Chapter

The Book of Manumission of Slaves

كتاب العتق

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - قَالَتْ جَاءَتْ بَرِيرَةُ لِتَسْتَعِينَ فِي كِتَابَتِهَا فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي كَاتَبْتُ أَهْلِي عَلَى تِسْعِ أَوَاقٍ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ أُوقِيَّةٌ فَأَعِينِينِي ‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ إِنْ أَحَبَّ أَهْلُكِ أَنْ أَعُدَّهَا عَدَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأُعْتِقَكِ وَيَكُونَ وَلاَؤُكِ لِي فَعَلْتُ ‏.‏ فَذَهَبَتْ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ نَحْوَ الزُّهْرِيِّ زَادَ فِي كَلاَمِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي آخِرِهِ ‏ "‏ مَا بَالُ رِجَالٍ يَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمْ أَعْتِقْ يَا فُلاَنُ وَالْوَلاَءُ لِي إِنَّمَا الْوَلاَءُ لِمَنْ أَعْتَقَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

English Translation

'Aishah said:

Barirah came seeking my help to purchase her freedom. She said: I have arranged with my people to buy my freedom for nine 'uqiyahs: one to be paid annually. So help me. She ('Aishah) said: If your people are willing that I should count them ('uqiyahs) out to them all at one time and set you free and that I shall have the right to inherit from you, I shall do so. She then went to her people. The narrator then transmitted the rest of the tradition like the version of al-Zuhri. He added to the wordings of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the last: What is the matter with people that one of you says: Set free, O so-and-so, and the right of inheritance belongs to me. The right of inheritance belongs to the one who has set a person free.