Is it still permissible to own and have sexual intercourse with concubines without marriage in our current time?
A Muslim must accept the ruling of the Shari'ah and believe in it, for Allah the Almighty says: (The only statement of the believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful). Islam permitted the ownership of female slaves and having intercourse with them. This is one of the merits of the religion, as Islam brought about the just and benevolent treatment of slaves, and encouraged their emancipation, making it a means of salvation from Hellfire and expiation for sins. Islam did not introduce the system of slavery; rather, it existed in all divine laws. Islam restricted the sources of slavery, confining it to captured combatants, and elevated the status of slaves, considering them brothers to free people. It encouraged their emancipation, making it one of the greatest acts of worship and expiations. A Muslim should not be shocked by the existence of female slaves in the time of the Prophet and the Companions; rather, they should be proud of the Islamic system that restored human dignity. As for the existence of slavery now, it is very rare, and there is a fear that it may be a means of earning money or enslaving free people.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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