Legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)
Following the passing of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he left behind several possessions. Some of these were inherited by his successors, wives, and companions. His ring was passed on to his successors, while his drinking cup and sandals were given to his companions. The Prophet’s cloak was inherited by his wife, Ummul Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and his sword went to his cousin, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Prophet’s Ring
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) possessed a silver ring featuring a Habashi stone, also made of silver. He wore it on his right hand, and it bore the inscription “Muhammad Messenger of Allah,” with each word separated by a line. The Prophet chose to wear the ring since kings, such as Kisra of Persia and Caesar of Rome, would only accept messages if they were sealed. This ring was then worn by Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq during his caliphate, followed by Umar and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with all of them). However, Uthman lost the ring when it fell into the Aris well, despite an extensive three-day search.
The Prophet’s Sword
The Prophet’s sword was known as Dhul-Fiqar, which he acquired during the Battle of Badr. He carried this sword throughout all of his battles until his death (peace be upon him). Upon his passing, he gifted it to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). The sword was named Dhul-Fiqar because of its unique cut resembling vertebrae. It eventually became associated with a member of the Prophet’s family, Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Al-Hasan ibn Al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). As he neared his death, he entrusted it to a man for 400 dinars, fearing that it might fall into the hands of Abu Ja’far Al-Mansur. Afterward, the sword was passed down from one caliph to another until it reached the Fatimids and later the Abbasids.
The Prophet’s Cup and Sandals
Various narrations describe the cup that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used for drinking. According to Al-Ayni (may Allah have mercy on him) in his commentary on Sahih Bukhari, some say it was called Al-Rayyan, while others referred to it as Al-Maghith. There are claims that it was made of iron, wood, or even adorned with silver. One narrative suggests it had three silver inlays, which are pieces used to mend a broken vessel. After the Prophet’s death, some companions, including Anas, Sahl, and Abdullah ibn Salam, drank from it as a form of blessing. Regarding his blessed sandals, it is reported that they were passed from Aisha to her sister Umm Kulthum, and after the death of her husband Talha ibn Ubaydullah, they were transferred to Abd al-Rahman ibn Abdullah ibn Abi Rabiah Al-Makhzumi, and then to his grandson Ismail.
The Prophet’s Eyeliner and Cloak
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had a kohl pot that he used nightly before sleep, applying kohl to each eye three times. His cloak, or garment, was later owned by Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah, the first Abbasid caliph, who purchased it from the people of Tabuk for three hundred dinars. It is documented by Al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Prophet sent his cloak to the people of Ailah alongside a message he dispatched to them. This cloak was passed down through generations of the Abbasid family.
The Blessed Hairs
Several strands of hair from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were distributed among many companions. This was due to the Prophet requesting Abu Talha and his wife to distribute his blessed hair to the present companions after he cut it during the Farewell Pilgrimage. The distributed hair was notably reddish, as the Prophet used to dye it.
Items Lost from the Prophet’s Legacy
Many of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) possessions have been lost over time. His cloak and staff, for instance, disappeared during the latter days of the Abbasid Dynasty, primarily due to the fires set by the Mongols in Baghdad. The blessed sandals were lost during a tumultuous period in Damascus, while his ring was misplaced when it fell into a well. Additionally, some of his hair and garments were reportedly buried with companions who possessed them, as they had been instructed by the Prophet.