Sahih al-Bukhari

Sahih al-Bukhari 2938

Arabic hadith text

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَقُولُ لَمَّا أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يَكْتُبَ إِلَى الرُّومِ، قِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابًا إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَخْتُومًا‏.‏ فَاتَّخَذَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ، فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَيَاضِهِ فِي يَدِهِ، وَنَقَشَ فِيهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏

Translation

'Ali ibn al-Ja'd narrated to us; Shu'ba informed us from Qatada, who said: I heard Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) say: When the Prophet (ﷺ) intended to write to the Byzantines, he was told, ‘They do not read a letter unless it is sealed.’ So he had a silver ring made. It is as though I can see its whiteness on his hand. He engraved on it: ‘Muhammad, Messenger of Allah.’