Chapter on Miscellaneous Matters Related to Emancipation
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 55
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Volume 3, Book 1, Chapter 55
Chapter on Miscellaneous Matters Related to Emancipation
وَ رَوَى إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ أَخِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ قَالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ اَلْمَمْلُوكِ يَحْضُرُهُ اَلْمَوْتُ فَيُعْتِقُهُ مَوْلاَهُ فِي تِلْكَ اَلسَّاعَةِ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنَ اَلدُّنْيَا حُرّاً هَلْ لِلْمَوْلَى فِي عِتْقِهِ ذَلِكَ أَجْرٌ أَوْ يَتْرُكُهُ مَمْلُوكاً فَيَكُونُ لَهُ أَجْرٌ إِذَا مَاتَ وَ هُوَ مَمْلُوكٌ لَهُ أَفْضَلُ فَكَتَبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "يُتْرَكُ اَلْعَبْدُ مَمْلُوكاً فِي حَالِ مَوْتِهِ فَهُوَ آجَرُ لِمَوْلاَهُ وَ هَذَا اَلْعِتْقُ فِي تِلْكَ اَلسَّاعَةِ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَافِعاً لَهُ".
Ibrahim ibn Mahziyar narrated from his brother, Ali ibn Mahziyar, who said: I wrote to Imam عليه السلام asking about a slave who is near death, and his master frees him at that moment so that he leaves this world as a free man. Does the master earn a reward for freeing him, or is it better to leave him as a slave so that the master gains a greater reward if he dies while still owned? Imam عليه السلام wrote: "It is better for the master to leave the slave as a servant at the time of his death, for this brings more reward to the master. Freeing him in such an hour offers no benefit."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 210