Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) set free the ummahat al-awlad (slave women who had borne children), and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave this ruling during his caliphate, and then during the caliphate of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) this same ruling continued. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "When the caliphate came to me, I wished to return these women to slavery." Ubaidah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The opinion of the group of Umar and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) is superior to the individual opinion of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)."