for servitude, and those named on it remain in servitude, and the third part is emancipated. If you draw the second slip for freedom, those named on it are emancipated, and the third remains in servitude. The second issue is when their division into three parts is possible, and their values are different, but it is possible to balance them by value, such as six [slaves]: the value of two of them is three thousand [three thousand], the value of two of them is two thousand, two thousand, and the value of two of them is one thousand, one thousand. He places the two middle ones as a part, and he places two—one of whom has a value of three thousand along with another whose value is one thousand—as a part, and the other two as a part. Thus, they become three parts equal in number and value, according to what we have presented in the first issue. It was said to Ahmad: 'What if they are not equal in value?' He said: 'They are valued by price.' The third issue is when they are equal in number but different in value, and it is not possible to combine balancing them by both number and value together, but it is possible to balance them by each of them separately, such as six slaves: the value of one is one thousand, the value of two is one thousand, and the value of three is one thousand. They are balanced by value rather than number. Ahmad stated this clearly, saying: 'If the value of one is equal to [the value of] two, it is valued; because it is not permissible for manumission to occur in more than the third or less.' Since dividing them by number entails repetition of the drawing of lots and the partial emancipation of slaves until the third is completed, balancing by value is better. An explanation of this is that if we were to place another with the one whose value is one thousand, and the lot for freedom fell to both of them, we would need to repeat the drawing of lots between them. If it fell upon the one with the lesser value, he is emancipated, and [emancipation is completed] for the one whose value is one thousand to the extent of the third. If the lot for freedom falls upon two whose values are less than a third, they are both emancipated, then it is repeated to complete