ISLAMIC, al-Maghreb (North Africa). Idrisids. Idris II, AH 175-213 / AD 791-828. Dirham (Silver, 23 mm, 2.25 g, 3 h), Mrira, AH 204 = 819/820. ‘lā ilāha illā / Allāh waḥdahū / lā sharīka lahū / ʿAlī’ (‘There is no deity but Allah, the One, there is no partner to Him. ʿAli’ in Arabic); in the margin, ‘bism Allāh ḍuriba hādhā al-dirham bi Marīra sana arbaʿ wa miʾatayn’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dirham was struck in Mrira in the year 204’ in Arabic). Rev. ‘Idrīs / Muḥammad / rasūl / Allāh / ʿAlī’ (‘Idris. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. ʿAli’ in Arabic); palm tree in upper left; a star-like and a cross-like symbol below; in the margin: ‘Muḥammad rasūl Allāh arsalahū bi al-hudā wa dīn al-ḥaqq liyuẓhirahū ʿalā al-dīn kullih wa law kariha al-mushrikūn’ (‘Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth, so that He may make it overcome all religions, even though the unbelievers may dislike it’ in Arabic). Album 421. Rare. Areas of weakness, otherwise, good very fine.


The Idrisids were descended from the family of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the son-in-law of Muhammad and the first Imam of the Shīʿa Muslims, hence the name ʿAlī is written on both the obverse and reverse of this coin.