- This is about the physical seal (signet ring). For the title given to Muhammad, see Seal of the Prophets. For the mole or physical mark attributed to Muhammad, see Seal of Prophethood.
The Seal of Muhammad (Turkish Mühr-ü Saadet or Mühr-ü Şerif; Arabic ختم الرسول) is one of the relics of Muhammad kept in the Topkapı Palace by the Ottoman Sultans as part of the Sacred Relics collection.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier in 1675 reported that the seal was kept in a small ebony box in a niche cut in the wall by the foot of a divan in the relic room at Topkapi. The seal itself is encased in crystal, approximately 3"x4", with a border of ivory. It has been used as recently as the 17th century to stamp documents.
The seal is a rectangular piece of red agate, about 1 cm in length, inscribed with الله / Ù…Øمد رسول (i.e. Allah "God" in the first line, and Muḥammad rasÅ«l "Muhammad, messenger" in the second). According to Muslim historiographical tradition, Muhammad's original seal was inherited by Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, but lost by Uthman in a well in Medina. Uthman is said to have made a replica of the seal, and this seal was supposedly found in the capture of Baghdad (1534) and brought to Istanbul.
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