Quote:You appear to be implying that Islam is not timeless.
Not at all. Shari'ah actually literally means 'constantly replenishing source [of water]', and is suitable and adaptable to all time.
Quote:Why is it not permitted today?
As I already noted it's a moot point.
Quote: What were the situations where it was permitted?
This has already been answered.
Quote:You appear to be implying that Muslim men can have sex with all their female slaves.
Yes, as was the case with the Biblical prophets also, like Abrahm (pbuh) with Hajar (pbuh) and others. It was just part of the lifestyle in those times, like it or not.
sprinnt,
Quote:I seem to recall in the OT slaves were offered their freedom after 7 years. If they voluntarily wanted to stay, they had an earlobe pierced
Do you have the verse? Also that NT quote doesn't actually say it's forbidden, it just speaks unkindly about those who actually sell slaves. There's many other verses where Jesus (pbuh) supposedly came across people owning slaves and never said anything at all to them, nor rebuked them, nor told them it was forbidden to do so...