Although it is humans who write and live history, just like human memory, objects that bear witness to history also possess a memory, a historical consciousness. In this context, the possessions that societies have in their histories are considered as valuable treasures. People always want to preserve and protect the memories of those they value and love. Especially, personal belongings of historical figures such as prophets, state leaders, and heroes, which hold significant places in societies, have been respected and cherished by the public as memorabilia.
In Turkish-Islamic history, too, belongings of great importance for Islam and Turkish history, particularly those of the Prophet Muhammad, have been diligently protected. Especially during important historical periods such as the Crusades, Mongol domination, and atrocities, Muslims have risked their lives to protect these sacred valuables they consider entrusted to them.
In particular, Muslim states have received these sacred belongings as an inheritance from previous states and carried them forward to subsequent centuries in efforts to safeguard them. The sacred relics passed from the Umayyads to the Abbasids, then to the Mamluks, and were eventually transferred to the Ottomans through Yavuz Sultan Selim’s expedition to Egypt.
According to the famous travel writer Evliya Çelebi, some of these items that were passed on to the Ottomans include: a red banner with a lion motif and the inscription “nasrun minellah” in Kufic script, a sacred tooth (dendân-ı saâdet) of the Prophet broken during the Battle of Uhud, a strand of the Prophet’s beard (lihye-i saâdet), kohl, a handful of sand, an ablution pitcher made of date palm fibers coated with resin, a prayer beads made of coral wood, a pair of wooden clogs, a staff, the Prophet’s slippers (pâpûş-ı şerif), two pieces of the Prophet’s mantle (hırka-i şerif), a belt made of date palm fibers, a turban made of date palm fibers, and a white silk cape known as sûzenî arakıyye. These items were wrapped in gold-embroidered bags, layered, and inscribed with the phrase “Hâzâ muhallefâtü Resûlillah.”
Our famous traveler mentioned that Yavuz Sultan Selim sealed these items by applying them to his face and eyes, uttering “Şefaat yâ Resûlellah.” These sacred relics were loaded onto ships and sent to the Ottoman capital, Istanbul. In subsequent periods, various other sacred relics from Mecca and Medina were also sent to Istanbul at certain intervals.
While some of these sacred relics were initially stored in the Imperial Treasury (Hazîne-i Hümâyun), during the reign of Mahmud II (1808-1839), they were moved to the Chamber of the Privy Apartments (Has Oda Kasrı). Within the Topkapı Palace complex, a Department of Sacred Relics (Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi) was established within the Chamber of the Privy Apartments, where these sacred items were preserved. While today’s technological advancements provide the means to preserve these items optimally in terms of light, temperature, and oxygen levels, such technical knowledge was lacking during that era. Therefore, the Ottomans employed traditional methods to ensure the delicate preservation of these sacred relics.
Notably, Ottoman sultans and state officials, including the Ottoman sultans themselves, paid visits to the sacred relics on significant occasions and treated them with utmost reverence. Furthermore, the presence of these sacred relics within the Ottoman Empire served to authenticate the title of the sultan as caliph and solidify the legitimacy of the state. It was considered one of the greatest indications of the Ottoman Empire’s leadership within the Islamic world.
The most valuable and cherished items, which were brought to the Topkapı Palace and are still preserved there, include the Mantle of the Prophet (Hırka-i saâdet), the Sacred Banner (Sancak-ı şerif), the Quran of Uthman (Hz. Osman’ın Mushafı), a piece of the Sacred Tooth (Dendân-ı saâdet), the Beard of the Prophet (Sakal-ı şerif), the Sandal of the Prophet (Na‘leyn-i saâdet), the Prophet’s Seal (Mühr-i saâdet), the Shirt of Fatimah (Hz. Fâtıma’nın gömleği), the Shirt of Hussein (Hz. Hüseyin’in gömleği), the Staff of Moses (Hz. Mûsâ’nın asâsı), the Turban of Joseph (Hz. Yûsuf’un sarığı), the Key and Lock of the Kaaba (Kâbe’nin kilit ve anahtarları), the Door of Repentance (Tövbe kapısı) and Water Spouts (âbe olukları), and the Burial Shrouds of Abu Bakr, Fatimah, and Umar (Hz. Ebû Bekir’in, Hz. Fâtıma’nın ve Hz. Ömer’in kabir örtüleri).
In addition to these items, during the First World War, several other valuables left behind in the Hejaz region, particularly during the British occupation of Mecca and Medina, were brought to Istanbul by the defender of Medina, Fahrettin Pasha, to prevent them from falling into British hands.
According to Naci Kaşif Kıcıman, who was present in the Hejaz region, this valuable treasure located in the sacred precinct of the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb (Ravza-i Mutahhara) was carefully counted, packaged, and placed in crates according to detailed records. On May 14, 1917, a train carrying these sacred relics departed from Medina with a battalion of about 2,000 soldiers and safely arrived in Istanbul on May 27, 1917.
The presence of the Sacred Relics in the Topkapı Palace is a source of great honor and pride for our state and nation. These relics, especially during the holy month of Ramadan and other times, are visited by millions of people, both local and foreign. Their value, spiritual significance, and historical witness are deeply felt, and they are greeted with immense respect by all.
