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
