Dirham
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dirham is a unit of currency in several Arabic-speaking nations, including:
- The Moroccan dirham
- The United Arab Emirates dirham
- 1/1000 of the Libyan dinar
- 1/100 of the Qatari riyal
- 1/10 of the Jordanian dinar
- The dirham, spelt 'diram,' is 1/100 of the Tajikistani somoni.
Historically, the word "dirham" is derived from 'dirhem', itself coming from the name of a Greek coin, the Drachm; the Byzantine Empire controlled the Levant and traded with Arabia, circulating the coin there in pre-Islamic times and afterward. It was this currency which was initially adopted as an Arab word; then near the end of the 7th century the coin became an Islamic currency bearing the name of the sovereign and a religious verse. The dirham was struck in many Mediterranean countries, including Spain, and could be used as currency in Europe between the 10th and 12 centuries.
Compare the Armenian dram for a currency whose name bears a similar origin. Also compare dinar for another currency circulated in the Muslim world but originating with the Romans.
