captives of war. According to a footnote of a Malay-translated Holy Quran by H. Zainuddin Hamidy and Fachruddin, Klang Bookstore, Malaysia, 1955, with reference to sura 33:26,

[al-Ahzab 33:26] And He brought those of the People of the Scripture who supported them down from their strongholds and cast panic into their hearts. Some ye slew, and ye made captive some.,

the footnote read as follows:

‘The punishment toward (the Jewish tribe) Banu Quraizah who betrayed and assisted the allies was handed down by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to Sa’ad bin Mu’ads. The verdicts: They were sentenced to death, the women were made slaves (captives), and their lands were divided among the Muhajirins. The decision was made as such based on the laws of the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 20:13-14

’13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:

14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

Here is how Deuteronomy 20:13-14 reads:

An important note:

As Muslims, we do not embrace pedophilia, rape, terrorism, and all of the other forms of evil that exist in the Bible, nor do we believe that the Prophets of Allah Almighty, peace and blessings be upon all of them, ever committed such cruel acts that are falsely attributed to them.

We’re only exposing the corrupted bible and the evil that exists in it.

Deuteronomy 20:13-20
13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword (even the unarmed ones):
14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege:
20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.

In the following verses we see the following:

1- All men, including the unarmed ones, were to be executed (Deuteronomy 20:13).

2- All women and children were to be taken as spoils of war (Deuteronomy 20:14).

3- For the others, kill and destroy every creature that is breathing – that is all men, women, children and animals (Deuteronomy 20:16-17).

The Bible allows for the master to sleep with his slave’s wife and daughters:

Exodus 21

Fair Treatment of Slaves
“These are the regulations you must present to Israel.
2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom.
3 If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife must be freed with him.
4 “If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave and they had sons or daughters, then only the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master.
5 But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’
6 If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.
7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are.
8 If she does not satisfy her owner, he must allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her.
9 But if the slave’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave but as a daughter.
……………
20 “If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished,
21 but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

So what do we see here:

1- The man owns the slave, and even owns his wife and children if the slave got married while he was a slave.

2- A slave is a property. This means that a master could have sex with a slave.

3- If the slaves wishes to leave, then he must leave his wife and children to his master. Otherwise, he will have to become a slave for the rest of his life.

4- A man can sell his daughter as a slave-girl.

5- Certainly, the master in all of the cases can sleep with the woman (the wife of the slave, or the daughter who was sold), and the daughters.

This is further proven in the verses of the Bible that allow for masters to sleep with their slaves and have children from them, such as Abraham and Hagar having Ishmael.

Also again, the Bible makes it clear that the slave is the master’s property:

Exodus 21
21 but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

For many years, I’ve heard many christians declare Islam to be false because Allah Almighty allowed for the Muslim men to sleep with their slave women, even if those women were married to infidels. Yet, we virtually find worse things in their gospel of porn, the book of women’s vaginas and breasts taste like “wine”, and the book that sings praises about sisters lusting after their brothers, because the Bible allows for the Jewish master to sleep with his Jewish slave’s wife and daughters! Amazing indeed!

More from Genesis 20:

Genesis 20
Abraham and Abimelech
1 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar,
2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelech king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die.”
……….
11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife.
……….
17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again,
18 for the LORD had closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.

Notice how in the corrupt Bible, GOD Almighty supposedly had absolutely no problem with king Abimelech sleeping with a single woman. The man was even surprised that GOD Almighty appeared to him for sleeping with what he thought was a single woman. GOD Almighty’s supposed only problem was that Sarah was:

1- A (free) married woman.

2- The wife of a Prophet.

Now notice how in Exodus 21 above, the slave women who were married were still ok to permissible for their masters to sleep with them. Not only with them, but also with their daughters. In Genesis 20, Sarah wasn’t taken as a slave woman. Abimelech was just going to have a one-night stand with her. So the point here is that the Bible clearly allows:

1- For the masters to sleep with their married women-slaves in certain cases.

2- For the masters to sleep with the daughters of their male-slave.

3- With men, in general, to sleep with single women without any problem.

4- For the masters to sleep with their single women in all cases and situations. Genesis 20:17 further proves this along with many other verses.

But however, married women, who are free and are married to free men, are forbidden to be touched by other than their husbands.

The bottom line:

The bottom line here is that these verses from the corrupt bible further prove that masters are permitted to sleep with their slave women as they please. And if this story was in the Glorious Quran, then we would’ve seen the missionaries jump up and down attacking Islam for it. Yet, we do not find it in the Glorious Quran, but rather we find it in the Bible!

My open challenge to Jews and Christians:

Jews and Christians today often talk about the lie of “Islamic Terrorism”. I openly challenge any Jew or Christian to produce ONE, JUST ONE Noble Verse from the Muslims’ Noble Quran that condones killing of innocent children, women, or even hostile enemy men who drop their weapons before Muslims (surrender).

See the Rights of Prisoners of War in Islam.

Allah Almighty Said in the Noble Quran:

“On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. (The Noble Quran, 5:32)”

“Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for God loveth not transgressors. (The Noble Quran, 2:190)”

Allah Almighty also Commanded UNCOMPROMISED Justice:

“O ye who believe! Stand out firmly For justice, as witnesses To Allah, even as against Yourselves, or your parents, Or your kin, and whether It be (against) rich or poor: For Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (Of your hearts), lest ye Swerve, and if ye Distort (justice) or decline To do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted With all that ye do. (The Noble Quran, 4:135)”

Yet, we see mass slaughters as shown above and in the following links, and even rape of 3-year old girls in the man-altered, man-fabricated and man-corrupted Bibles:

3- In Islam, the Muslims have to be very kind to their slaves:

Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him ordered his followers to be kind to their slaves: Narrated Al-Ma’rur: At Ar-Rabadha I met Abu Dhar who was wearing a cloak, and his slave, too, was wearing a similar one. I asked about the reason for it. He replied, “I abused a person by calling his mother with bad names.” The Prophet said to me, ‘O Abu Dhar! Did you abuse him by calling his mother with bad names You still have some characteristics of ignorance. Your slaves are your brothers and Allah has put them under your command. So whoever has a brother under his command should feed him of what he eats and dress him of what he wears. Do not ask them (slaves) to do things beyond their capacity (power) and if you do so, then help them.’ (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 2, Belief, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 29)”

To me, this Saying by our beloved Prophet means a lot. It proves that not only to treat with kindness those who fought us bloody battles and tried to destroyed Islam once and for all, and caused so much deaths for Muslims, but to also treat them as BROTHERS/SISTERS, and to feed them from the same food that we eat from and to dress them from the cloths that we wear. This is quite respectful to humanity and to mankind.

Also, Allah Almighty encouraged the Muslims to liberate Slaves and the Captives of Wars (right hands possessions) whenever possible. Let us look at Noble Verse 4:92 “Never should a believer kill a believer; but (If it so happens) by mistake, (Compensation is due): If one (so) kills a believer, it is ordained that he should free a believing slave, and pay compensation to the deceased’s family, unless they remit it freely. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you, and he was a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (Is enough). If he belonged to a people with whom ye have treaty of Mutual alliance, compensation should be paid to his family, and a believing slave be freed. For those who find this beyond their means, (is prescribed) a fast for two months running: by way of repentance to God: for God hath all knowledge and all wisdom.” In this Noble Verse, we see that Allah Almighty ordered to free a believing slave if a Muslim accidentally kills another Muslim. This Noble Verse came to encourage Muslims to liberate slaves.

Let us look at Noble Verse 5:89 “God will not call you to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or clothe them; or give a slave [either a believing or non-believing slave] his freedom. If that is beyond your means, fast for three days. That is the expiation for the oaths ye have sworn. But keep to your oaths. Thus doth God make clear to you His signs, that ye may be grateful.” This Noble Verse is also another proof that Allah Almighty did encourage Muslims to liberate slaves.

Let us look at Noble Verse 58:3 “But those who divorce their wives by Zihar, then wish to go back on the words they uttered, (It is ordained that such a one) should free a slave [either believing or non-believing slave] before they touch each other: Thus are ye admonished to perform: and God is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.” This Noble Verse is another proof that Allah Almighty did encourage Muslims to liberate slaves.

There are more Noble Verses that push for the liberation of slaves. But the above Noble Verses should be sufficient enough to prove my point.

4- Can a slave request his freedom from his Muslim owner?

The Noble Quran not only allows slaves to request their freedom from their Muslim masters, but also orders the Muslim masters to pay the slaves money to help them stand on their feet and to be able to face life with a good jump start.

Let us look at Noble Verse 24:33 “Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until God gives them means out of His grace. And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing (to enable them to earn their freedom for a certain sum), give them such a deed if ye know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which God has given to you. But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them),” In this Noble Verse, we see that if a slave requests his freedom from his Muslim master, then his master not only must help him earn his freedom if there is good in the Slave, but also pay him money so the slave can have a good start in his free life.

Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him also said:

Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari: “The Prophet said, “Give food to the hungry, pay a visit to the sick and release (set free) the one in captivity (by paying his ransom).” (Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Food, Meals, Volume 7, Book 65, Number 286)”

Islam came to liberate all slaves and to end the Judeo-Christian and Pagan slavery that was practiced before Islam. When Allah Almighty made lawful for the Muslim men to have sex with their slave women, He did it to keep the Islamic society back then during Islam’s weak, partial and venerable times under control.

Now that after we’ve seen how Islam orders the Muslims to free the slaves whenever it is possible and also whenever the Slave requests his/her freedom, and to treat them as our brothers and sisters, then it is quite obvious that Islam is a religion that DOES NOT LIKE SLAVERY AND ENSLAVING PEOPLE.

We can now look at how Muslims can live with their Captives of Wars to understand the situation better. Back in those days, in most cases of battles, the defeated tribe would have lost many of its men in the battle field, leaving behind the elderly, women and their children.

Everyone is now living under the Islamic ruling. Islam is never to be forced upon any human being; “Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error….(The Noble Quran, 2:256)” Also “Say, ‘The truth is from your Lord’: Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it)….(The Noble Quran, 18:29)” Every captured Pagan Arab had the freedom to continue following his/her religion as they wish. However, since now they lived under the Islamic ruling, and they showed a great deal of offense to the Muslims, by declaring wars on the Muslims along with the rest of the Arab Pagan tribes, and lost so many of their men and money for the war, then their situation now is quite different.

For those of the Pagans who could afford to pay “Jizya” or “Taxes”, then they would not be Captives of War and their life would continue as it was. However, for those who could not afford to pay “Jizya” or “Taxes”, then they would be taken as Captives of War. They would serve the Muslims and the new ruling that they live in, until they bring back the losses that they brought to the Muslims.

Keep in mind that Allah Almighty allowed for the Captives of Wars to request and be granted their Freedom as shown in the Noble Verse 24:33 above.

Those Captives of Wars while living with the Muslims, would be treated with kindness. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him described them as the MUSLIMS’ BROTHERS/SISTERS as shown in the Saying above and the Muslims must feed them from the same food that they eat and dress them from the same cloths that they wear. But since they are now living in captivity to make up for the damage that they caused to the Muslims from money and lives, they can be treated as slaves, and in slavery, the master can sleep with any of his women that he desires.

Also, in the Bible’s Deuteronomy 20:13-14, in which it clearly gives orders to kill all the men and to take all of the women and children as slaves. No where in the Noble Quran do we have any order to kill any innocent life.

Please visit Slavery in the Bible.

5- Captivity was really brutal before Islam among the Pagans and the teachings of the Bibles:

Rabbi Joseph said: ‘Come and hear. A maiden aged 3 years and a day may be acquired in marriage by coition.’ Mishnah: A girl of the age of 3 years and a day may be betrothed, subject to her father’s approval, by sexual intercourse. …Gemara: Our Rabbis taught: ‘A girl of the age of 3 years may be betrothed by sexual intercourse.’ “

Please visit Girls having sexual intercourse at the age of 3! According to the Jewish Holiest Book, the Talmud.

Also, the Bible clearly allows for fathers to sell their daughters as slaves: “And in case a man should sell his daughter as a slave girl, she will not go out in the way that the slave men go out. If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master so that he doesn’t designate her as a concubine but causes her to be redeemed, he will not be entitled to sell her to a foreign people in his treacherously dealing with her. (Exodus 21:7-8)”

Islam prohibits such awful acts to be done to little babies of that age, because Allah Almighty said clearly in the Noble Verse where He permits Muslim men to have sexual intercourse with their Captives of War to “desiring chastity, not lust, seeing that ye derive benefit from them…(4:24)”

Also, according to Islam, a girl is not allowed to have sexual intercourse, nor to get married before she has her first period and is capable of getting pregnant. A girl according to Islam can not be called a “Woman” or a young “Woman” until she has her first period and is capable of getting pregnant. Notice that in Noble Verse 4:24, Allah Almighty is clearly talking about “Women” and not just “Females”. Also, no sexual intercourse experience can be practiced with either kids or men.

Please visit Slavery in the Bible.

6- Does the Bible order its followers to inherit the slaves and their children?

Let us look at Leviticus 25:44-46 “Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.”

What kind of a human value does the Bible give to slaves? If slaves and their children must be inherited and passed down to newer generations as slaves, then how in the world will they ever gain their freedom? Does the Bible believe in Freedom? Does the Bible believe in liberating human beings from slavery? Apparently it does not!

As we’ve seen above, Allah Almighty in the Noble Quran allows for slaves to request their freedom from their Muslim Masters and be granted their freedom and be given money on top of it to help them get a good jump start in life. The Bible on the other hand, orders for slaves and their children to be inherited forever.

Please visit Slavery in the Bible.

7- The entire Bible is corrupted anyway according to its Theologians!

We must know that the Bible can not be trusted. Let us look at what the Theologians and Historians of the NIV Bible say about the books of the Bible, and how they were corrupted by the scribes:

“…portions of the book were probably added by scribes or editors from later periods of Israel’s history… (From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 183)”

(www.answering-christianity.com/authors_gospels.htm)

Please visit this site to see detailed quotes from the NIV Bible’s Theologians and Historians admitting that most of the Bible’s books and gospels were indeed corrupted by men and were not True Revelations from GOD Almighty.

The Jewish scribes had very badly corrupted the Bible and turned it into a big lie. That is why GOD Almighty said:

“`How can you say, “We [the Jews] are wise, for we have the law of the LORD,” when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?’ (From the NIV Bible, Jeremiah 8:8)”

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie. (From the RSV Bible, Jeremiah 8:8)”

In either translation above, we clearly see that the Bible has too many narrated stories and man-made cultural laws that were inserted into it that were not Divine Revelations from GOD Almighty. The following sites have tons of details that prove that [1], [2], [3], [4].

It’s quite obvious that the Bible is more like a man made cultural book than a divine book that is meant to be for all times and all places. Anyway, the Bible was not even written by its original authors. That is why you see things such as “And Moses went up to the mountain….” instead of “And I [Moses] went up to the mountain….”, or “And Jesus said to Matthew….” instead of “And Jesus said to me [Matthew]….” Most of the Books and Gospels of the Bible were written by third party people that were not even chosen by GOD, which makes the Bible just a cultural history book rather than a divine book from GOD Almighty. Please see Question #3 to see why Allah Almighty allowed for the Bible of today to be corrupted.

8- Can a Muslim man rape his slave woman?

Below are three English translations to the Noble Verse where Allah Almighty commands the Muslim men to not force their slave women into sex.

The following translations were taken from http://mama.stg.brown.edu/webs/quran_browser/pqeasy.shtml

Translation: Yusufali:
“Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until God gives them means out of His grace. And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing (to enable them to earn their freedom for a certain sum), give them such a deed if ye know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which God has given to you. But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them), (The Noble Quran, 24:33)”

Translation: Pickthall:
“And let those who cannot find a match keep chaste till Allah give them independence by His grace. And such of your slaves as seek a writing (of emancipation), write it for them if ye are aware of aught of good in them, and bestow upon them of the wealth of Allah which He hath bestowed upon you. Force not your slave-girls to whoredom that ye may seek enjoyment of the life of the world, if they would preserve their chastity. And if one force them, then (unto them), after their compulsion, lo! Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful. (The Noble Quran, 24:33)”

Translation: Shakir:
“And let those who do not find the means to marry keep chaste until Allah makes them free from want out of His grace. And (as for) those who ask for a writing from among those whom your right hands possess, give them the writing if you know any good in them, and give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you; and do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to seek the frail good of this world’s life; and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (The Noble Quran, 24:33)”

In all three translations, we clearly see that if the slave woman desires to keep chaste, then her Muslim master must not compel her into sex. It might sound odd to us today, but pagans back then were used to having sex with and raping their slave girls, even the ones who were married:

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah: “Musaykah, a slave-girl of some Ansari, came and said: My master forces me to commit fornication. Thereupon the following verse was revealed: “But force not your maids to prostitution (when they desire chastity). (24:33)” (Translation of Sunan Abu Dawud, Divorce (Kitab Al-Talaq), Book 12, Number 2304)”

In Islam, men are not allowed to rape their slave-girls. Allah Almighty clearly prohibited it in Noble Verse 24:33. In Islam, slavery is also not allowed. Please visit The liberation of slaves in Islam, to see how Islam gradually ended the Judeo-Christian and pagan slavery.

I was told by a Muslim scholar before along time ago that the Arab pagans used to sometimes offer their wives for several nights to the rich and powerful men in the tribe to win their support and make them become more secured in the monopolizing and unmerciful pagan society.

So to women back then, it was something normal for a married slave woman to sleep with her master. It was something normal in the society at that time.

Allah Almighty in the Noble Quran not only allows for the slave man or woman to earn their freedom from their Muslim master, and receive money from their Muslim master to help them start their free life, but also commands the Muslim men to not compel their slave women into sex.

Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him also said:

Also, if any compulsion was made unto the slave woman, then Allah Almighty will add more mercy and forgiveness unto her in the Day of Judgement. Below is the commentary on this exact section and point in Noble Verse 24:33 by Minister (Sheikh) Abdullah Yusuf Ali; may Allah Almighty rest his soul:

“The poor unfortunate girls, who are victims of such a nefarious trade (i.e., slave trade), will yet find mercy from Allah, whose bounties extend to the lowest of His creatures.” [2]

There are other Noble Verses in the Noble Quran where Allah Almighty grants forgiveness and mercy to those who had been forced into illegal things:

“He hath only forbidden you Dead meat, and blood, And the flesh of swine, And that on which Any other name hath been invoked Besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, Without willful disobedience, Nor transgressing due limits — Then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (The Noble Quran, 2:173)”

“Why should ye not Eat of (meats) on which Allah’s name hath been Pronounced, when He hath Explained to you in detail What is forbidden to you — Except under compulsion Of necessity? But many do mislead (men) By their appetites unchecked By knowledge. Thy Lord Knoweth best those who transgress. (The Noble Quran, 6:119)”

So the answer to the question is: No, the Muslim man can not rape his slave woman according to the commands of Allah Almighty in the Noble Quran.

Important Note: Please read the “Response to the “Proofs” that men can rape their slave-girls in Islam” section toward the bottom of this article for more proofs.

Please visit Slavery in the Bible.

9- Can a Muslim man rape his domestic maid girl?

Question from a Christian Becky

Becky- If a young innocent and helpless house maid (domestic helper) wants to preserve her chastity or remain a virgin and keep herself pure Allah says to his followers not to force them to prostitution, however if someone forces them into prostitution or forces them to lose their chastity (rapes them) he can do this heinous crime under the secure knowledge that Allah will be forgiving and merciful,

I have not yet got a reply from you for this mail I am still waiting

Osama- Mrs. Becky, I first of all want to apologize for taking 4 months to reply to your email. This sometimes happens when I receive difficult requests.

Now as to Noble Verse 24:33, it doesn’t apply to domestic maids today. It was revealed to deal with the captives of war. Please read the “Can a Muslim man rape his slave woman?” section above which I just recently added for more details.

Becky- UNBELIEVABLE If you say that Allah being forgiving and merciful refers to the maid then this would be a sick joke because someone raped or forced into prostitution does not need forgiveness and mercy but and justice and dignity, this is clearly a license and protection offered to the offender.

Osama- This is all fine in our standards today. But if you had to start a religion by yourself as Prophet Muhammad did through the commands of Allah Almighty, and face 365 opposing Pagan Arab tribes, then the situation is quite different.

The Muslims had no Islamic State to take care of their social issues and the Captives of war. Muslims had to divide the responsibility among themselves. It is also important to know that Muslims were much merciful to their slaves than the Jews, Christians and the Pagan Arabs. I don’t have to remind you of the Bible’s Deuteronomy 20:13-14, in which it clearly gives orders to kill all the men and to take all of the women and children as slaves. No where in the Noble Quran do we have any order to kill any innocent life Becky.

Again, please read the “Can a Muslim man rape his slave woman?” section above which I just recently added, to see how Allah Almighty commands the Muslim men to grant the freedom to those slaves who request it and to pay them money on top of it. You will also see how Allah Almighty commanded the Muslim men to not force their maids into sex. You will also see how Allah Almighty in Noble Verse 24:33 and other Noble Verses grants forgiveness and mercy to those who had been forced into illegal things.

Becky- Now lets see how the Muslim scholars translating the Quran deal with this issue

Pickthall, an-Nur 24:33
Force not your slave-girls to whoredom that ye may seek enjoyment of the life of the world, if they would preserve their chastity. And if one force them, then (unto them), after their compulsion, lo! Allah will be Forgiving, Merciful.

Shakir, an-Nur 24:33
and do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, when they desire to keep chaste, in order to seek the frail good of this world’s life; and whoever compels them, then surely after their compulsion Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Yusufali, an-Nur 24:33
But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them),

The first two translators clearly state that Allah is and will be forgiving and merciful to the offenders, while Mr. Yusufali clearly embarrassed by such an unimaginable prospect tries to escape by twisting his translation to appear like a question is God merciful to them (the offenders)? A sentence cannot be a statement and a question at the same time it has to be only one

1. If the later part of an-Nur 24:33 is a statement then Yusufali has deliberately twisted his translation to look like a question thereby deceiving the reader of the Quran.

2. And if it is a question then both translators Pickthall and Shakir have deliberately tried to malign the name of Allah by making him the protector of those who commit heinous crimes against the most helpless beings on earth

Osama- The Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation is not raising a question. The “is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them),” is referring to the mercy and forgiveness that Allah Almighty will further grant the victim:

“The poor unfortunate girls, who are victims of such a nefarious trade (i.e., slave trade), will yet find mercy from Allah, whose bounties extend to the lowest of His creatures.” [2]

Becky- Only one of the two can be correct so please let me know which one and also I dare you to post this on your web site along with the reply you send (if any) in response to the above.

Osama- All three translations are the same Becky, with the exception that Abdullah Yusif Ali translation is clearer. As to your challenge for me to post your email, I hope I satisfied it for you.

Important Note:

The mercy and forgiveness mentioned in the Ayah is for the women who are forced into prostitution not the men.

Becky herself quotes the Yusuf Ali translation. I have never seen a Yusuf Ali translation not accompanied with the commentary and even in the commentary it clearly states the following (note 2994):

“The poor unfortunate girls, who are victims of such a nefarious trade, will yet find mercy from Allah, whose bounties extend to the lowest of His creature.” [2]

When you read the verse in its full context it becomes quite clear who are the subject of the mercy and forgiveness. This is right in line with the Islamic concept of people not be held responsible when they are forced against their will to commit a sin. If Becky has a problem with this reasoning then she can check the following verses of the Qur’an herself:

In addition, the Qur’aan tells us about those who, by force, renounce their faith in Islam and that they will not be held accountable because they were forced. This is a very clear and well know principle in Islam. Besides the verse is clear anyway.

If further proof is needed, again, she can simply read the Yusuf Ali commentary. If that isn’t enough, then she can also read:

Mawdudi’s commentary (Towards Understanding the Qur’an) Vol VI

The Noble Qur’an

All three of these commentaries are in full agreement. But if she has the Yusuf Ali translation then certainly she has seen the commentary on the verse in question. Unless, like everyone else she is simply repeating what she heard from someone else and never actually read the entire verse at all.

I even read this verse to my wife without mentioning any commentary and she understood that the mercy and forgives is directed at the girls forced into prostitution not the men.

Important Note: Please read the “Response to the “Proofs” that men can rape their slave-girls in Islam” section toward the bottom of this article for more proofs.

Again, in the Bible’s Deuteronomy 20:13-14, in which it clearly gives orders to kill all the men and to take all of the women and children as slaves. No where in the Noble Quran do we have any order to kill any innocent life.

10- Response to the “Proofs” that men can rape their slave-girls in Islam

Well since I showed ample proofs from very reliable and most used Islamic translations and interpretations of the Noble Quran that the mercy and forgiveness that Allah Almighty will grant, He will grant it to the victim in the sections “Can a Muslim man rape his slave woman?” and “Can a Muslim man rape his domestic maid girl?” above, and your reliable Islamic sources disagree with mine.

Then I have one answer for this part in Noble Verse 24:33:

1- Allah Almighty clearly and directly commands the Muslim men to honor their slave women’s desire to remain chaste and to not force them into sex.

2- (this is the controversial interpretation part) If a Muslim man however rapes or forces his slave woman into sex, then Allah Almighty will still be Forgiving and Merciful (to her according to my sources), (to him according to your sources).

My acceptance of your reliable sources Becky would come with one addition:

Even though Allah Almighty wanted the Muslim men to honor their slave women’s desires to refusing to have sex, but He at the same time did not deprive the Muslim men the right from having sex with their slave women when they desire them.

If all of the man’s slave women desire to not have sex with him, and he is prohibited to enter upon any of them because of that, then this would be a total deprivation for the man and his rights. So, if a man makes it clear to the slave woman or women that he could and would have sex with them if he desires them, and uses some physical force if he needed to, then the message will be sent clearly to the women and he will find Allah Almighty Forgiving and Merciful for him.

However, if the man abuses his power, and forces himself upon his slave women excessively, then he is violating Allah Almighty’s command to honor the women’s desires to remain chaste.

I must remind you that Islam came to end slavery and Allah Almighty commanded the Muslims to grant their slaves their freedom if the slaves requested it:

“Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until God gives them means out of His grace. And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing (to enable them to earn their freedom for a certain sum), give them such a deed if ye know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which God has given to you.

But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them), (The Noble Quran, 24:33)”

Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him also said:

Again, I don’t have to remind you of the Bible’s Deuteronomy 20:13-14, in which it clearly gives orders to kill all the men and to take all of the women and children as slaves. No where in the Noble Quran do we have any order to kill any innocent life.

Allah Knows Best.

References:

Does Islam Prohibit Voluntary Slavery? The ruling on enslaving any person, Muslim or non-Muslim, who is not a combatant against Islam and the Muslims

𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐡 𝐁𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬:

The Bible was used to justify slavery. Then Africans made it their path to freedom.

Did Prophet Muhammed free slaves?

The Bible was used to justify slavery. Then Africans made it their path to freedom.

‘The haunted houses’: Legacy of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion lingers, but reminders are disappearing

The Dawn of American Slavery: Jamestown 400 special report

Anthony and Mary Johnson were pioneers on the Eastern Shore whose surprising story tells much about race in Virginia history

Does Islam allow slavery?

𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐞-𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧