with the image and name of the Emperor impressed on it as stated by Ibn 'Abd-ul-Bar in the
Al-Tamhid. Old Arabic manuscripts mention the Latin denarius aureus as the Byzantine coin
(synonymous with the post-Constantine sol dus) which is stated to be the name of a coin
still a unit of currency in Yugoslavia. The New Testament, too, mentions denarius at several
places. Dinar was considered to have the average weight of one mithqal, which, as stated
above, was equivalent to seventy-two grains of barley. It is generally believed that the
weight standard of the dinar was maintained from the pre-Islamic days down to the 4th
century of the Hijrah. Da'iratul Ma'arif Islamiyah says that the Byzantine denarius weighed
425 grams and hence, according to the Orientalist Zambawar, the mithqal of Makkah was
also of 425 grams. The ratio of weight between dirham and dinar was 7:lO and the former
weighed seven-tenths of a mithqal.
The par value of the dinar, deduced from the hadeeth, fiqah and historical literature, was
equivalent to ten dirhams. 'Amr b. Shuyeb, as quoted in the Sunan Abu Dawud, relates: "The
blood money during the time of the Prophet (r) was 800 dinars or 8,000 dirhams, which
was followed by the companions of the Prophet (y), until the entire Muslim community
unanimously agreed to retain it." The authentic ahadeeth fix the nisab or the amount of
property upon which Zakat is due, in terms of dirham, at 20 dinars. This rule upheld by a
consensus of the doctors of law goes to show that during the earlier period of Islamic era
and even before it, a dinar was deemed to have a par value of ten dirhams or other coins
equivalent to them.
Imam Malik says in the Muwatta that 'the accepted rule, without any difference of opi-
nion, is that zakat is due on 20 dinars or 200 dirhams'. The weights and measures in general
use in those days were Saa', mudd, ratal, ooqiyah and mithqal to which a few more were
added latter on. The Arabs also possessed knowledge of arithmetic, for, it is evident, that
the Qur'aan had relied on their ability to compute the shares of the legatees in promulgat-
ing the Islamic law of inheritance.
PROSPEROUS FAMILIES OF QURAYSH
Bani Umayya and Bani Makhzum were the two prominent families of the Quraysh favored
by the stroke of luck. Walid b. al-Mughira, 'Abdul 'Uzza (Abu Lahab), Abu Uhayha b. Sa'eed
b. al-'As b. Umayya (who had a share of 30,000 dinars in the caravan of Abu Sufyan) and
'Abd b. Abdul Rabi'a al-Makhzum had made good fortunes. 'Abdullah b. Jad'an of Banu Taym
was also one of the wealthiest persons of Makkah who used to drink water in a cup of gold
and maintained a public kitchen for providing food to every poor and beggar. 'Abbaas Ibn
'Abdul-Muttalib was another man abounding in riches who spent lavishly on the indigent
and the needy and lent money at interest in Makkah. During his farewell Pilgrimage when
the Prophet (r) abolished usurious transactions, he declared: "The first usury I abolish today
is that of 'Abbaas b. 'Abdul Muttalib".