It is a piece of protruding flesh, with hair on it, located at his left shoulder ﷺ, approximately the size of a dove's egg. This seal, known as the "Seal of Prophethood," is one of his ﷺ prophetic signs mentioned in earlier scriptures, as indicated by the story of Bahira the monk and the story of the conversion of Salman the Persian—may Allah be pleased with him—as will be mentioned.
When Was the Seal of Prophethood Found?
There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding this matter. The implication of the hadiths is that the seal was not present at the time of his ﷺ birth; [1]rather, it developed after his birth. The more correct view is that it appeared after the incident of the opening of his chest, and it was small ﷺ.
Hadiths Describing the Seal of Prophethood:
Al-Bukhari (3541) and Muslim (2345) narrated from Al-Sa'ib bin Yazid—may Allah be pleased with him—that he said: "My aunt took me to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, my nephew is ill.' He ﷺ stroked my head and prayed for me to be blessed. Then he performed ablution, and I drank from his ablution water. Then I stood behind him and looked at the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders, which was like the size of a dove's egg."
Muslim (2345) narrated from Jabir bin Samurah—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: "I saw a seal on the back of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as if it were a dove's egg."
Muslim (2346) narrated from Abdullah bin Sarjas—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: "I saw the Prophet ﷺ, and I ate with him bread and meat, or he said: 'tharid'... Then I turned behind him and looked at the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders, near the upper part of his left shoulder, which had hairs like warts."
The "naghid" refers to the upper part of the shoulder. "Jama" means it was like the gathering of fingers, which is its appearance after the fingers are brought together. "Khilaan" is plural of "khaal," which means a mark on the body. "Thawaleel" is the plural of "thawla," referring to a small growth on the skin, similar to a chickpea or smaller.
Al-Tirmidhi (22) narrated with a sound chain, and in "Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah" by Al-Albani (2093) from Abu Nadrah Al-Awqi, who said: "I asked Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri—may Allah be pleased with him—about the Seal of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—meaning the Seal of Prophethood. He said: 'It was a protrusion on his back.'"
Ahmad narrated in his Musnad (20732) with a sound chain according to the conditions of Muslim from Abu Zayd—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: 'Come closer to me.' So I approached him, and he said: 'Put your hand and rub my back.' I put my hand in his shirt and rubbed his back, and the Seal of Prophethood fell between my fingers. He was asked about the Seal of Prophethood, and he said: 'It is hair between his shoulders.' In the narration of Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak (4254), he said—may Allah be pleased with him—: 'It is hair gathered at his shoulders.'"
