ISLAMIC, Umayyad Caliphate. temp. Mu'awiya I ibn Abi Sufyan, AH 41-60 / AD 661-680. Dirham (Silver, 28 mm, 2.69 g, 9 h), Arab-Sasanian type, citing the governor of Kirman, al-Hakam ibn Abi'l-'As (circa AH 54-58 = AD 647-677), NAR (Nahr Tira), AH 56 = AD 675/6. Draped bust resembling Khosrau II to right, wearing elaborate mural crown; behind head, AFZUT GDH ('may his kingship increase' in Pahlawi); before head, HKM I-ABULAJAN ('al-Hakam ibn Abi'l-'As' in Pahlawi); in outer margin, Allah Rabb al-Hukm ('God, Lord of Judgement' in Kufic. Rev. Fire altar with ribbons flanked by two attendants; in upper field to left, star; in upper field to right, crescent; to left, date in Pahlawi; to right, NAR (name of the mint in Pahlawi). Album 11. SICA I, 343. Walker, Arab-Sasanian, p. 68, J4. Very rare and nicely toned. Very fine.

The distinctive legend in the outer margin of the obverse of this coin - 'Allah Rabb al-Hukm' ('God, Lord of Judgement' in Kufic) - places al-Hakam ibn Abi'l-As places close to he Kharijite, a sect that stood in opposition to the Umayyads as the rightful Khalifas of the Prophet. 'Allah Rabb al-Hukm' became their slogan after they refused to accept the judgement of an arbitration committee, who inthe light of the Quran came together in order to decide who is the rightful Khalifa: Ali, or Mu'awiya, the founder of the Umayyad dynasty. In the opinion of the Kharijite, the question should not be resolved by debate, but by a judgment of God in the form of a battle between the pretenders