And if you believe in these books does that also mean that you believe in slavery?

slavery was there even at time of pharohs... its an old concept, in islam slaves were taken after wars, as per my knowledge instead of encaging people and at that time there wernt many detention centers (resource constrain etc) they were given to people, and freeing slaves were a way of seeking chastity, and purifying from sins, slave should be treated nicely and the holy prophet had a slave boy when his origional parents came to take him he refused to go, the Prophet made him his 'called son'

the Prophet made him his 'called son' Zaid bin muhammad (RA), but i dont see the concept relevant today which is why no islamic country has slaves.

Slavery in Bible times and slavery today are very different. Maybe the word itself had a different meaning. But God created all humans equal and so He doesnt favor a certain race over another.Slavery is a result of sin.

I don't see how any god can be considered loving or just that would send his children to hell, allow them to suffer on earth, or prescribe how slaves should be treated.

Camel Jockeys some as young as 5 are kept as slaves in some of the gulf states, and soldier slavery is slavery. You may try to rationalize slavery in the bible by saying it isnt the same thing, but it is. And the bible clearly favours one race over another

This is why i dislike the preaching of those who say we must follow and trust the holy books.clearly both books especially on this subject make points which to most people are horrible and obsolete

I wonder how many suffered over the years in the slave trade which was effectively endorsed by the holy books?.christian church/christians used thousands of slaves up until the 1830's and later in america's case.They believed the bible endorsed it

slavery is not condoned in islam, conditions were put upon them but its like Allah (swt) folowed a project cycle first initiation stage i.e convey the conditions, then implementation stage and the completion thereof i.e complete abolishment...Islam never condoned taking in of any slaves only during war and then again these slaves were fed, taught to read etc... and let free

i read a book a few years ago how slaves were made kings in Islam.... cant remember who it was from....interest points is that the pagans loved the slave trade....Islam had to come and phase it out...many slaves became great ambassaddors of Islam e.g Bilal ....a great driver of peace....

But doesn't the qur'an itself accept the institution of slavery smo by not condemning it outright?

But islam did not phase it out,muslims were heavily involved in the arab slave trade and in other forms it carries on today

The Bible speaks of indentured servants, people that became slaves by their own choice. There was no dole teat to suckle on back then, being two thousand years ago. You either worked or you starved. Thieves that couldn't make restitution, slavery. Slaves were to be treated fairly, there were Christian slaves to begin with.

its the same argument the apartheid government used. we're here to educate and take care of the slaves (black south africans at the time)

@ kim naa thats different when Islam came into being slavery was rife.... and hence the process took place to ablosh it..

Exodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. - It did exist of course. Although, it was unlike the scores of slaves taken from Africa that were dehumanised and made to feel subhuman, that's far more fresh in the memory.

@ digits is not fit for a prophet that he should take prisoners unless he has fought and triumphed in the land. You desire the frail goods of this world, while Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter

Slavery was prohibited by the verse quoted above, except for prisoners of war, which could be taken only after a battle. Even these were not to be sold into slavery, as was the pre-Islamic custom, nor were they to be kept permanently as made clear in another verse:

When slave trade was around in usa it would have been very hard for african americans to find comfort in the bible knowing it promotes slavery. And im sure there were, and there still is groups that use the Bible to teach that black folks are inferior and should be slaves. But african americans didnt find it hard because they recognised that those groups based their teachings on misunderstanding of the scriptures, and clearly didnt understand wot it means to be Christs follower, (christian).

Then when you have overcome (them), make prisoners and afterwards set them free as a favour or for ransom