In any society, how the weakest and most defenseless are treated reveals its true ethical core. When it comes to Islam’s rules on female slaves, the picture is deeply disturbing.

Islam not only permitted owners to have forced sexual relations with their female captives—it went further, allowing those women to be shared or passed around among relatives, guests, or even other slaves, completely ignoring their consent, feelings, or basic humanity.

The process often unfolded like this:

• The owner would first take the woman for himself, against her will.
• Once satisfied, he could hand her over to his brothers, sons, guests, or male slaves for temporary sexual use.
• Each man could exploit her in turn.
• When they were done, she would be sold in the slave market, and the cycle would begin again with a new owner.

This systematic abuse is documented in Islam’s most reliable sources.

Sahih Muslim (Book of Marriage) and Sahih Bukhari (Books of Destiny and Oneness) Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: During the campaign against Banu Mustaliq, we captured some fine Arab women. We desired them sexually—we were away from our wives—and we also wanted ransom money from selling them. We planned to have intercourse but practice ‘azl (withdrawal) to prevent pregnancy, preserving their market value. We thought: “The Messenger is with us—let’s ask him.” We asked, and he replied: “It makes no difference whether you do it or not. Any soul destined to be born until Judgment Day will be born.”

(Note: Muhammad had earlier compared ‘azl to infanticide but later permitted it, especially with captives, to suit the companions’ sexual and financial needs.)

Sharing Slave Women with Others

Classical commentaries record that it was common practice to make a slave woman “available” to family members or guests.

Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur (under Quran 23:6) From Ata’: “It was normal for a man to permit his slave girl to his son, brother, father, or male slave. A woman could do the same for her husband. Reports even mention men sending their slave girls to guests.”

No disapproval is recorded—this was accepted behavior.

Destroying Slave Families

Even if a male slave married a female slave—forming a fragile family—the owner retained absolute rights over her body.

Sahih Bukhari (Book of Marriage) Anas ibn Malik explained Quran’s prohibition on married women “except those your right hands possess”: “There is no issue if an owner takes his female slave away from his male slave and has relations with her.”

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani confirms this authentic narration: An owner could separate a married slave couple and take the wife for himself.

The Human Cost

These rules offered no protection to captive women.

• No consent required.
• No stable family allowed.
• No refuge from endless exploitation.

They were treated as property to be used, shared, and traded.

This was not fringe opinion—it was mainstream teaching, endorsed by major scholars and rooted in hadith and tafsir.

The suffering inflicted on these women was profound and institutionalized, sanctioned by religious texts.