Firman, Or Ferman, a Persian word signifying an order, employed especially in Turkey to designate any decree issued by the Porte, and authenticated by the sultan's own cipher or monogram, called the tuva. Each of the ministers and members of the divan has the right of signing firmans relative to the business of his own department, but only the grand vizier is authorized to place at their head the tuva, which alone gives them force. A decree signed by the sultan's own hand is called hatti-sherif. The name firman is also applied to a Turkish passport, whether issued by the Porte or by a pasha, enjoining the subordinate authorities to grant the traveller bearing it protection and assistance. In India, a written permission to trade is called a firman.