Silver Dirham of Umar Habbari - Amirs of Sindh
Weight: 0.54g
Obverse
|
Billah yasiqu Umar wa bihi yantasir |
बिल्लाह यसिक़ू उमर व बिहि यनतसिर |
باللہ یثق عمر و بہ ینتصر |
|
In God trusts Umar, and through Him he is victorious |
ईश्वर पर उमर
का भरोसा है, और उसके माध्यम से वह विजयी है |
خدا پر عمر کا اعتماد ہے، اور اسی کے ذریعے وہ فتح مند ہے |
Reverse
|
Lillah Muhammad Rasul
Allah Umar |
लिल्लाह मुहम्मद रसूल अल्लाह उमर |
للہ محمد رسول اللہ عمر |
|
In God Muhammad is
the messenger of God Umar |
ईश्वर में मुहम्मद ईश्वर के प्रेषित है उमर |
خدا میں محمد خدا کے پیغمبر ہیں عمر |
Habbari Dynasty
The Arab eastward expansion after the passing of the Islamic
prophet Muhammad reached the Sindh area beyond Persia. The Hindu Chacha kingdom
was overthrown and incorporated into the Umayyad Caliphate in 712 AD by
Muhammad Bin Qasim. This marked the beginning of Islam in the Indian
subcontinent. From the early eighth century AD, this area was ruled by
governors appointed by the Caliphs.
Due to waning political influence of the Caliphs, a semi-independent
emirate emerged which was ruled by the Habbari dynasty from 854 AD to 1024 AD.
These rulers, were also known as the Amirs of Sindh.[i]
Umar Al-Habbari
Umar bin Abdul Aziz Habbari (reigned: 854-884) established himself
as an independent ruler of Sindh and is the founder of the Habbari dynasty. The
Habbari were Arabs belonging to the Quraysh tribe, the same tribe as that of
the Prophet. There was no fundamental shift in the regime's nature, and the
Habbari state continued to run according to the rules established by the
Caliphs.
The Habbaris controlled Sindh until Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi
overthrew them in 1026. Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi then destroyed the former
Habbari city of Mansura and annexed the territory to the Ghaznavid Empire,
putting an end to Arab sovereignty in Sindh.
The Coin
These coins, known as Qandhari Dirhams or Dammas were struck mostly at the capital of the Habbaris, Al-Mansurah. These coins often appear very debased or even plated. The obverse of the coin presents a religious legend with the reverse having the Muslim Profession of faith – the Kalima Shahada – with the ruler’s name at the bottom.[ii]
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