The Prophet's sandals and image-relics: Tracing a symbol

Abstract

This article explores a revered relic of the Prophet Muḥammad and the ways in which its symbol was established and has evolved in the Sunni world. Four dimensions explain the symbolic power of his sandals. First, the symbol is normativised as a sign of the Prophet and his spiritual grace. Second, it is further validated through iterated though inexact histories. Third, as representations of the sandals have spread widely in the Muslim world, symbolic meanings have been shaped by differing denominational views of their devotional value. Finally, commodification has seemingly rendered the symbol less managed and more popular.