🧑🏾⚖️ The Dimensions of Slavery in Modern Muslim Societies
Comprehensive Definition
Slavery in modern Muslim societies refers to the institutionalized system in which individuals, often from regions including Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea), Georgia, Circassia, and the territories of the Gallas, are forcibly taken or sold into servitude. This trade has encapsulated diverse forms of servitude, including domestic labor, military engagements, and various specialized roles within households.
Etymology
The term “slave” in Arabic is often expressed as “ʿabd” (عبد) or “mamlūk” (مملوك), with “ʿabd” primarily referring to general slavery and “mamlūk” (which literally means “possessed”) being used for certain privileged slaves such as military guards or pages.
Background
Historical Context: Historically, slavery has been interwoven with the socio-political fabric of Muslim societies. Eminent travelers and scholars, such as Edward William Lane in his seminal work “An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians” (1836), provided meticulous accounts of the roles, treatment, and cultural perceptions of slaves in Muslim-dominated regions like Egypt and Central Asia.
Cultural Dimensions: While slavery conjures images of harsh subjugation, Lane’s descriptions reveal a somewhat more nuanced picture in places like Egypt, where slaves, especially those from elite backgrounds, often enjoyed luxuries and high social status parallel to free individuals. Female slaves served various roles from household duties to artistic performances, emphasizing the intersectional roles slaves played.
Cultural Differences and Similarities
Differences:
- Roles by Ethnicity: Slaves’ roles often varied significantly by ethnicity. Ethiopian (Abyssinian) slaves were often preferred for their perceived aesthetics and trained in needlework, music, and poetry. Negro slaves, contrastingly, were usually confined to menial tasks.
- Gender Roles: Female slaves might become concubines and enjoy relative psychological and material comfort, whereas male slaves had more rigidly defined, often physical, roles.
Similarities:
- Religious Influence: A commonality across different regions was the forceful religious conversion to Islam, frequently accompanied by harsh methods initially.
- Social Status: Despite ethnicity, slaves were generally accorded social recognition higher than that of free servants.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Related Terms
Synonyms:
- Bondservant: A person bound in service without wages.
- Indentured Laborer: Although not precisely synonymous, it implies fixed-period servitude akin to temporary slavery.
Antonyms:
- Freeman: A person not under servitude or slavery.
- Liberated: Free from bondage; free in thought and action.
Related Terms with Definitions:
- Muḥammadan Faith (Islam): The religious faith of Muslims guided by the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
- Concubinage: A state akin to marriage but without legal recognition, frequently involving slaves.
- Eunuch: A castrated male often assigned to guard women in high-status households.
Exciting Facts
- Historical Literacy and Artistic Skills: Historically, many female slaves were highly educated in literature and arts, engaging in activities like composing poetry or playing musical instruments.
- Elevated Eunuch Status: Eunuchs, while generally deemed “pitiable,” often gained substantial socio-political leverage, illustrating the complex social dynamics within households.
Quotations from Notable Writers
“Their services are commonly light; the usual office of the male white slave, who is called ‘mamlūk’, is that of a page, or a military guard.” — Edward William Lane, An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians
Suggested Literature and Sources for Further Studies
- Edward William Lane - An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians
- Bernard Lewis - Race and Slavery in the Middle East
- Ehud R. Toledano - The Ottoman Slave Trade and Its Suppression: 1840-1890
- Ahmad Usman - Slave Trade in Muslim Societies: A Historical Overview
- John Hunwick and Simi - Timbuktu and the Songhay Empire: Al-Sa`Di’s Tarikh Al-Sudan Down to 1613 and Other Contemporary Documents
Inspirational Quizzes
Ayesha El-Zahra, October 4, 2023
“To understand the depth of human history, one must explore the intertwined intricacies of servitude and liberty.”
