ISIS Instructional Guide for the Treatment of Female Slaves

Thanks to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), we have a translation of a document that was posted on an ISIS  Until a link to this document was posted, like most of us, I had not heard about MEMRI.  MEMRI, a non-partisan, non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C.  It was founded in 1998 with the aim of informing U.S. policy makers about Middle East issues.  Through its Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM), it monitors threats posed by both established terrorist groups and newly emergent jihadi groups and individuals.

In a December 4, 2014 posting, MEMRI translates a pamphlet that was released on December 3, 2014 on this pro-ISIS Twitter account which belongs to Umar Khatab: 

The account also contains delightful photographs like this one, among others (and I warn you, there is at least one beheading series of photographs):

The pamphlet dates from October/November 2014 and was published by ISIS' publishing house, Al-Himma Library.  In this pamphlet, "Questions and Answers on Taking Captives and Slaves", the issue of female slavery are answered for ISIS members, an issue that is of particular interest since the rumours of Yazidi women being taken prisoner began in August 2014.  

To help us put this into proper perspective, in November 2014, IraqiNews.com released this document issued by ISIS:

The document establishes a price list for Yazidi or Christian women and girls based on their age as follows:

                 A woman aged 40 to 50 years is sold for 50,000 dinars.

                 A woman aged 30 to 40 years is sold for 75,000 dinars.

                 A woman aged 20 to 30 years is sold for100,000 dinars.

                 A girl aged 10 to 20 years is sold for 150,000 dinars.

                 A child aged 1 to 9 year, is sold for 200,000 dinars.

                

For your information, one Iraqi Dinar equals 0.00087 U.S. dollars or, conversely, one U.S. dollar is worth 1155 Iraqi Dinar.  The funds raised by the selling of women and girls are used to finance their operations.  The document also states that an individual is not allowed to purchase more than three "spoils".

Now, let's go back to the ISIS pamphlet on the treatment of female captives.  The pamphlet is written in the form of 27 questions and answers.  The answers are given based on interpretations of the Quran.

Here is a screenshot of the cover of the pamphlet:

Here are a few of the questions and answers:

Question - What is al-sabi?

Al-Sabi is a woman from among ahl al-harb [the people of war] who has been captured by Muslims.

Question - What makes al-sabi permissible?

What makes al-sabi permissible [i.e., what makes it permissible to take such a woman captive] is [her] unbelief. Unbelieving [women] who were captured and brought into the abode of Islam are permissible to us, after the imam distributes them [among us].

Question - Can all unbelieving women be taken captive?

There is no dispute among the scholars that it is permissible to capture unbelieving women [who are characterized by] original unbelief [kufr asli], such as the kitabiyat [women from among the People of the Book, i.e. Jews and Christians] and polytheists. However, [the scholars] are disputed over [the issue of] capturing apostate women. The consensus leans towards forbidding it, though some people of knowledge think it permissible. We [ISIS] lean towards accepting the consensus.

Question - Is it permissible to have intercourse with a female captive? 

It is permissible to have sexual intercourse with the female captive. Allah the almighty said: '[Successful are the believers] who guard their chastity, except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, for then they are free from blame [Koran 23:5-6]'.

Question - Is it permissible to have intercourse with a female captive immediately after taking possession [of her]? 

If she is a virgin, he [her master] can have intercourse with her immediately after taking possession of her. However, is she isn't, her uterus must be purified [first].

Question - If two or more [men] buy a female captive together, does she then become [sexually] permissible to each of them?

It is forbidden to have intercourse with a female captive if [the master] does not own her exclusively. One who owns [a captive] in partnership [with others] may not have sexual intercourse with her until the other [owners] sell or give him [their share].

Question - If the female captive was impregnated by her owner, can he then sell her?

He can't sell her if she becomes the mother of a child.

Question - May a man kiss the female slave of another, with the owner's permission?

A man may not kiss the female slave of another, for kissing [involves] pleasure, and pleasure is prohibited unless [the man] owns [the slave] exclusively.

Question - Is it permissible to have intercourse with a female slave who has not reached puberty?

It is permissible to have intercourse with the female slave who hasn't reached puberty if she is fit for intercourse; however if she is not fit for intercourse, then it is enough to enjoy her without intercourse.

Question - What private parts of the female slave's body must be concealed during prayer? 

Her private body parts [that must be concealed] during prayer are the same as those [that must be concealed] outside [prayer], and they [include] everything besides the head, neck, hands and feet.

Question - May a female slave meet foreign men without wearing a hijab? 

A female slave is allowed to expose her head, neck, hands, and feet in front of foreign men if fitna [enticement] can be avoided. However, if fitna is present, or of there is fear that it will occur, then it [i.e. exposing these body parts becomes] forbidden.

Question - What is al-'azl?

Al-'azl is refraining from ejaculating on a woman's pudendum [i.e. coitus interruptus].

Question - May a man use the al-'azl [technique] with his female slave? 

A man is allowed [to use] al-'azl during intercourse with his female slave with or without her consent.

Question - What is the reward for freeing a slave girl?

Allah the exalted said [in the Koran]: 'And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass [hell]? It is the freeing of a slave.' And [the prophet Muhammad] said: 'Whoever frees a believer Allah frees every organ of his body from hellfire.'   

If you wish to download the original document in Arabic, you can find it here.

In closing, reports suggest that thousands of women have been kidnapped by ISIS fighters and are currently being sold as sex slaves.  Keeping in mind that "mushrikin" means pagans or disbelievers in Allah, ISIS justified these actions in the fourth issue of its online magazine Dabiq where, in an article entitled "The Revival of Slavery Before the Hour"  it states:

"Accordingly, the Islamic State dealt with this group as the majority of fuqahā’ have indicated how mushrikīn should be dealt with. Unlike the Jews and Christians, there was no room for jizyah payment. Also, their women could be enslaved unlike female apostates who the majority of the fuqahā’ say cannot be enslaved and can only be given an ultimatum to repent or face the sword. After capture, the Yazidi women and children were then divided according to the Sharī’ah amongst the fighters of the Islamic State who participated in the Sinjar operations, after one fifth of the slaves were transferred to the Islamic State’s authority to be divided as khums.

The enslaved Yazidi families are now sold by the Islamic State soldiers as the mushrikīn were sold them. Many well-known rulings are observed, including the prohibition of separating a mother from her young children. Many of the mushrik women and children have willingly accepted Islam and now race to practice it with evident sincerity after their exit from the darkness of shirk.

Rasūlullāh (sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Allah marvels at a people who enter Jannah in chains” [reported by al-Bukhārī on the authority of Abū Hurayrah]. The hadīth commentators mentioned that this refers to people entering Islam as slaves and then entering Jannah.  Abū Hurayrah (radiyallāhu ‘anh) said while commenting on Allah’s words, {You are the best nation produced for mankind} [Āli ‘Imrān: 110], “You are the best people for people. You bring them with chains around their necks, until they enter Islam” [Sahīh al-Bukhāri].