Female and male slaves in the three divine faiths: special provisions and jurisprudence

Abstract

 The present study examines the issue of slavery and its laws across the three divine faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Slavery is a phenomenon deeply rooted in ancient cultures since the beginning of human civilizations, in which slavery provisions were introduced. The three faiths showed vested interest in the tailor-made slavery provisions, which organized slaves’ affairs and rights among them and defined their relationship with their masters. An examination of the provisions uncovers how ancient the phenomenon is and what economic, political and social motives and factors brought it to existence. This article attempts to explore the faiths’ views towards female and male slaves and the laws set for this social class, especially as regards crimes. The present research also views the shared beliefs and differences among the three faiths and the added values of Islam, which is believed to have emerged with a very accurate and perfect set of laws to liberate slaves from slavery. This paper equally focuses on crimes and the laws required to investigate the crime to avoid breaches of human rights against slaves, unlike the bible, which sanctifies the condescending view towards female and male slaves and distinguishes between them based upon race and gender by laying down provisions that vary on these bases.