Chapter on Absconding Slaves
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 53
وَ رَوَى زَيْدٌ اَلشَّحَّامُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يَتَخَوَّفُ إِبَاقَ مَمْلُوكِهِ أَوْ يَكُونُ اَلْمَمْلُوكُ قَدْ أَبَقَ أَ يُقَيِّدُهُ أَوْ يَجْعَلُ فِي عُنُقِهِ رَايَةً قَالَ "إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ بَعِيرٍ يُخَافُ شِرَادُهُ فَإِذَا خِفْتَ ذَلِكَ فَاسْتَوْثِقْ مِنْهُ وَ أَشْبِعْهُ وَ اُكْسُهُ" قُلْتُ وَ كَمْ شِبَعُهُ قَالَ "أَمَّا نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُ عِيَالَنَا مُدَّيْنِ تَمْراً".
Zayd al-Shahham narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: He was asked about a man who fears that his slave might run away or that the slave had already run away. Should he restrain him or place a mark on his neck? Imam عليه السلام replied: "He is like a camel you fear might escape. If you fear that, secure him properly, feed him well, and clothe him." I asked: "How much is sufficient to fill his hunger?" Imam عليه السلام said: "As for us, we provide our dependents with two measures (mudd) of dates."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh