ISLAMIC. Circa AH 2nd-4th century / AD 8th-10th century. Seal (Lead, 19 mm, 3.91 g, 4 h), Charity seal with a string hole. Personal name in two lines: … ibn Muḥammad (‘… son of Muḥammad’ in Arabic); decorative element below; Marginal legend in Arabic. Rev. In two lines: li-llāh al-ṣadaqa (‘charity belongs to God’ in Arabic); decorative element below; Marginal legend including date in Arabic. A rare and historically significant Islamic seal explicitly referring to charitable administration. Earthen deposits and some marks, otherwise, very fine.


This seal is of particular interest for its explicit reference to ṣadaqa, as expressed in the reverse legend li-llāh al-ṣadaqa. Unlike more frequently attested fiscal seals connected with taxation, such as jizya or other assessed payments, seals referring directly to charitable contributions are considerably less common and remain comparatively understudied. The present piece may therefore be associated with the collection, supervision, or certification of alms-related goods or funds within an early Islamic administrative context.

In contrast to the relatively standardized and hierarchical structure of taxation, charitable giving in the early Islamic period was often more flexible in practice, even when institutionally encouraged or overseen. This may account for the apparent rarity of such seals, as well as the variability in their design and inscriptions. The presence of a named individual on the obverse suggests responsibility at the level of a local official or agent, while the marginal legend, which includes a date, indicates formal administrative use.

The inclusion of decorative elements on both sides further enhances the interest of the piece. As with other Islamic lead seals, each example is effectively unique, preserving localized and often otherwise unattested information.