Slavery in Islam #6

Kitaba

Means "writing" or "document." An Islamic contract of manumission in which a slave and their master agree that the slave can buy their freedom by paying a set amount over time. Once the payments were completed, the slave became free.

- the Qur'an encourages masters to offer kitāba to trustworthy slaves who seek freedom (Surah An-Nur 24:33).

- it gave enslaved people a path to legal and moral emancipation within Islamic law, balancing social order with the value of human dignity

Mukataba

Essentially the same concept as kitāba — it refers to the status or condition of a slave who has entered into a kitāba contract. The slave bound by that agreement (a "contracted slave").

- a mukatab remained a slave until all payments were made, but they enjoyed partial freedom and more autonomy during the process

- reflected Islamic efforts to humanize slavery and encourage gradual emancipation

Zanj

Term used in medieval Arabic sources to refer to enslaved male East Africans. They worked in swamps, were big in Iraq, they grew sugar cane and produced salt.

- their job was very difficult because swamp work was dangerous due to poisonous snakes and mosquitoes

- these slaves were brought from Africa because they had higher resistance to diseases like malaria

- they were expensive but brought master's a lot of wealth, very productive

- came to an end in the 9th century b/c of the rebellion known as the Second Zanj Rebellion.

Ali Ibn Muhammad

A 9th-century rebel leader who led the Zanj Rebellion against the Abbasid Caliphate. Organized and inspired enslaved African laborers in southern Iraq (many of whom were working under brutal conditions in salt marshes).

- his revolt became one of the largest slave uprisings in history, lasting nearly 15 years and even establishing a temporary rebel state near Basra

- eventually crushed by the Abbasids, but it exposed the social and economic tensions of slavery and plantation-style labor in the Islamic world

Mamluks

Military slave soldiers who served Islamic rulers. Gained political power, eventually ruling Egypt and Syria.

- maintained Islamic culture and defended Muslim lands

- only owned by a caliph or a sultan

- became slaves as teenagers, trained for war

- some elites were turned into Eunuchs

- they were the only slaves forced to convert into Islam, they were the military backbone of the Islamic World

Eunuch

A castrated male slave, often serving in royal courts, harems, and administrative roles across Islamic empires.

- held high status

- served the sultan

- very trusted

- could control palace access

Mukhtara

Capital of the Zanj state. Founded by the Zanj rebels in southern Iraq during the Zanj Rebellion. It served as the political and military headquarters of the enslaved African rebels and was led by Ali ibn Muhammad.

- the Zanj could only win battle here b/c they retreated to the swamps since they were always there

- others didn't know how to access the swamp, they got stuck

Muwaffaq

A powerful Abbasid military leader and general in the late 9th century who was against the Zanj Rebellion (major uprising of enslaved East African laborers in Iraq).

- developed a navy of swamp boats, these boats got them into the swamps to fight the Zanj

Hadimu (Wahadimu)

A freed person, ex slave, who gained freedom through the Kitaba. If you are freed by the Kitaba, you are seen as an ex slave.

- continued to work or live in Muslim households, often in East Africa along the Swahili coast

Suria

Elite beautiful female slaves, purchased with a lot of money as potential wives by sultans, caliphs, or rich businessmen.

- most expensive slaves

- ate the best food, wore the best clothes

- they even had their own slaves doing work for them

- "princess" status

- master would "woo" them so they didn't leave, buying things

- very distinct experience from other slaves

- they even had the kids of their masters which made them have a title

Umm al-Walid

"Mother of a child". Child support for Suria who had children with the master. These rights made it so that the master has to take care of them.

- even the master's free woman who was his wife didn't have these rights

Sultan

A political and military ruler in Islamic states who held secular authority, often independent of the caliph's religious authority.

- means "power" or authority"

- sultan = political power; caliph = religious legitimacy

- used widely in Ottoman, Mamluk, Seljuk empires

Ipsimission

When a slave becomes free because they become more powerful than their master, not because the master gave them legal freedom through legal manumission such as the Kitaba.

- examples are Mamluks, became so powerful they eventually ruled Egypt

- Suria's held more power than master, they told the master what to do, their children were the heirs of the masters, which made them not be treated like slaves anymore

Iltutmish

Mamluk general who rose to become the Sultan of one-half of Delhi (Sultan of Delhi) by claiming he wanted to be. This became a major Islamic power in India.

- his original master (the sultan of the other half) initially sent him out to conque the other half (the one he is the sultan of now) but instead, he claimed power

- they won in battle b/c the other mamluks decided to support their brother, which left the master with no chance

Salah al-Din (Sahh Ayyub)

A Kurdish Muslim general who founded the Ayyubid Dynasty and is famous for defeating the Crusaders in the 3rd Crusade and recapturing Jerusalem.

- unified much of the Muslim world under his rule (Egypt + Syria)

- ended Fatimid rule in Egypt and restored Sunni Islam there

- known for chivalry, mercy, and honorable treatment of defeated Christians

- his leadership inspired later Muslim unity and resistance to European crusaders

Sultana Shagrat al-Durr

A former slave woman who became Sultana of Egypt, dominated Egypt, and played a key role in founding the Mamluk Sultanate. She beat the French army, captured the French king.

- she was initially a Suria slave

- very very beautiful

- had the sultan (her master) wrapped around her finger

- domineering woman who made political & military decisions, people came to her to ask questions

- eventually she made the master marry her, she was his only wife, banned him from marrying anyone else

- when he got sick, she served him, didn't let anyone else see him

- when he died, she went for a different man to stay in rule

Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt

A state ruled by former military slaves (mamluks) in Egypt and Syria. Mamluks took control of Egypt.

- they overthrew the Ayyubid dynasty

- eventually were conquered by the Ottomans

- slaves trained as elite soldiers