ISLAMIC, al-Maghreb (North Africa). Idrisids. Idris II, AH 175-213 / AD 791-828. Dirham (Silver, 23 mm, 2.30 g), al-ʿAliya (Fès), AH 210 = 825/6. ‘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 al-ʿĀliya sana ʿashra wa miʾatayn’ (‘In the name of Allah. This dirham was struck in al-ʿAliya in the year 210’ in Arabic). Rev. ‘ʿAlī / Muḥammad / rasūl / Allāh / Idrīs’ (‘ʿAli. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. Idris’ in Arabic); 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 and with an edge crack, otherwise, good fine.


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