An ''umm walad'' ( ar, أم ولد, , lit=mother of the child) was the title given to a slave-
concubine
Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive.
Concubi ...
in the Muslim world after she had born her master a child. She could not be sold, and became automatically free on her master's death.
The offspring of an ''umm walad'' were free and considered legitimate children of their father, including full rights of name and inheritance.
The practice was a common way for slave girls endowed with beauty and intelligence to advance in the court, especially if they gave birth to sons; under the
Caliphates
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
, quite a few of them were raised in rank to queen.
Few of them had been fortunate enough to be
valide sultan #REDIRECT Valide sultan #REDIRECT Valide sultan
{{redirect category shell, {{R from move{{R from miscapitalization{{R unprintworthy ...
{{redirect category shell, {{R from move{{R from miscapitalization{{R unprintworthy ...
(mother of the king).
If an unmarried slave bore a child and the slave owner did not acknowledge parenthood, then the slave had to face
charges.
Islamic jurisprudence was complicated, if a male owner failed to provide economic maintenance to female slave or if the owner goes missing, then the situation of female slave could get precarious if a local judge did not rule to free them.
{{redirect category shell, {{R from move{{R from miscapitalization{{R unprintworthy ...