The Slave Girl Gives Birth to Her Master”

Female Slavery from the Mamlūk Era (1250–1517) to the Islamic State (2014– )

Bibliographic Data

ID8201682
AuthorsYounus Y Mirza (corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume85
Issue3
Pages577-599
Publication date2017-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the American Academy of Religion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-7189 • E-ISSN: 1477-4585
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/jaarel/lfx001
OpenAlexW2603609942
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited8

“[The Messenger of God] mentioned that one of the signs of the Hour was that ‘the slave girl gives birth to her master.’”—ISIS author (2014, 15) This paper analyzes how the Islamic State (IS or ISIS) appropriates Islamic tradition to justify sexual slavery, most notably the eschatological prophetic report “the slave girl will give birth to her master.” Contrary to the public discourse that constantly emphasizes the “medieval” nature of ISIS, I demonstrate that the movement has developed a modern interpretation of the tradition. The medieval Muslim scholars that the ISIS author quotes argue that the report should be read broadly and not be used in legal discussions or to expand slavery. In contrast, the ISIS author contends that the saying should be interpreted to mean the revival of slavery and justifies taking Yazidi women as sex slaves. The ISIS author thus presents a new understanding of the report, one that is unique within the history of Islam.

Aesthetics · Art · Girl · Interpretation (philosophy) · Islam · Linguistics · Literature · Period (music) · Political science · Sociology · State (computer science) · Theology · Classics · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History · Islamic Studies and History · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Religious studies

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