It is mentioned in Khasaais Ul Kubra on the authority of Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the ring (which was used as seal) which the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم) had gotten made used to be in His hands only. After the demise of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم), it remained with Hadhrat Abu Bakr (May Allah be well pleased with him) and after him, with Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) and after him, with Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him).
Once Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) was sitting on the edge of the well and that blessed ring was in his hand and it suddenly fell from his hand into the well. Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) searched for it a lot. All the Companions abandoned all their tasks and searched for the ring. They even emptied the well, but could not find it. [End of quote]
Imam Baihaqui (May Allah be well pleased with him) writes that after this the conditions of the rulers changed and tribulations started taking root. Scholars have written that this ring was the ring of Prophet Sulaiman (May peace be upon him), as when he lost the ring, his kingdom was also lost.
Imam Baihaqui (May Allah be well pleased with him) has related on the authority of Sa’eed bin Musayyib (May Allah be well pleased with him) that Zaid bin Kharija Ansari lived with the clan of Harith bin Khazraj and passed away in the era of Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him). When he was covered with the shroud, after some time a voice came from his chest. Then he praised the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with them) and said that Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him) remained on their path for 4 years. Now, 2 years are left and tribulations will arise everywhere. The strong will devour the weak and it will be chaos (like those of the doomsday). Very soon, you will hear about the well from your army. Don’t ask about that well!
After this, a person from another clan passed away. He also spoke after his demise and said: The news that the Khazrijite has given is true.
This happened 6 years after into the caliphate of Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with him). The sacred ring of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم) was lost and tribulations and revolutions started everywhere. All these are briefly mentioned in Khasaais Ul Kubra.
There were 2 kinds of blessings in that ring. One that the blessed name of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was engraved on it. Secondly, the blessings of the blessed hands of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم) would be gained from it. As long as it remained in the hands of Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Hadhrat ‘Umar and Hadhrat ‘Uthman (May Allah be well pleased with them), all the lands remained under their rule. When those blessings were lost (with the ring), tribulations and unrests started all around. In fact, the accomplishments of those elders and the good name that they enjoyed were the effect of the blessed hands of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) which was continuing through that ring.
Otherwise, Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) was really sagacious and highly brave. His opinion held such weight that Hadhrat ‘Umar (May Allah be well pleased with him) would ask for his opinion in highly sensitive matters and would usually implement that opinion as well. His bravery and strength was such that he had no peer. In spite of gaining the caliphate, he was troubled for his whole tenure. No work of his could be accomplished satisfactorily. The reason was that the blessings of the blessed hands of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم), which made the world bow to them, could not reach him.
Just see! This incident of losing the sacred ring of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم) was so disturbing for Muslims that they were assailed by tribulations and unrests. Thus, the deceased also compared the chaos to the doomsday (in the original Arabic text). The fact is that the speed of the spread of Islam until this time, if it had continued for some more time, no city would have remained bereft of the blessings of Islam. Be it Arabia or Asia, Europe or Africa, wherever Islam remains to this day, almost all of it was conquered in those days. If there were no civil wars and all Muslims had been engaged in spreading Islam, as in the previous days, then the spread of Islam would have been even more rapid…Thus, the civil wars and mutualhostility ended the spread of Islam. The basic reason was that the blessings of the blessed hands of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) which were in the ring, by way of touch, were lost.
This ring was not an ordinary ring. Although this ring was made in Madina, its making was out of the way. It is related in Khasaais Ul Kubra on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) summoned Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) and ordered him to make a silver ring for Him, on which Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah should be engraved.
Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) conveyed this to the ring-maker and when he brought the ring, instead of Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah, Muhammadur Rasoolullah was engraved on it. Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) said: I did not make any such wish. The ring-maker said on oath that as per the orders of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), he had engraved what he was asked to. However, while engraving it, Almighty Allah turned my hands, which made the engraving to Muhammadur Rasoolullah.
When he said this on oath, Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) accepted his words and related this to the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم). The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) assented to this and said: I am the Prophet of Allah. [End of quote]
Just see! Even though out of humility, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), did not want the words Rasoolullah on the ring and as per the custom of the Arabs, wanted it to have His paternity, but this was not acceptable to Allah Most High that this special honorific should be separated from the blessed name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (صلى الله عليه و سلم), that’s why the ring-maker was made to engrave them without his intention to do so.
[Excerpted from Maqasid Ul Islam, Vol. 9]
www.ziaislamic.com/english/shaykulislam-eng/articles_det1.php?ids=82&&key=umar%20razi%20allah
