What is the ruling on a contract of *kitabah* (manumission agreement) specified for a single period of service?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Mukātaba (Contractual Manumission)
Primary text
If a contract of *kitabah* is stipulated for a single, defined period of service, such as service for a specific month or year, it is ruled the same as a *kitabah* stipulated upon a single *najm* (payment installment period), based on previous rulings concerning that structure. The reasoning is that this involves a single, defined commitment.
Supporting text
It is plausible that this should be treated like a *kitabah* stipulated upon multiple *anjum* (installments) because the service is fulfilled over scattered periods, unlike a fixed monetary agreement.