View source for Dirham

{{Short description|Unit of currency in several Asian and African states}}

[[File:Dirham.svg|thumb|Nations in red currently use the dirham. Nations in green use a currency with a subdivision named dirham.]]
The '''dirham'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|ɜːr|h|æ|m}} {{respell|DUR-ham}}; {{langx|ar|درهم}}}}, '''dirhem'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|ɜːr|h|ɛ|m}} {{respell|DUR-hem}}}} or '''drahm'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|r|ɑː|m}}}} is a unit of currency and of mass. It is the name of the currencies of [[Moroccan dirham|Morocco]], the [[United Arab Emirates dirham|United Arab Emirates]] and [[Armenian dram|Armenia]], and is the name of a currency subdivision in [[Jordanian dinar|Jordan]], [[Libyan dinar|Libya]], [[Qatari riyal|Qatar]] and [[Tajikistani somoni|Tajikistan]]. It was historically a silver coin.

[[File:Dirham of Umar II, 718-719.jpg|thumb|Silver dirham of Caliph [[Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz]] 718–719 CE]]
[[File:Dihram of Yazid II, 721-722.jpg|thumb|right|Silver dirham of [[Yazid II]] minted in 721–722 CE]]
[[File:Dirham of Marwan II ibn Muhammad, AH 127-132.jpg|thumb|left|Silver dirham of [[Marwan II]] ibn Muhammad 749–745 CE]]
[[File:Dirhem of al-Saffah, AH 132-136.jpg|thumb|left|Silver dirham of [[As-Saffah]] 754–758 CE]]
[[File:Dirhem of Al-Hadi, AH 170.jpg|thumb|left|Silver dirham of [[Al-Hadi]] minted in 786–787 CE in al-Haruniya]]
[[File:Dirham of al-Mu'tasim, AH 221.jpg|thumb|left|Silver dirham of [[Al-Mu'tasim]], minted at [[al-Muhammadiya]] in 836–837 CE]]
[[File:Arab-Sasanian Dirham in the name of al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf.jpg|thumb|right|One of the first silver coins of the Umayyad Caliphate, still following [[Sassanid]] motifs, struck in the name of [[al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf]]]]
[[File:Silver Dirham.png|thumb|Later silver dirham of the [[Umayyad Caliphate]], minted at [[Balkh]] in 729–730 CE ([[Hijri year|AH]]) 111)]]
[[File:AlHakemII dirhem MedinaAzahara.jpg|thumb|Silver dirham of Alhakén II, [[Caliph of Córdoba]]]]
[[File:Silver dirham LACMA M.2002.1.437 (2 of 2).jpg|thumb|Silver dirham issued in 1002 by Hisham II, [[Caliph of Córdoba]]]]

==Unit of mass==
The dirham was a unit of mass used across North Africa, the Middle East, Persia and [[Ifat Sultanate|Ifat]]; later known as [[Adal Sultanate|Adal]], with varying values.

The value of Islamic dirham was 14 qirat. 10 dirham equals 7 [[mithqal]] (2.975 gm of silver).

In the late Ottoman Empire ({{langx|ota|درهم}}), the standard dirham was 3.207 [[gram|g]];<ref>based on an oka of 1.2828 [[kilogram|kg]]; Diran Kélékian gives 3.21 g (''Dictionnaire Turc-Français'', Constantinople: Imprimerie Mihran, 1911); Γ. Μπαμπινιώτης gives 3.203 g (''Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας'', Athens, 1998)</ref> 400 dirhem equal one [[oka (measure)|oka]]. The Ottoman dirham was based on the [[Sassanian|Sasanian]] drachm (in [[Middle Persian]]: 𐭦𐭥𐭦𐭭 ''drahm''), which was itself based on the Greek [[Ancient drachma|dram/drachma]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=DIRHAM - Encyclopaedia Iranica |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/dirham}}</ref>

In [[Egypt]] in 1895, it was equivalent to 47.661 [[troy grain]]s (3.088 [[gram|g]]).<ref>[[OED]]</ref>

There is currently a movement within the Islamic world to revive the dirham as a unit of mass for measuring silver, although the exact value is disputed (either 3 or 2.975 grams).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ashtor|first=E.|date=October 1982|title=Levantine weights and standard parcels: a contribution to the metrology of the later Middle Ages|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0041977X00041525/type/journal_article|journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies|volume=45|issue=3|pages=471–488|doi=10.1017/S0041977X00041525|s2cid=140561646|issn=0041-977X|access-date=2019-11-20|archive-date=2024-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102084427/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-the-school-of-oriental-and-african-studies/article/abs/levantine-weights-and-standard-parcels-a-contribution-to-the-metrology-of-the-later-middle-ages/A083FE1D62824E92B13D5A0D61336490|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Silver hoard from Lublin-Czechów.jpg|thumb|250px|Silver hoard from [[Lublin]]-Czechów, comprising 214 silver dirhams issued between 711–712 and 882–883 CE, [[Lublin Museum]].]]
The word "dirham" ultimately comes from ''[[Ancient drachma|drachma]]'' (δραχμή), the Greek coin.<ref name="oeddirhem">''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', 1st edition, [http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/53338 s.v. 'dirhem'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200209223219/https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/53338 |date=2020-02-09 }}</ref> The Greek-speaking [[Byzantine Empire]] lay partially in the [[Levant]] and traded with [[Arabia]], circulating the coin there in pre-Islamic times and afterward. Near the end of the 7th century the coin became an [[Islamic coinage|Islamic currency]] bearing the [[sikka wa khutba|name of the sovereign]] and a religious verse. The Arabs introduced their own coins.

The Islamic dirham was 8 [[daniq]].<ref>BBC Art of Persia</ref> The dirham was struck in many [[History of the Mediterranean region|Mediterranean countries]], including [[Al-Andalus]] ([[Moors|Moorish]] [[Spain]]) and the [[Byzantine Empire]] (''[[miliaresion]]''), and could be used as currency in [[Europe]] between the 10th and 12th centuries, notably in areas with [[Viking]] connections, such as [[Jorvik|Viking York]]<ref>In addition to Islamic ''dirhams'' in ninth and tenth century English hoards, a counterfeit ''dirham'' was found at [[Coppergate]], in [[York]], struck as if for [[Ismail Samani|Isma'il ibn Achmad]] (ruling at Samarkand, 903-07/8), of [[Fourée|copper covered by a once-silvery wash of tin]] (illustrated in Richard Hall, ''Viking Age Archaeology'', [series Shire Archaeology] 2010:17, fig. 7).</ref> and Dublin.

===Dirham in Jewish orthodox law===
The ''dirham'' is frequently mentioned in [[Jewish]] [[Halakha|orthodox law]] as a unit of weight used to measure various requirements in religious functions, such as the weight in silver specie pledged in Marriage Contracts (''[[Ketubbah]]''), the quantity of flour requiring the separation of the [[Hallah (Talmud)|dough-portion]], etc. Jewish physician and philosopher, [[Maimonides]], uses the Egyptian ''dirham'' to approximate the quantity of flour for [[Hallah (Talmud)|dough-portion]], writing in [[Mishnah]] ''[[Eduyot]]'' 1:2: "And I found the rate of the dough-portion in that measurement to be approximately five-hundred and twenty ''dirhams'' of wheat flour, while all these dirhams are the Egyptian [''dirham'']." This view is repeated by [[Yosef Karo|Maran]]'s ''[[Shulhan Arukh]]'' (''Hil. Hallah'', [[Yoreh Deah]] § 324:3) in the name of the [[Arba'ah Turim|Tur]]. In Maimonides' commentary of the Mishnah (''Eduyot'' 1:2, note 18), Rabbi [[Yosef Qafih]] explains that the weight of each Egyptian ''dirham'' was approximately 3.333 grams,<ref>''Mishnah – with a Commentary of Rabbi Moses ben Maimon'', ed. Yosef Qafih, vol. 2 – ''Seder Neziqim'', pub. [[Mossad Harav Kook]]: Jerusalem 1965, p. 189 (Hebrew title: '''משנה עם פירוש הרמב"ם''')</ref>  or what was the equivalent to 16 [[carob]]-grains<ref>''Mishnah – with a Commentary of Rabbi Moses ben Maimon'' (ed. [[Yosef Qafih]]), vol. 3, [[Mossad Harav Kook]]: Jerusalem 1967, s.v. Introduction to Tractate ''Menahoth'', p. 68 (note 35) (Hebrew)</ref> which, when taken together, the minimum weight of flour requiring the separation of the dough-portion comes to approx. 1 kilo and 733 grams. Rabbi [[Ovadiah Yosef]], in his ''Sefer Halikhot ʿOlam'' (vol. 1, pp.&nbsp;288–291),<ref>Ovadiah Yosef, ''Sefer Halikhot ʿOlam'', vol. 1, Jerusalem 2002 (Hebrew title: '''ספר הליכות עולם''')</ref> makes use of a different standard for the Egyptian ''dirham'', saying that it weighed approx. 3.0 grams, meaning the minimum requirement for separating the [[Kohen|priest]]'s portion is 1 kilo and 560 grams. Others (e.g. Rabbi [[Avraham Chaim Naeh]]) say the Egyptian ''dirham'' weighed approx. 3.205 grams,<ref>Ovadiah Yosef, ''Sefer Halikhot ʿOlam'', vol. 1, Jerusalem 2002, p. 288, sec. 11; Abraham Chaim Naeh, [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/37746 ''Sefer Kuntres ha-Shi'urim''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424085842/http://www.hebrewbooks.org/37746 |date=2017-04-24 }}, Jerusalem 1943, p. 4 (Hebrew)</ref> which total weight for the requirement of separating the dough-portion comes to 1 kilo and 666 grams. Rabbi Shelomo Qorah (Chief Rabbi of [[Bnei Barak]]) wrote that the traditional weight used in [[Yemen]] for each ''dirham'' weighed 3.20 grams for a total of 31.5 ''dirhams'' given as the redemption of one's firstborn son (''[[pidyon haben]]''), or 3.36 grams for the 30 ''dirhams'' required by the [[Shulchan Aruch|Shulhan Arukh]] (''Yoreh De'ah'' 305:1),<ref>Shelomo Qorah, ''ʿArikhat Shūlḥan - Yilqūṭ Ḥayyīm'', vol. 13 (Principles of Instruction and Tradition), Benei Barak 2012, p. 206 (Hebrew title: '''עריכת שולחן - ילקוט חיים''') {{OCLC|762505465}}</ref> and which in relation to the separation of the dough-portion made for a total weight of 1 kilo and 770.72 grams.

The word ''drachmon'' ({{Langx|he|דרכמון}}), used in some translations of Maimonides' commentary of the [[Mishnah]], has in all places the same connotation as ''dirham''.<ref>''Mishnah – with a Commentary of Rabbi Moses ben Maimon'', ed. Yosef Qafih, vol. 3 – ''Seder Kodashim'', pub. [[Mossad Harav Kook]]: Jerusalem 1967, s.v. Introduction to Tractate ''Menahoth'', p. 68 (note 35) (Hebrew title: '''משנה עם פירוש הרמב"ם''')</ref>

== Modern-day currency ==
Currently the valid national currencies with the name ''dirham'' are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Countries
! Currency
! [[ISO 4217]] code
|-
| {{flag|Morocco}}
| [[Moroccan dirham]]
| MAD
|-
| {{flag|United Arab Emirates }}
| [[United Arab Emirates dirham]]
| AED
|-
| {{flag|Armenia}}
| [[Armenian dram]]
| AMD
|}

Modern currencies with the subdivision ''dirham'' or ''diram'' are:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Countries
! Currency
! [[ISO 4217]] code
!Subdivision 
|-
| {{flag|Libya}}
| [[Libyan dinar]] 
| LYD
|Dirham
|-
| {{flag|Qatar}}
| [[Qatari riyal]]
| QAR
|Dirham
|-
| {{flag|Jordan}}
| [[Jordanian dinar]]
| JOD
|Dirham
|-
| {{flag|Tajikistan}}
| [[Tajikistani somoni]]
|TJS
|Diram
|}

The unofficial [[modern gold dinar]], issued and/or proposed by several states and [[Quasi-state|proto-states]], is also divided into dirhams.

==See also==
{{Portal|Money|Numismatics}}
*[[Dinar]]
*[[Gold dinar]]
*[[Fals]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Islamic banking and finance}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Denominations (currency)]]
[[Category:Silver coins]]
[[Category:Obsolete units of measurement]]
[[Category:Ottoman units of measurement]]
[[Category:Units of mass]]
[[Category:Islamic banking]]
[[Category:Islamic banking and finance terminology]]
[[Category:Medieval currencies]]