The Prophet's Treatment of Servants

Anas ibn Malik served the Prophet for ten consecutive years from childhood to the Prophet's death. He testified: 'I served the Messenger of Allah for ten years, and he never said to me "uff" (an expression of annoyance). He never said regarding something I did: "Why did you do that?" and he never said regarding something I failed to do: "Why didn't you do that?"' When Anas made a mistake, the Prophet would say nothing, and if someone in the household reproached him, the Prophet would say: 'Leave him. If it was decreed, it would have happened.' The Prophet would mend his own shoes, sew his own clothes, milk his goats, and serve himself, despite having devoted companions eager to serve him. He commanded: 'Your servants are your brothers whom Allah has placed under your authority. Whoever has his brother under his authority, let him feed him from what he eats, clothe him from what he wears, and not burden him with tasks beyond his capacity. If you assign them difficult tasks, then assist them.' This revolutionary ethic of servant treatment stood in stark contrast to the brutal master-slave dynamics of the pre-Islamic world.