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1 Dirham - al-Mansur Ayyub al-Mahjam
| Issuer | Rasulid Sultanate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1322 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Hammered silver dirham struck in irregular round flan. The obverse bears a central field containing the Shahada in multiple lines of Arabic script: 'There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God.' A marginal or secondary legend continues with the Quranic verse from Surat al-Tawba (9:33): 'He sent him with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all religions, even if the polytheists are averse.' The inscription is arranged within a circular border composed of a dotted inner ring, typical of Rasulid hammered coinage. The script is angular and somewhat compressed, consistent with the relatively small flan size. |
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| Reverse script | Arabic |
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| Additional information |
Al-Mansur Ayyub, known as al-Mahjam, ruled the Rasulid Sultanate of Yemen for less than two years before his uncle al-Mujahid Ali seized power in 1322 — the very year this dirham was struck. The Rasulids had broken from the Ayyubids in the 1220s to establish an independent dynasty in Yemen, and their silver coinage consistently reflected the political instability of succession disputes among collateral branches of the ruling house.
Few dirhams of al-Mahjam survive, a direct consequence of his abbreviated reign.