Physical relationships with slave women at the time of the Prophet (pbuh)

Question:
Were the companions of the Prophet (sws) allowed to have a physical relationship with their slave girls? Is the keeping of slaves allowed in Islam? Is having an intimate relationship also allowed?

Response:
Muslims were allowed to have physical relationships with their slave girls because that was the norm of the society at the time when the Qur'an started getting revealed. The curse of slavery was common at that time, and the Qur'an could have either followed the strategy of revolution or that of evolution to eradicate the curse forever. A revolutionary policy of overnight elimination of slavery was likely to bring more harm than good. Therefore, slavery was gradually removed from the society through lasting measures. During the period when slavery was not as yet fully removed, not only the acceptable norms that were governing the treatment of slaves were allowed to operate, they were further reformed to make the lives of these vulnerable people more comfortable.

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