Home > Arguments for the Qur'an's excellence
"In Islam, the Qur'an revolutionized how slaves are treated, urging kindness and freedom over cruelty. Allah says, ‘Righteousness is… [to] free the slave' (Surah Al-Balad, 90:13), making their release a noble act, and ‘And what can make you know what is the difficult pass? It is the freeing of a slave' (Surah Al-Balad, 90:12-13). It commands fair treatment: slaves ate the same food as masters, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘Your slaves are your brothers' (Sahih Bukhari). Many were freed, transforming society.
Jesus (peace be upon him) brought the Injeel—‘We gave him the Injeel, in which was guidance and light' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:46)—and spoke of mercy, but the Bible doesn't detail such a system. The Qur'an says, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:75). The Qur'an's care for slaves shows Allah's justice, building on Jesus' call to worship Him alone with a practical path to dignity for all."
The claim that the Quran's reforms for slaves constitute a moral revolution is specious, as it regulated and continued the practice rather than abolishing it. This is a moral step backward when compared to the radical equality established by Christ.
The Gospel's Abolitionist Principle
The Christian faith does not offer a "better system" for slavery; it establishes the moral principle that destroys slavery entirely.
Qur'anic Regulation vs. True Freedom
The Quran's system is one of regulated continuation, not abolition, which is morally deficient.
Christians firmly reject the claim that a system which sustains and regulates the ownership of human beings is morally superior to the Gospel, which establishes unconditional dignity and freedom for every person.