Slavery in Islam

Author: Abu Hena Muhammad Rafique

Question no. 5: How do you relate slavery today with the verse 24 of chapter 4 (Surah An-Nisa:)
وَٱلْمُحْصَنَـٰتُ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۖ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ وَأُحِلَّ لَكُم مَّا وَرَآءَ ذَ‌ٰلِكُمْ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ بِأَمْوَ‌ٰلِكُم مُّحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَـٰفِحِينَ ۚ فَمَا ٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْهُنَّ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ فَرِيضَةًۭ ۚ وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا تَرَ‌ٰضَيْتُم بِهِۦ مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلْفَرِيضَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا [٤:٢٤]
“(And prohibited for you) those women who are under some bodies’ marriage, except the slave- girls; and permissible to you others (than those described above in the last verse). This is Allah’s decree on you, whom you can get in exchange of your wealth (mahr), protected through marriage, not illegally. So from whomsoever you get enjoyment then give them their marriage-due as a compulsory gift. And it is no problem for you if you mutually come to some understanding regarding it after fixing some amount. Verily Allaah  is All-Knowing, Wise.
Answer:
The concept of slavery, as existed always and existing too now-a-days in some parts of the world (out of our knowledge) and will continue to exist in future, till the whole world comes under Islamic domination. But it is sure to come before the last Day, the Day of resurrection, even if it be for a short time; but how long that would continue, is not known to us. Only at that time slavery will finish from the whole world and only Allaah’s Mastership will be established.
The question comes, what is slavery?
In answer to that:

Allaah swt also has used for Himself this word ‘Abd – Slave and ‘Ibadat – (slavery) to inform us to be His 24 hours’ – servants (meaning, doing always His service). But let us know the difference between man-master’s service and Allaah Master’s service: Man-master engages his slave for his own interest and Allah swt engages His slaves not for His own sake, but for His slaves’ interests. So, slave of man is for his master and the slavery of Allaah is for the slave himself. If he obeys Allaah as a slave it will bring all round benefit to him in both the worlds.
Slavery of man, as stated in the Quran and Hadith, can exist and will exist in different situations with different behaviors and practices as showed and done by the prophet sm. himself and his associates and also by later those followers who set the example of following the Rasool, and   for the rest of the world-people.
N.B. For getting the detailed knowledge in this regard the readers are requested to see the explanatory translation of the Quran in the Tafheemul Quran (An-Nisa:24).