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the Prophet's signet ring

خاتم النبي

A silver signet ring inscribed 'Muhammad, Messenger of God' in three lines — Muhammad a line, rasul a line, and Allah a line — adopted when the Prophet ﷺ was told the foreign kings would not accept an unsealed letter 1, its bezel of the same silver and turned toward the palm 2. Ibn 'Umar reports a gold ring first, cast off when people copied it — 'I will never wear it' — then the silver one; Abu Bakr wore it after him, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, from whose hand it fell into the well of Aris 3. Abu Bakr sealed with it the letter he sent to Bahrain on taking office 4.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Prophetic Era · The Rashidun Caliphate
Region
Arabia
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

Overview

A silver seal engraved "Muhammad, Messenger of God" in three lines: "Muhammad" on one line, "Messenger" on one, and "God" on one. The Prophet had it made when he wanted to write to a group of non-Arabs, and he was told that they accept no letter that is not sealed. 1

Description

The bezel of the ring was of it, and it faced the inside of his palm. 2

Ibn Umar relates that he first made a gold ring; when people made the same, he threw it away and said, "I will never wear it again," and then took silver. 3

After his death

After him, Abu Bakr wore it, then Umar, then Uthman, until it fell from Uthman into the well of Aris. 3

Abu Bakr also sealed a letter to Bahrain with it when he succeeded to the caliphate. 4

Connections

Explore the connections

Related to
Muhammad

People and things also explored

al-Amin, the Trustworthy (the Prophet's title before his mission)· Hadith· Shama'il Muhammadiyya· The Prophetic sira· Abu Bakr leads the prayers during the final illness· Abu Dharr lags behind and follows on foot· Abu Jahl's plan to crush the Prophet's head with a stone· Abu Khaythama catches up with the Prophet

Sources

  1. Sahih al-Bukhari, 5872
  2. Sahih al-Bukhari, 5870
  3. Sahih al-Bukhari, 5866
  4. Sahih al-Bukhari, 3106
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “the Prophet's signet ring”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/object/khatam-al-nabi/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.

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Objects

Manuscripts, art, architecture and relics from collections worldwide. Related

al-Amin, the Trustworthy (the Prophet's title before his mission)

The title by which Quraysh called Muhammad before prophethood for the trustworthiness and good qualities they saw in him; they cried it out when he entered as arbiter over the Black Stone during the rebuilding of the Kaaba.