Silver dirham of al-Hajjaj ibn. Yusuf

The first Islamic coins minted in the eastern Islamic lands (Iran and central Asia) initially adapted Sasanian silver types. The Sasanian coins bore the head of Khosrau II (reigned 590-628) on the obverse (front) of the coin, and a fire altar on the reverse. The fire is a sacred symbol in the Zoroastrian religion which was the state religion in ancient Persia under the Sasanians. Under Islamic rule these Sasanian images were adapted to include Arabic inscriptions. The coin shown here was struck by the powerful Umayyad governor of the eastern provinces, al-Hajjaj ibn. Yusuf. His name appears in Kufic script to the right of the head of Khosrau II. He was in charge of implementing the reform of the coinage initiated by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik (685-706).