Abd al‑Malik’s Dirham – A Coin that Shaped Islamic Identity
In July 696 CE, Caliph Abd al-Malik introduced the first Islamic dirhams completely stripped of human imagery and covered instead with Qur’anic verses. This radical shift wasn’t just religious—it was deeply political.
What the Coin Reveals
- Iconographic Revolution: The obverse reads, “There is no god but God … Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”
- Authority through Typography: This was a bold rejection of Byzantine and Persian imagery. Coins were now statements of Islamic unity and sovereignty.
Conspiracies & Secrets
Some researchers argue that earlier coins with a standing human figure may have portrayed Prophet Muhammad himself—an idea that remains controversial but suggests the coin’s transitional role in Islam’s identity politics.
Artistic Legacy
The coin defined Islamic aesthetics: geometry, calligraphy, and aniconism. It wasn’t just money—it was mission.
