A family in Hakkari has been preserving the sacred relics of Prophet Muhammad in their private homes for that past 300 years.

Abdurrahim Sakin, who now keeps the relics at his home in Hakkari, said he inherited the relics from his grandfather.

Sakin said he is the last generation of his family who descended from the Abbasids. He preserves the sacred relics in a glass cabinet in a small room inside his home. The collection consists of a cap and socks belonging to the prophet and a handwritten Quran. People coming from different parts of Turkey can visit the collection at Sakin’s house.

Sakin said that his grandfathers used to show the relics on horseback, carrying them from village to village. "My only wish is to build a museum for these sacred relics as soon as possible. I can donate a place for that, as long as these relics stay where they deserve."

He said the family needs help to protect the sacred relics. "Now they are about to wear out as it seems. We now want them to be protected and disinfected. For this, we ask our state to build a museum on the place that I will donate myself and make it official. We want the certificate of ownership. For this, I do not want any money from our state," he said.

"I definitely don't want anything material for myself and my family. I just want these relics to be preserved, to be introduced to people in a better way, to be owned by people.," he said. "These are the relics of Prophet Muhammad. My only goal is for the entire Islamic world to know this."