سورة النحل

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): This parable is about the disbeliever and the believer; for the disbeliever has no good or benefit, but the believer earns good and reward.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurara said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "Marriage and divorce are not permissible for a slave except with the permission of his master." I said: "If the master himself has married [his slave-girl to him], in whose hand is the divorce?" He said: "In the hand of the master and lord. ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوکًا لاَّ یَقْدِرُ عَلَی شَیْءٍ [Allah sets forth a parable: a slave who is owned, having no power over anything]; شَیْءٍ means divorce."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Shu'ayb ibn Ya'qub al-'Aqarqufi said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) was asked about the divorce of a slave, and I was present there. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "There is no divorce or marriage by the will of the slave (male or female). Have you not heard that Allah has said: عَبْداً مَمْلُوکاً لا یَقْدِرُ عَلی شَیْءٍ [a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]. The slave (male or female) himself has no power over divorce or marriage except with the permission of his master and lord."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Layth al-Muradi says: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "Is it permissible for a slave to divorce?" He said: "If she is your [Muslim] slave-woman, it is not permissible, because Allah has said: عَبْداً مَمْلُوکاً لا یَقْدِرُ عَلی شَیْءٍ [a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]. But if she is from among the slave-women of other peoples (unbelievers), or is a free woman, then his divorce is permissible."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim says: A young man passed by Imam Baqir (peace be upon him). The Imam (peace be upon him) called him over and said: "Young man! I will return so-and-so slave-woman to you if you buy us a dirham's worth of melon." [Muhammad ibn Muslim says:] I said: "May I be your ransom! We used to think and have heard that a slave-woman was gifted to Ali (peace be upon him), or was purchased for him, and the Imam (peace be upon him) asked her: 'Are you free (unmarried) or occupied (married)?' She said: 'I am occupied (I have a husband).' The Imam gave five hundred dirhams to her husband and purchased the woman from him (meaning the right of divorce was with the slave)." Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "They have lied about Ali (peace be upon him) and have not remembered correctly. Have you not heard that Allah says: ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلًا عَبْداً مَمْلُوکاً لا یَقْدِرُ عَلی شَیْءٍ [Allah sets forth a parable: a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]?"

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated from his father: Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) said: ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلًا عَبْداً مَمْلُوکاً لا یَقْدِرُ عَلی شَیْءٍ [Allah sets forth a parable: a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything] — for the slave and bondsman, divorce and marriage are not permissible; these matters are in the hands of his master. But the people believe the opposite, and [say that] if a master gives his slave permission to marry, he no longer has any right to separate the husband and wife by divorce."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him)- ضَرَبَ اللهُ مَثَلًا عَبْداً مَمْلُوکاً لا یَقْدِرُ عَلی شَیْءٍ [Allah sets forth a parable: a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]; that is, he can neither marry nor divorce.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hasan al-Attar said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "A man has ordered his mamluk (slave) to convert the Umrah into Hajj at-Tamattu; must he offer a sacrifice on his behalf?" He said: "No! Because Allah the Exalted says: عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوکًا لاَّ یَقْدِرُ عَلَی شَیْءٍ [a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "A man wishes to give his slave-girl in marriage to another man; can he do so and then take her divorce back?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "If [the husband] is a mamluk, he can, whenever he wishes, take her divorce and separate the two of them; because Allah says: عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوکًا لاَّ یَقْدِرُ عَلَی شَیْءٍ [a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]. The slave has no authority of his own. But if the slave-girl's husband is free, then divorcing the slave-girl is equivalent to freeing her."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Halabi said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said regarding a man who has given his slave-girl in marriage to his male slave: "Whenever he wishes, he separates the two of them, without any divorce being involved; because Allah has said: عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوکًا لاَّ یَقْدِرُ عَلَی شَیْءٍ [a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sa'id ibn Yasar said: I asked the Imam (peace be upon him): "If a free woman marries a purchased male slave and then buys him (the slave) from his owner, does their marriage bond break?" Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Yes! عَبْدًا مَّمْلُوکًا لاَّ یَقْدِرُ عَلَی شَیْءٍ [a slave, the property of another, who has no power over anything]."