English Translation

Abd Allah ibn Ja'far ibn Darastawayh al-Farisi informed us — Ya'qub ibn Sufyan al-Farisi narrated to us — Yahya ibn Ya'la ibn al-Harith narrated to us — my father narrated to us — Ghaylan ibn Jami' narrated to us — from Ibrahim ibn Harb — from Abd Allah ibn Burayda — from his father who said: I was sitting with Hadrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be well pleased with him) when he heard a woman cry out. He said: O Yarfa', go and see what this voice is. He went and looked, then came back and said: A girl from Quraysh whose mother is being sold. Hadrat Umar (may Allah be well pleased with him) said: Summon the Muhajirun and the Ansar to me. He said: It was not long before the house and the chamber were filled. He praised Allah and glorified Him, then said: Is it among what Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought that there should be severing of ties? They said: No. He said: Indeed, it has become widespread among you. Then he recited: {Would you then, if you were given authority, spread corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship?} [Muhammad 22]. Then he said: And what severing of ties is worse than selling the mother of one among you when Allah has made you prosperous? They said: Do as you see fit. He said: So he wrote to all regions that the mother of a free person must not be sold, for indeed it is a severing of ties, and it is not permissible.