The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 8/Chapter 2
CHAPTER II
The Ḳarâṭîs[1]
The Greeks used to get the ḳarâṭîs from Egypt,[2] and the Arabs used to get the dînârs from the Greeks. ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân was the first to inscribe on the upper part of these fabrics[3] such phrases as "Declare: Allah is one!" and others with the name of Allah. One day, he received from the Byzantine king a message, saying, "You have recently introduced upon your ḳarâṭîs some inscription that we hate. If you leave that out, well and good; otherwise, you shall see on the dînârs the name of your Prophet associated with things you hate." This was too much for ʿAbd-al-Malik, who hated to abolish a worthy law that he had established. He thereupon sent for Khâlid ibn-Yazîd ibn-Muʿâwiyah and said to him, "O abu-Hâshim! It is a calamity!" Khâlid replied, "Be free from your fright, 'Commander of the Believers'; declare the use of their dînârs illegal; strike new coinage in place of them, and let not these infidels be free from what they hate to see on the fabrics." "Thou hast eased my mind," said ʿAbd-al-Malik, "may Allah give thee ease!" He then struck the dînârs.
According to ʿAwânah ibn-al-Ḥakam, the Copts used to inscribe the word "Christ" at the top part of the ḳarâṭîs, and to ascribe divinity to him (may Allah be highly exalted above that!); and they used to put the sign of the cross in place of "In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful". That is why the Byzantine king was disgusted and his anger was aroused with the change that ʿAbd-al-Malik introduced.
According to al-Madâʾini, it was stated by Maslamah ibn-Muḥârib that Khâlid ibn-Yazîd advised ʿAbd-al-Malik to declare the use of the Greek dînârs illegal, to prohibit their circulation and to stop the sending of the ḳarâṭîs to the Byzantine empire. Accordingly, no ḳarâṭîs were carried there for some time.