The Lost Ring of Sultan Suleiman

A Precious Gift

In the golden age of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent ruled with wisdom and justice. Under his reign, the empire stretched across continents, flourishing in art, architecture, and law.

Despite his power, Sultan Suleiman remained a man of deep faith and intelligence. He valued wisdom more than wealth and justice more than conquest.

One day, a renowned jeweler from Persia arrived at the palace with a gift for the Sultan. He bowed respectfully and presented a small velvet box.

“My Sultan,” the jeweler said, “this is no ordinary ring. It holds a lesson that even kings must remember.”

Suleiman opened the box and marveled at what lay inside—a golden ring, masterfully crafted, with an exquisite blue sapphire in the center. It shimmered like the endless sky, as if capturing the heavens within its stone.

But what made the ring truly special was the inscription engraved on the inside:

“This too shall pass.”

Smiling, the Sultan traced the words with his fingertips. “A reminder,” he murmured, “that both joy and sorrow are temporary.”

He placed the ring on his finger and never took it off.

The Ring Goes Missing

The Sultan cherished his ring over the years. He wore it in times of celebration and during moments of sorrow. Whenever he faced difficulty, he would read the inscription and remind himself that nothing in this world lasts forever.

One morning, as he prepared for his royal duties, he noticed something strange—the ring was missing!

The palace was thrown into a frenzy. The Sultan’s personal guards searched every chamber, every garden, every corner of the great halls. The Queen, the viziers, and the servants all joined in, but the ring was nowhere to be found.

Suleiman felt uneasy. How could something so valuable, something he kept so close, simply disappear?

The Accusation

That evening, the Grand Vizier came forward, bowing before the Sultan. “My Lord, after much investigation, we have found a suspect.”

A young servant named Yusuf was brought before the court. He was a simple man, known for his honesty and dedication to his duties. But the vizier claimed that Yusuf had been seen near the Sultan’s chamber the night before the ring disappeared.

The Sultan looked at the young man, his expression unreadable.

“Yusuf,” the Sultan said, “speak the truth before Allah. Did you steal my ring?”

Yusuf’s face turned pale. He sank to the ground. “My Sultan, I swear by Allah, I did not take it! I was in your chambers only to clean as I do every night. I would never betray you!”

Suleiman had ruled long enough to know when a man was lying. Yusuf was telling the truth.

But if he was innocent, then where was the ring?

The Wise Dervish

Frustrated, the Sultan sent for the great dervish, Sheikh Hamid, a man known for his wisdom and deep connection to the unseen.

The old dervish arrived at the palace, his robe simple, his eyes filled with understanding. He listened to the Sultan’s concerns and then closed his eyes in silent thought.

After a long pause, he spoke.

“My Lord, allow me three days to uncover the thief.”

The Sultan, though impatient, trusted Sheikh Hamid’s wisdom. “Very well,” he said.

The Hidden Thief

In the great hall, Sheikh Hamid gathered all of the workers at the palace. He looked at them one by one and then said, in a calm but commanding voice:

The person who took the ring will dream tonight. In that dream, a great fire will consume them.”

A hush fell over the crowd. The workers exchanged nervous glances.

The next morning, as the sun rose over Istanbul, a palace cook fell at the Sultan’s feet, trembling.

“My Lord! Forgive me! I had the dream of fire—I cannot live with this guilt any longer!”

Gasps filled the hall.

The guards immediately searched the cook’s kitchen. Hidden inside a spice jar, wrapped in a cloth, lay the Sultan’s lost ring.

The thief had been found.

The Lesson of the Ring

The Sultan picked up his ring and turned to the trembling cook. He studied him in silence, then spoke.

"Why did you pick it up?" Tears filled the cook’s eyes. “I was weak, my Sultan. I have served in this palace for years, watching others wear fine jewels, while I live in poverty. When I saw the ring on your table, temptation overtook me. I thought… just once… I could have something valuable.”

The Sultan sighed, disappointment in his gaze, but his heart softened.

He turned the ring over in his fingers and read the inscription once more:

“This too shall pass.”

He looked at the cook and said, “I will not have you executed. But theft cannot go unpunished. You shall be exiled from the palace, left to earn an honest living.”

In remorse, the cook bowed his head. “May Allah forgive me,” he whispered.

Suleiman then turned to Yusuf, the innocent servant who had been wrongly accused.

“You remained honest, even when faced with punishment. For that, you shall be rewarded.”

From that day on, Yusuf was given a higher position in the palace and became known for his integrity.

As for the ring, it was no longer just a piece of jewelry—it became a symbol of patience, justice, and wisdom.

Sultan Suleiman continued to wear it, and every time he faced a challenge, he would look at the inscription and remind himself:

“This too shall pass.”

Moral of the Story:

Nothing in this world—neither happiness nor sorrow, neither wealth nor loss—lasts forever. Patience and justice are the keys to true wisdom. Even kings must remember that life is fleeting, and the only lasting treasure is a heart guided by righteousness.