عَنِ الْمَعْرُورِ بْنِ سُويْدٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ وَعَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ، وَعَلَى غُلامِهِ مِثْلُهَا، فَسَألْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَذَكَرَ أنَّهُ سَابَّ رَجُلًا على عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَعَيَّرَهُ بِأُمِّهِ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إنَّك امْرُؤٌ فِيكَ جَاهِليَّةٌ، هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ وَخَوَلُكُمْ، جَعَلَهُمُ اللّهُ تَحْتَ أَيْدِيِكُمْ، فَمَنْ كَانَ أَخُوهُ تَحْتَ يَدِهِ فَلْيُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ، وَلْيُلْبِسْهُ مِمَّا يَلْبَسُ، وَلَا تُكَلِّفُوهُمْ مَا يَغْلِبُهُمْ، فَإِنْ كَلَّفتُمُوهُمْ فَأَعِينُوهُمْ» مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
Al-Ma'rur ibn Suwayd reported: I saw Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) wearing a garment, and his servant boy wearing one like it. I asked him about that, and he mentioned that he had reviled a man during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and taunted him about his mother. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You are a man in whom there is something of pre-Islamic ignorance. They are your brothers and your servants; Allah has placed them under your authority. So whoever has his brother under his authority, let him feed him from what he eats and clothe him from what he wears; and do not burden them with what overwhelms them, and if you do burden them, then help them." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
حلّة: هي ثَوبانِ إزارٌ ورداءٌ. فسألته عن ذلك: أي عن سبب مساواته مع عبده في اللباس خلافًا لمألوف الناس من التفاوت بينهما. فيك جاهلية: أي فيك صفات من صفات الجاهلية. هم خَوَلُكُمْ: أي هم الَّذين يُخوَّلُون أمورَكم بمعنى يُصلِحونها وهم إخوانُكم في الدِّينِ. تحت أيديكم: تحت تصرفكم وأمركم. ما يَغْلِبُهُمْ: ما يعجزون عنه أو يلحق بهم مشقّة لا تحتمل عادةً لأمثالهم.
"A garment (hulla)": it is two pieces—a lower wrap (izar) and an upper cloak (rida'). "I asked him about that": that is, about the reason for his equating himself with his slave in dress, contrary to people's custom of distinction between the two. "In you is pre-Islamic ignorance": that is, in you are some of the traits of the Jahiliyya. "They are your servants (khawal)": that is, they are the ones entrusted with your affairs, meaning they tend to and manage them, and they are your brothers in religion. "Under your authority" (lit. under your hands): under your control and command. "What overwhelms them": what they are unable to bear or what causes them a hardship not ordinarily endurable by the likes of them.
الدروس · lessons
الحثّ على الإحسان إلى المماليك والخدم. من مستحب ومندوب أن يعاملهم مثل ما يعامل نفسه وعياله ويلبسهم مثل لباسه، أما الواجب فهو أن يقدم لهم ما يسدّ حاجتهم من الطعام واللباس المعتاد لأمثالهم في ذلك البلد. يلحق بالعبيد في ذلك من هم بوصفهم ومعناهم كالأجير والخادم، وكل من كان تحت تصرف الإنسان وفي خدمته. فالإشفاق عليهم، وعدم تكليفهم بما يوقعهم في الحرج وما لا طاقة لهم به، ومساعدتهم عند تكليفهم، فيه من الرحمة وحسن الخلق ما يثاب عليه المرء وينال به الأجر والرضى والرحمة من الله. التحذير من التخلق بأخلاق الجاهلية كالعصبية والتفاخر بالأنساب. تحقيق المساواة في الإسلام وأنّ الناس جميعًا إخوة ولا تفاضل بينهم إلا بالتقوى.
Encouragement to be kind to slaves and servants. It is recommended and encouraged to treat them as one treats oneself and one's family and to clothe them like one's own clothing; as for what is obligatory, it is to provide them with what meets their need of food and the clothing customary for their like in that land. Joined to slaves in this ruling are those of their description and meaning, such as the hired worker and the servant, and everyone under a person's control and in his service. Being compassionate toward them, not burdening them with what puts them in distress or is beyond their capacity, and helping them when they are given a task—in this is mercy and good character for which a person is rewarded and through which he attains reward, good pleasure, and mercy from Allah. A warning against adopting the manners of the Jahiliyya, such as tribal partisanship and boasting of lineage. The realization of equality in Islam, and that all people are brothers, with no superiority among them except through piety.