Azami 6142

Abu Dawud (3926, 3927), Tirmidhi (1260), Ibn Majah (2519), Ahmad (6666), and Bayhaqi (10/324) all narrated it through various routes from Amr bin Shuayb, from his father, from his grandfather, who related it. Some of the narrators from Amr have been criticized, but others strengthen them. Its chain is hasan because of Amr bin Shuayb, for his hadith is hasan.Amr bin Shuayb alone narrated this hadith, no one else narrated it, and this is why some scholars criticized it. The truth is that it is hasan, and the majority of scholars accepted what Amr bin Shuayb narrated alone, as long as it did not contradict others or contain anything objectionable in it.This hadith reflects what most scholars among the companions of the Prophet ﷺ and others held, namely that a slave under a manumission contract remains a slave as long as even a single dirham of his contract remains unpaid. This is the view of Sufyan Thawri, Shafii, Ahmad, and Ishaq, as Tirmidhi stated.Bayhaqi reported from Shafii's earlier position, "I do not know of anyone who narrated this hadith from the Prophet ﷺ except Amr bin Shuayb, and this is the ruling given by the jurists."I say, Ahmad, Malik, and Shafii in his earlier position held this view, though Shafii later reverted to holding that selling such a slave is not permissible, which is the view of Abu Hanifa. See further Minna Kubra (9/334).As for what was reported from Umm Salama, that she related from the Prophet ﷺ that he said, "If one of you has a slave under a manumission contract, and he has the means to pay it off, then let her veil herself from him," it contains a man who is acceptable but not corroborated.Abu Dawud (3928), Tirmidhi (1261), Ibn Majah (2520), and Ahmad (26273) narrated it, and Ibn Hibban (4322) and Hakim (2/219) graded it sahih, all through routes from Zuhri, from Nabhan, the freed slave of Umm Salama, from Umm Salama, who related it. Tirmidhi said, "Hasan sahih." Hakim said, "Its chain is sahih."The correct view is that it contains Nabhan, the freed slave of Umm Salama, whom no one but Ibn Hibban deemed reliable, though he included his hadith in his Sahih. So he is considered unknown by the majority of hadith scholars.The hadith comes with a story. Nabhan said that Umm Salama had made a manumission contract with him, and two thousand dirhams remained of his contract. Nabhan said, "I kept holding it back so that Umm Salama would not veil herself from me."He said, "So I went to perform Hajj, and I saw her at Baida. She said to me, 'Who is this?' I said, 'I am Abu Yahya.' She said to me, 'O my son, summon for me my nephew Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abu Umaya, and give him what you owe me as part of his marriage settlement, and I send you my greeting of peace.'"He said, "So I wept, and cried out, and said, 'By Allah, I will never hand it over to him.'" She said, "O my son, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'If a slave under a manumission contract belonging to one of you has the means to settle his debt, then veil yourself from him.' So by Allah, you will not see me again except if you see me in the Hereafter."The correct view is that the Mothers of the Believers did not veil themselves from a slave under a manumission contract, for he retains the legal status of a slave.Bayhaqi mentioned (10/324) that Sulayman bin Yasar sought permission to enter upon Ayesha. She said, "Who is this?" I said, "Sulayman." She said, "How much remains of your manumission contract?" He said, "I said, 'Ten uqiyas.'" She said, "Come in, for you are still a slave as long as a single dirham remains owed by you."He likewise mentioned the story of Salim Sablan, the freed slave of the Nasris.