Hardship and fear of sin ('anat) in marrying a slave-woman

العَنَت

In the lexicon, 'anat is hardship, ruin and sin; among the jurists it means adultery and lewdness, and this is how they read the Qur'anic permission to marry a slave-woman for one who fears 'anat ¹. The jurists agree that a believing slave-woman may be married by one who cannot afford a free wife and fears 'anat, and this is the view of most scholars ². Still, patience in avoiding such a marriage is better ². The majority (Shafi'is, Hanbalis and the preferred Maliki view) hold that the basic rule is that marrying a slave-woman is forbidden unless the conditions are met, while the Hanafis allow it on lighter conditions ^{2 3}. The Malikis allow marrying a slave-woman owned by one's own slave, with distinctions, but a master may not marry his own slave-woman, since ownership and being owned conflict ³.