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 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى اَلْعُبَيْدِيُّ عَنِ اَلْفَضْلِ بْنِ اَلْمُبَارَكِ: أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي رَجُلٍ لَهُ مَمْلُوكٌ فَمَرِضَ أَ يُعْتِقُهُ فِي مَرَضِهِ أَعْظَمُ لِأَجْرِهِ أَوْ يَتْرُكُهُ مَمْلُوكاً فَقَالَ "إِنْ كَانَ فِي مَرَضٍ فَالْعِتْقُ أَفْضَلُ لَهُ لِأَنَّهُ يُعْتِقُ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِكُلِّ عُضْوٍ مِنْهُ عُضْواً مِنَ اَلنَّارِ وَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي حَالِ حُضُورِ اَلْمَوْتِ فَيَتْرُكُهُ مَمْلُوكاً أَفْضَلُ لَهُ مِنْ عِتْقِهِ".
Muhammad ibn Isa al-Ubaydi narrated from al-Fadl ibn al-Mubarak: He wrote to Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad عليه السلام asking about a man who owns a slave, and the slave becomes ill. Is it better for the man to free him during his illness to gain a greater reward, or to leave him as a servant? Imam عليه السلام replied: "If it is during his illness, then freeing him is better for him because Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, frees a part of the master from the Fire for every part of the slave that is freed. However, if it is at the time of death, then leaving him as a servant is better than freeing him."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh