Hadith 28

Sahih Bukhari

Book 49: Manumission of Slaves

Chapter 15

"Slaves are your brothers, so feed them with the like of what you eat."

باب قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

And the Statement of Allah تعالى: “Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship), and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet) and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful.” (V.4:36)
وَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: {وَاعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْجَارِ ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْجَارِ الْجُنُبِ وَالصَّاحِبِ بِالْجَنْبِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ مَنْ كَانَ مُخْتَالاً فَخُورًا}. ذِي الْقُرْبَى الْقَرِيبُ، وَالْجُنُبُ الْغَرِيبُ، الْجَارُ الْجُنُبُ يَعْنِي الصَّاحِبَ فِي السَّفَرِ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2545
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا وَاصِلٌ الأَحْدَبُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْمَعْرُورَ بْنَ سُوَيْدٍ، قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيَّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ وَعَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ وَعَلَى غُلاَمِهِ حُلَّةٌ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَابَبْتُ رَجُلاً فَشَكَانِي إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ لِيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَعَيَّرْتَهُ بِأُمِّهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ إِخْوَانَكُمْ خَوَلُكُمْ جَعَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ تَحْتَ أَيْدِيكُمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَ أَخُوهُ تَحْتَ يَدِهِ فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ، وَلْيُلْبِسْهُ مِمَّا يَلْبَسُ، وَلاَ تُكَلِّفُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ، فَإِنْ كَلَّفْتُمُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ فَأَعِينُوهُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏
Al-Ma'rur bin Suwaid:

I saw Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari wearing a cloak, and his slave, too, was wearing a cloak. We asked him about that (i.e. how both were wearing similar cloaks). He replied, "Once I abused a man and he complained of me to the Prophet (ﷺ) . The Prophet (ﷺ) asked me, 'Did you abuse him by slighting his mother?' He added, 'Your slaves are your brethren upon whom Allah has given you authority. So, if one has one's brethren under one's control, one should feed them with the like of what one eats and clothe them with the like of what one wears. You should not overburden them with what they cannot bear, and if you do so, help them (in their hard job).