The Good Fight Justin Marozzi on Slavery in the Islamic World
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Oct 2, 2025 In this discussion, historian and journalist Justin Marozzi dives deep into the complex history of slavery in the Islamic world. Marozzi explores how pre-Islamic practices evolved under Islamic texts and laws. He highlights the role of concubinage, the ethics of manumission, and the stark realities faced by enslaved individuals. The conversation addresses how war, religion, and economics shaped slave sourcing, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa as a primary region. Marozzi emphasizes the importance of recovering enslaved voices and urges a more nuanced understanding of this often-neglected topic.
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Slavery Was Coterminous With Islam
- Slavery in the Islamic world predates Islam and continued alongside Islamic institutions for centuries.
- Justin Marozzi emphasizes its continuity from the 7th century into the 21st century, shaping societies deeply.
Concubinage As A Core Category
- Concubines formed a persistent and central category of enslavement across Islamic history.
- Marozzi notes concubinage appears from the Prophet Muhammad's time through modern rulers like Hassan II of Morocco.
Quranic Regulation, Not Abolition
- The Quran legitimizes slavery while urging compassionate treatment and manumission as a moral good.
- Marozzi explains conversion to Islam did not guarantee freedom and manumission remained a prized, but not universal, practice.
