the obligation of the slave's maintenance upon his master, and because he must have maintenance, and his benefits belong to his master, and he is the most intimate of people to him, so his maintenance became a duty upon him, like his livestock. The mandatory amount of that is the measure of his sufficiency from the staple food of the country, whether it be the food of his master, less than it, or more than it, along with the condiment (udm) equivalent to that of his peers, in accordance with what is recognized; because of his saying - peace and blessings of God be upon him -: "For the slave, there is his food and his clothing in accordance with what is recognized." It is recommended that he feeds him from the same kind of food as his own; because of his saying: "Let him feed him from what he eats." Thus, we have combined the two reports and applied the report of Abu Hurayrah to what suffices, and the hadith of Abu Dharr to what is recommended. The master is free to choose between making his maintenance come from his earnings, if he has earnings, or spending on him from his own wealth and taking his earnings, or designating him for his service; because everything is his property. If he makes his maintenance from his earnings and it is sufficient for his maintenance, he applies it to that, and if anything remains from the earnings, it belongs to his master, and if there is a deficiency, the completion of it is upon his master. As for clothing, it is in accordance with what is recognized, from the customary clothing of the likes of the slave in the country in which he resides, and it is better that he clothes him from the likes of his own clothing; because of his saying, peace be upon him: "And let him clothe him from what he wears." It is recommended to equate his male slaves in clothing and feeding, and likewise his female slaves if they are for service or enjoyment. If among them are some for service and some for enjoyment, there is no harm in increasing those he intends for enjoyment [in clothing; because that is the rule of custom, and because his purpose is the beautification of those he intends for enjoyment], unlike the servant.

Chapter: If one of them prepares his food, it is recommended for him to have him sit with him to eat. If he does not do so, it is recommended to feed him from it, even if it is a morsel or two; because of what Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet - peace and blessings of God be upon him - said: "If the servant of one of you prepares his food for him, its heat and its smoke, then let him invite him and have him sit with him."