2019-06-10 Mon

The first Caliph to ruled Abbasid Caliphate, Abul Abbas Al Saffah died on 10th June 754. His four-year reign (750 to 754 AD) marked with efforts to consolidate and rebuild the caliphate.

As Saffah was born in 721 in Humeima (Modern Day Jordan). He traced his ancestry to Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, a great grandfather of Muhammad via Abbas, an uncle of Muhammad. He established Kufa as the new capital of the caliphate, ending the dominance of Damascus in the Islamic political world. During his reign, Iraq became the seat of Abbasid power.

He issued gold and silver coins in the denomination of Dinar and Dirham. These coins were struck at various mints such as Al Basra, Al Kufa, Dimashq, and Ardashir Khura. Depicted above is a gold Dinar issued in his reign. The obverse of a coin depicted the legend ‘Laa Ilaaha Illallahu Wahdahu La Sharika Lahu’ while the reverse of a coin bore with ‘Muhammadr-ur-Rasulullah’.

Image Source: Heritage Auctions