If several slaves are contracted for Mukatabah invalidly, does the manumission of one occur upon his individual payment?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Mukātaba (Contractual Manumission)

Book 68 · Issue 4 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If a group of slaves are contracted under an invalid Mukatabah, and one of them pays his share, he is manumitted, according to the opinion that manumission occurs in a valid contract upon payment of the individual's share. This is because the meaning of the contract implies each is contracted for their respective share, and payment of that share results in freedom.

Supporting text

Those who maintain that in a valid contract, no one is freed until all pay, would hold that in this case, the outcome is even less likely to be individual manumission.