There is a compensation for the property you spent for him...

There is a compensation for the property you spent for him, and respecting his rights after you spent your property.” This refers to the jurisprudence decree that one shall inherit from his freed slave if the slave does not have any relations of kin. Therefore, there are both worldly and heavenly rewards for freeing a slave. Next, we will review some of the traditions in this regard.

The Reward for Freeing a Slave In the second tradition in section one of the Chapter Itaq in Wasa`il al-Shī`ah we read: “Zurarah quoted on the authority of Imam Baqir on the authority of God’s Prophet : مَنْ أعْتَقَ مُسلِماً أعتَقَ اللهُ العَزيزُ الجَبّارُ بِكُلِّ عُضْوٍ مِنهُ عُضْواً مِن النّارِ.

“God the Honorable, the Almighty shall rescue from the Fire (of Hell) the body parts of whoever frees a Muslim slave - a part for a part.” [^3] Imam Sadiq narrated that once Fatima the daughter of Asad went to see the Prophet and said: “I have decided to free my slave maid.” The Prophet said: إنْ فَعَلتِ أعْتَقَ اللهُ بِكُلِّ عُضْوٍ مِنها عُضواً مِنكِ مِن النّارِ.

“If you do that, then for every body-part of hers, God will free a corresponding part of your body from the Fire (of Hell).” ^4 Shiite Imams and Freeing Slaves In another tradition in the same chapter, we read that Imam Sadiq said: إنّ أبا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيهِ السّلامُ ماتَ وَتَركَ سِتّينَ مَملوكاً فَأعْتَقَ ثُلُثَهُم عِندَ مَوتِهِ. “Imam Baqir had sixty slaves.

At the time of his death, he freed twenty of them.” ^5 The Prophet of God and the Imams were always the first ones to free their slaves to demonstrate the worldly and heavenly benefits of this act to their followers. [^1]: By freeing him. [^2]: In the other version it is followed by: “God has made your freeing him a means of access to Him and a veil against the Fire.

Your immediate reward is to inherit from him – if he does not have any relatives – as a compensation for the property you have spent for him, and your ultimate reward is the Garden.” [^3]: Wasa’il al-Shi’ah, v.16, pp.2-5. Previous…