Al-Imaam An-Nawawi may Allaah have mercy upon him said that it should be known that these slaves were not in the possession of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) at the same time. However, each one served him sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (may Allaah exalt his
mention ) at a particular time. Moreover, historical sources all agree that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam
( may Allaah exalt his mention ) set all of his men and women slaves free, setting an example for his Companions , may Allah be pleased with them.
Zayd ibn Haarithah ibn Shuraaheel Al-Kalbi, may Allah be pleased with him:
He, may Allah be pleased with him, is a great Companion from the first forerunners to Islam, and was one of the Companions whom the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) loved the most. His nickname is Abu Usaamah Al-Kalbi. He, may Allah be pleased with him, used to be called Zayd ibn Muhammad until the verse (which means): {Call them by (the names of) their fathers: that is more just in the sight of Allah} [Quran 33:5] was revealed. Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, was also the first slave to enter Islam.
The most correct version of the story of his enslavement is that once, he and his mother were going to visit their relatives. On their way, they came across a group of bandits who killed Zayd's mother and captured him. They then took him to Makkah and sold him in the famous ‘Ukaath market. He was bought by Hakeem ibn Hizaam, the nephew of Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, the wife of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). Hakeem gave Zayd as a gift to his aunt Khadeejah, may Allah be pleased with her, who then gave him to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) who in turn set him free.
Afterwards, Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, favored the company of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) over going back to his family. Furthermore, he was among the great military leaders. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) dispatched him at the head of a platoon on a mission to intercept a caravan belonging to the Quraysh that was led by Safwaan ibn Umayyah. They managed to take hold of the caravan, and Safwaan and his guards fled away without showing the least resistance. He was also among the leaders of the Battle of Mu'tah during which he was martyred in the year 8 A.H.
Aslam, may Allah be pleased with him:
It was said that his name, may Allah be pleased with him, was Hurmuz, or Ibraaheem (or some other names), but he, may Allah be pleased with him, was best known by his nickname, Abu Raafi‘ the Copt, may Allah be pleased with him. He, may Allah be pleased with him, embraced Islam before the Battle of Badr, and he was at the service of Al-‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, who presented him to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). When Abu Rafi‘, may Allah be pleased with him, told the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) the news that his uncle Al-‘Abbaas had become Muslim, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) took the opportunity to set him free. He was in charge of the Prophet's howdahs, in which women sat in during travels. He witnessed with him the battles of Uhud and Al-Khandaq (the Trench), and the other invasions.
When he was in Makkah, Abu Raafi‘, may Allah be pleased with him, worked as a carpenter, and after he moved to Madeenah, he made some furniture for the wives of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). The fact that he had a close relationship with the family of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) made him more virtuous and important in the eyes of the Companions. Thus, for example, Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, used to ask him about the actions and attitude of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) so that he could write them down. He, may Allah be pleased with him, died in Madeenah during the Caliphate of ‘Uthmaan or ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them.
