What were the words written on the ring of the Prophet ﷺ?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

The words on the ring of the blessed Prophet ﷺ were, Muhammad on the top line, Rasool on the next line and Allah in the last line. This is clear from the Hadith narration in Sahih al-Bukhari. Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani opposed the opposite view. He, and other Imams, deemed it to be a mistake.

Explanation

عَنْ أَنَسٍ: أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لَمَّا اسْتُخْلِفَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى البَحْرَيْنِ وَكَتَبَ لَهُ هَذَا الكِتَابَ وَخَتَمَهُ بِخَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَكَانَ نَقْشُ الخَاتَمِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَسْطُرٍ مُحَمَّدٌ سَطْرٌ، وَرَسُولُ سَطْرٌ، وَاللَّهِ سَطْرٌ

(Sayidina) Anas narrated: When Abu Bakr became the Caliph, he sent him to Bahrain and wrote a letter for him. He sealed it with the signet ring of the Prophet ﷺ. Three lines were engraved on the Ring. Muhammad, a line. Rasool, a line. Allah, a line. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 3106)

In the authentic (Sahih) Hadith above, the signet ring of the blessed Prophet ﷺ is described. It is apparent from the Hadith narration that Muhammad was written first, then Rasool and then Allah. The celebrated commentator on Sahih al-Bukhari, Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, opposed the other view, deeming it baseless. He went further and mentioned an even more explicit narration clarifying the order.

وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ بَعْضِ الشُّيُوخِ إِنَّ كِتَابَتَهُ كَانَتْ مِنْ أَسْفَلَ إِلَى فَوْقَ يَعْنِي أَنَّ الْجَلَالَةَ فِي أَعْلَى الْأَسْطُرِ الثَّلَاثَةِ وَمُحَمَّدٌ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا فَلَمْ أَرَ التَّصْرِيحَ بِذَلِكَ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْأَحَادِيثِ، بَلْ رِوَايَةُ الْإِسْمَاعِيلِيِّ يُخَالِفُ ظَاهِرُهَا ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ فِيهَا مُحَمَّدٌ سَطْرٌ وَالسَّطْرُ الثَّانِي رَسُولٌ والسطر الثَّالِث الله. (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري)

As for some sheikhs saying that it was written from bottom to top. Meaning that the Majestic was at the top of the three lines. Muhammad was at the bottom. I have not seen this clearly mentioned in any of the Hadith narrations. Rather the narration of al-Ismaili clearly contradicts it. He narrated that: Muhammad is on a line, Rasool is on the second line, and on the third line Allah. (Imam Ahmad bin Ali bin Hajr al-Asqalani, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).

Many Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah reiterated the position of Imam Ibn Hajr in their works. Imam al-Qastalaani mentioned it in Irshaad al-Saari. Imam al-Sayuti quoted it in al-Tawsheeh. It was cited in Subl al-Huda wa al-Rashad by Imam Muhammad bin Yusuf al-Salihi. The great Hanafi scholar, Ali al-Qari mentioned it in Mirqaat al-Mafaateeh. As for Imam al-Safaareeni, he quoted Imam Ibn Hajr and was subsequently very critical of anyone saying otherwise.

وَبِهِ تَعْلَمُ فَسَادَ قَوْلِ مَنْ قَالَ: إنَّ لَفْظَ الْجَلَالَةِ فِي السَّطْرِ الْأَوَّلِ، وَرَسُولُ فِي السَّطْرِ الثَّانِي، وَمُحَمَّدٌ فِي السَّطْرِ الثَّالِثِ. (غذاء الألباب في شرح منظومة الآداب)

Due to this you will know the error of the one who said: The word of Majesty is on the first line, Rasool on the second line, and Muhammad on the third line. (Imam Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Safaareeni, Ghiza al-Albaab).

From the Hadith narration and the authentic commentaries above, it is clear that the order of writing on the signet ring of the Prophet ﷺ was as expected. When we read text, we read from the top down. Therefore, the expectation is that the ring of the Prophet ﷺ would follow that rule. Thus it read, ‘Muhammad Rasool Allah,’ top down.

The other position

As for the view that the Holy name of Allah Most High was at the top, it has been narrated by some scholars. However, these scholars do not seem to follow the opinion, they narrate it as being held by others. This is not surprising, since major scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah are unlikely to take a position that is not supported by Hadith. Rather, it contradicts Hadith.

قَالَ صَاحب (التَّوْضِيح): وَكُنَّا نبحث قَدِيما هَل الْجَلالَة فَوق وَالرَّسُول فِي الْوسط وَالْبَاقِي أَسْفَل وَبِالْعَكْسِ؟ وَقيل: إِن كِتَابَته كَانَت من أَسْفَل إِلَى فَوق حَتَّى إِن الْجَلالَة فِي أَعلَى الأسطر الثَّلَاثَة وَمُحَمّد فِي أَسْفَلهَا. وَقَالَ الْإِسْمَاعِيلِيّ: مُحَمَّد سطر والسطر الثَّانِي رَسُول والسطر الثَّالِث الله. (عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري)

The author of al-Tawdih said: We used to research, is the Majestic above, the Rasool in the middle, and the rest below? Or is it the other way around? It was said, the writing was from bottom to top. Such that the Majestic was at the top of the three lines and Muhammad was at the bottom. However, al-Ismaili said: Muhammad was on a line, Rasool was on the second line, and on the third line was Allah. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, Umdatu al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).

In the Nass above, we see that Imam al-Ayni mentions the view that the writing on the signet ring of the blessed Prophet ﷺ was in reverse. However, he does not take the position and seems to incline towards the opposite view. Consequently, He cites a narration that supports the view that Muhammad was at the top.

Conclusion

Arabic text, like English, is read top down. Therefore, all text will be treated in that manner unless there is clear evidence to prove the contrary. With regards to the ring of the blessed Prophet ﷺ there is no Hadith evidence to suggest otherwise. Rather, there is Hadith evidence proving that it was top down.

Despite the clear evidence, many people hold the misconception that the name of Allah Most High was at the top. As such, many Muslims have rings, logos and other ornaments with the incorrect representation of the signet ring of the Prophet ﷺ.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (05.02.24)