Slavery in Islam vs. Modern Slavery: Does Freedom Really Exist?

Slavery is a cruel reality in the pages of history. Humans have been bought, sold, and used as mere objects by humans. Slavery was once legal and normal in almost all civilizations of the world—be it Greece and Rome, India, or China. Islam came into that context. But Islam did not support slavery; rather, it gradually showed the way to its extinction through a new moral and social revolution—through humanity, responsibility, and liberation.

At the time of the advent of Islam, slavery was a cruel reality in Arab society. After victory, prisoners of war were converted into slaves, and their subsequent fate was determined by the owner. Instead of directly breaking this structure, Islam created a humane, responsible, and gradual path to its abolition within it, which is unprecedented in history.

First, the treatment of slaves in the language of the Quran and Hadith was very humane. It is forbidden to feed, clothe, and even exceed one's strength for any work. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself freed slaves, honored them, and permanently integrated them into society. Many of his companions considered emancipation to be the highest form of worship.

Secondly, Islam encouraged emancipation in various ways—such as mandating the freeing of slaves as an expiation for breaking an oath or committing a mistake, allocating a portion of zakat as ‘rikab’ (for emancipation), and introducing the voluntary emancipation of slaves called “mukataba”—where the slave could earn his freedom in stages with his own earnings. Emancipation was not just a matter of spiritual reward, but was also a social obligation imposed on every Muslim.

But today we live in a world where there are no slaves—at least in the literal sense. But has slavery really ended? No, it has returned in a more sophisticated, disguised, and terrifying form. We call it—modern slavery.

Today's man is a worker, an employee, a consumer, a customer—he is called a "free citizen," yet every aspect of him is imprisoned by some system. Corporate companies, the banking system, the cycle of debt, consumerist culture, the slavery of jobs embedded in the education system—all together, man lives a highly controlled life, where he is not free, but rather controlled.

The biggest feature of this modern slavery is the illusion of Maya. Man thinks he is free, yet the clothes he wears, the mobile phone he uses, the lifestyle he is accustomed to—all are the result of signals created by some capitalist institution. He lives on bank interest, works in the corporate chain, determines his fate in the stock market, yet thinks he is 'free.' The biggest weapon of modern slavery is the invisible chain.

Islam is a revolutionary declaration against this modern slavery. Islam does not allow man to be a slave to anyone but Allah. “La ilaha illallah”—this sentence is not only a declaration of the existence of Allah, but also a denial of all oppressors, slavery-establishers, capitalists, and hegemonists. Being a Muslim means not bowing down to anyone, not giving full obedience to any rule except Allah alone.

If those who bear the name of Muslims in today’s world were true Muslims, they could break this modern slavery. They would work, but would not be slaves. They would use banks, but would not be slaves to interest. They would use technology, but would not be slaves to brands. Because in Islam, people work, earn, and enjoy—but the goal of everything is the pleasure of Allah. And that is what creates self-respect, personal freedom, and true freedom.

Modern slavery is most deeply rooted in the human mind and consciousness. Therefore, Islam first of all frees the human mind. It says—you are not a worshiper of any institution in the world. You are not a slave to any state, corporation, or leader. You are the only servant of Allah. This consciousness makes a Muslim free in spirit, free in mind, disobedient to the system, but loyal to the laws of Allah.

Therefore, the end of slavery in Islam is not just legal—it is a liberation of consciousness. And the solution to modern slavery is not a law—but rather the consciousness that returns a person to his spiritual identity.