The Standing Caliph Coin
Most coins produced in the world (to this day) bear pictures of important personalities – both the Roman and Persian coinage at the dawn of Islam always had images of the emperor inscribed on them. When Abd al-Malik b. Marwān (d. 705 CE) first introduced an Islamic currency – thus directly facilitating the rise of the Islamic world to its global supremacy – he first introduced a coin that copied the styles of other empires. These coins depict Abd al-Malik in his splendor: wearing a kifāya (head covering) instead of the Roman crown; standing tall and erect to demonstrate power; wearing an Arabian robe; bearing a sword in a scabbard to signify strength; and of course the full beard. On the right side you can see ‘La ilāh illa Allah’ and on the left, ‘Muḥammad Rasūl Allah’. This is the only depiction we have of Abd al-Malik b. Marwān.
Abd al-Malik was born in Madinah, and witnessed the assassination of his (distant) uncle Uthmān b. Affān (r). He met many Companions and was on the path of scholarship (he actually has some narrations in the books of hadith!), before being diverted into politics and eventually becoming the most influential and important Caliph of the Umayyads.
The ‘Standing Caliph’ coins, as they are called, are amongst the rarest and most prized coins of early Islam – they were only minted for a few years (this coin in the image below is 77 AH/ 696 CE). For reasons that are still unclear, after this, the image of the Caliph was taken away and the kalimah (or Surah al-Ikhlās), was placed in the middle instead, and that remained the standard look of all subsequent Umayyad and Abbasid coins.
It is interesting that an image – which is of course disapproved from the perspective of Islamic law – would be carved onto the first coin and used for a few years. Much can be said about this dichotomy. It is also not too much of a stretch to assume that religious sentiment against such images is what forced the change to the new style. Research still remains to be done on this particular issue.
—- By Yasir Qadhi
Once upon a time, in the lands where the sun kissed the sands of Arabia and the winds whispered tales of ancient civilizations, there ruled a wise and visionary leader named Abdul Malik bin Marwan. Among his many achievements, one stood out as a beacon of innovation – the introduction of Islamic coins.
In those days, the lands were adorned with coins from distant empires. Roman coins jingled in the bustling markets of Syria, Arabia, and Egypt, while Iranian coins held sway in the bustling trade hubs of Iraq. But in Arabia, there was a void, a lack of coins bearing the mark of its people.
It was a fortuitous twist of fate that led Abdul Malik to embark on the journey of minting Islamic coins. In his correspondence with the Emperor of Rome, he inscribed the words “There is no true god but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger” atop his letters, as was the Islamic tradition. However, the response he received was one of disdain and threat.
The Emperor warned against mentioning Allah and the Prophet on official letters, threatening to mint coins bearing insulting depictions of the Prophet if Abdul Malik persisted. Faced with this challenge, Abdul Malik turned to wise counsel, seeking guidance from Khalid bin Yazid bin Muawiya.
Khalid’s advice was simple yet profound – to assert the sovereignty of the Islamic Sultanate by minting its own coins and putting them into circulation. Inspired by this idea, Abdul Malik wasted no time in setting up a mint, where he crafted dirhams of 14-carat purity, bearing the weight of 5 ‘mashas’ each.
Emblazoned on these coins was the majestic declaration: “Say He is Allah, One.” With this bold move, Abdul Malik decreed that only Arabic coins would be accepted for tax payments henceforth.
And so, like ripples in a tranquil pond, the Arabic dinar and dirham spread far and wide, becoming the currency of choice in lands extending from Balkh and Jaihoon to the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.
Through the foresight and determination of Abdul Malik bin Marwan, the Islamic coins emerged as a symbol of unity, sovereignty, and faith, forever engraving their mark on the annals of history.
This story was taken from “The History of Islam” By Akbar Shah Najeebabadi, Volume 2, Page 170
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