About Opentopia
Opentopia Directory Encyclopedia Tools

Ma malakat aymanukum

Encyclopedia : M : MA : MAM : Ma malakat aymanukum

The term ma malakat aymanukum (that is, "what your right hands possess") occurs 14 times in the Qur'an, in the following Arabic forms:

It is most often used with reference to women, but is applied to both sexes. The term itself is normally considered to refer to prisoners of war, or more broadly to slaves in general, according to the usual tafsirs (eg Ibn Kathir); however, some (eg Muhammad Asad) have proposed alternative explanations, whereby it would mean "one's rightful spouse"[link].

Most Muslim scholars agree this term is obsolete with the abolishment of slavery, and hence it is inappropriate to apply it to modern life. [link]

Contents

\"Ma malakat aymanukum\" in the Qur'an

The main points about "those whom one's right hands possess" in the Qur'an are:

A believer may have sex with them

al-Muminun 6 and al-Maarij 30 both, in identical wording, draw a distinction between spouses and "those whom one's right hands possess", saying " أَزْوَاجِهِمْ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُهُمْ" (literally, "their spouses or what their right hands possess"), while clarifying that sex with either is permissible. Muhammad Asad explains this as a distinction between husband and wife, rather than between two categories of woman.

an-Nisa 24 can be interpreted either as explaining that "those whom one's right hands possess" are the only category of women with whom one may have sex even if they are already married, or as using the term to refer to one's own wife as opposed to others' wives. The phrasing in the rest of that verse could be read in isolation either as excepting or as including "those whom one's right hands possess" among those to whom one must give a dowry "for the enjoyment you have of them." The following verse adds that a believer, if he cannot afford to marry a chaste believer and cannot restrain his desires, may marry a believing girl who is chaste (not a fornicator or an adulteress) from among "those whom your right hands possess", giving due dowry to her household (literally "household", but translated by some as "owner" or "master"); if the woman so married commits indecency, the punishment is half that for chaste women. (To keep this verse from contradicting itself, the translators understand "chaste" - محصنات muhsanat - as meaning "free" in the general case, but "chaste" when referring to the slave.) an-Nisa 3 also confirms that a believer may marry "that which your right hands possess", particularly if he fears that he will deal unjustly otherwise. al-Ahzab 50 confirms that, literally, "what your hand has taken from what God has assigned you" (understood by most translators as "from among the prisoners of war") are also permissible for the Prophet just as are his wives, and female cousins who emigrated with him, and believing women who wish to marry him, a point emphasised by al-Ahzab 52, which says that no other women than those mentioned are allowed him, even if their beauty pleases him, except those "whom his right hand possesses".

A believing woman need not cover herself before them

An-Nur 30-33, in the course of laying down the familiar dress code of Islam, explains that women "should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty" except to various familiar people, including those "whom their right hands possess". Al-Ahzab 55 makes it explicit that the same liberty is given to the Prophet's wives.

They should ask permission to see one if one is likely to be undressed

an-Nur 58 says that "those whom your right hands possess" and underage children should ask a believer's permission (before they come to their presence) at the three times of day when one is likely to be undressed.

The behavior of the fortunate towards them is a metaphor for God's towards man

an-Nahl 71 and ar-Rum 28 both use the same metaphor: just as the fortunate among people do not share their wealth with "those whom their right hands possess" to the point of making them equals, nor fear them as they fear each other, so does God with people, bestowing more on some than others, but never making them equals, let alone fearing them.

A believer should be good to them

An-Nisa 36 reminds us that a believer should do good to a variety of people, including "what your right hands possess", for the love of God.

They should be freed if they are good

Verse 24:33 of the Qur'an states "...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 Allah has given to you."

They should not be forced into prostitution if they desire chastity

Verse 24:33 also states, "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 Allah, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them),"

Traditional Sunni and Shi'a viewpoint

According to all four Sunni madhhabs and Shi'a islam, the rights and duties of those 'right hand possessions' are as follows: As soon as she was impregnated by her master, her status changed to 'mudabbar', which entitled her to additional rights:

Alternative viewpoints

A minority group of progressive Muslims [link] rejects this traditional interpretation as a falsification of later centuries which is at odds with the Qur'an. According to them, the Qur'anic references to ma malakat amaynukum refer to fiancees[link] rather than sex slaves.

List

A list of Ma malakat aymanukum include:

See also

References

External links

Traditional Sunni viewpoints

Traditional Shi'a viewpoints

Alternative Islamic viewpoints

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

Search Titles
0123456789
ABCDEFGHIJ
KLMNOPQRST
UVWXYZ?

E-mail this article to:

Personal Message: