Hadith 5

Sahih Muslim

Book 20: The Book of Emancipating Slaves

Chapter 2

A slave working to pay off the other half

باب ذِكْرِ سِعَايَةِ الْعَبْدِ ‏‏

Sahih Muslim 1503b
وَحَدَّثَنَاهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ خَشْرَمٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ يُونُسَ - عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ، أَبِي عَرُوبَةَ بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ وَزَادَ ‏ ‏ ‏.‏
"‏ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ قُوِّمَ عَلَيْهِ الْعَبْدُ قِيمَةَ عَدْلٍ ثُمَّ يُسْتَسْعَى فِي نَصِيبِ الَّذِي لَمْ يُعْتِقْ غَيْرَ مَشْقُوقٍ عَلَيْهِ ‏"
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sa'id b. Abu 'Aruba with the same chain of transmitters but with the addition:

" If he (one of the joint owners emancipating the slave) has not (enough) money (to secure freedom for the other half) a fair price for the slave should be fixed, and he will be required to work to pay for his freedom, but must not be over-burdened.