Chapter on Mothers of Offspring
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 50
وَ رَوَى عُمَرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ أَسْأَلُكَ قَالَ "سَلْ" قُلْتُ لِمَ بَاعَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أُمَّهَاتِ اَلْأَوْلاَدِ فَقَالَ "فِي فَكَاكِ رِقَابِهِنَّ" قُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ ذَاكَ قَالَ "أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ اِشْتَرَى جَارِيَةً فَأَوْلَدَهَا ثُمَّ لَمْ يُؤَدِّ ثَمَنَهَا وَ لَمْ يَدَعْ مِنَ اَلْمَالِ مَا يُؤَدَّى عَنْهُ أُخِذَ وَلَدُهَا مِنْهَا وَ بِيعَتْ وَ أُدِّيَ ثَمَنُهَا" قُلْتُ فَتُبَاعُ فِيمَا سِوَى ذَلِكَ مِنَ اَلدَّيْنِ قَالَ "لاَ".
Umar ibn Yazid narrated from Abu Ibrahim (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim عليه السلام), who said: I said to him: "May I ask you a question?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Ask." I asked: "Why did Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, sell the mothers of children (Umm al-Walad)?" Imam عليه السلام said: "To free them from slavery." I asked: "How was that?" Imam عليه السلام said: "If a man purchased a bondwoman and she bore him a child, but he did not pay her price and did not leave enough wealth to pay for her, her child would be taken from her, and she would be sold to pay her price." I asked: "Is she sold for any other debt besides this?" Imam عليه السلام said: "No."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh