Tuesday 31 January 2012

Actually there is no money except the real-Some details(2)

It relates to our old post on the subject cited above.
The straightforward author of the OZAN-I-SHAR'IAH,Mufti Muhammad Shafi,writes that the magazine under discussion was published firstly in 1361 A.H,but now its third addition is being revised,in the light of a magazine "Almisbah al munir"written in 1148 AH.Its author Sheikh Muhammad Qaim Sindhi was Hanfi and Qadri. The said author,his Institution and successors have worked"very good"for us(Now this magazine Ozan-i-Shariah will be referred here as B-1).An other book "Door-i-hazar main Ozan-i Shara'iah written by Molana Abdul Majid Raees-published by Maktaba Asadya Karachi Pakistan will be referred here as  B-2.Its author has claimed as interpreter of the B-1.The B-1 was published in February-2008 whereas B-2 has no date. Our comments regarding some entries in these are as under.
At page-17 of B-1,the honorable author has written that he has taken 70 and 100 grains of barley each account separately, weighed personally(and through some Goldsmiths)with due care.In both the accounts the grains of barley were average in mass.This practice was repeated for some times.These barely-corns have been weighed side by side comparing with the prevalent weight- Masha.....The barley-corns have been weighed with different methods and concluded that the70 grains of barley having average mass are equal to 3 masha and 1 ratti(which is Sharai weight of Dirham and now3.0618 grams) and 100 barley -corns equal of one mithqal(Dinar) say 4.5 masha now equal to 4.374 grams.
       It is  mentioned here that the history of the barley and coins like Dinar/Mithqal,Dirham and Daniq is very old and pre-Islamic.At the advent of Islam the weights/measures were known.The barley grains which were being grown at that time are not grown now.As such the determination and fixation of weight of Dinar/dirham with reference to barley grains now seems to be defective. Now 16 varieties of barley are reported, out of which 4 to 5 are ancient one.According to the record of Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun,the Shariah Dinar/mithqal is equal to 72 barley-corns and weight of Dirham is derived from this statement as equal to 5o and two fifth barley-corns.
At the end of B-1, a chart has been arranged wherein the weight of Dirham is written as 3.0618 grams but weight of Daniq is written as 874.8 mg. Hence a Dirham is equal to 6 daniq,as such its weight is calculated as 5.248 grams which needs to be corrected.The weight of a Dirham(in the light of the statement of)
 muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldon is calculated now equal to 3.00 grams.The weight of a Mithqal/Dinar is written in B-1 as 4.374 grams, whereas from the entry  of maqadama referred to above it is derived as 4.25 grams.(Regarding the weights of Dinar/mithqal and Dirham Ibn Khaldun quoted the consences(Ijma). In B-1 the
weight of Sharai Dirham is written as 14 carat but-nil-daniq,whereas it is of 6 daniq(see Kitab al amwal and Ihkami Sultania referred to above),which needs necessary revision and correction. Against Dinar o5 Daniqs have been written,this entry also needs correction.
All other entries of B1&2 regarding weights/measures, like Ratal,Awaqya,Sa',Nisab of Zakah in Gold and Silver differs,due to the difference in school of thoughts.It seems, that the books like Kitab -al- Amwal by Abu Abayd-d 224 AH(which is considered the early source adjacent to the Sadar-i-Islam--Advent of Islam), & Ihkam-i-Sultanya by Al-Mawardi have not been consulted while writing the B-1 & 2.
CONCLUSION.
1. The difference in weight of Dinar/mithqal & Dirham is perhaps due to the difference in mass of different varieties and productions of barley-corns.
2.The weight(Daniq)has not been taken into account and process as per records  of the B-1and 2.
3.A few books have been consulted on the subject and important differences have been found among these.The writer of the Tafseer-i-Naeemi writes that the weight of a Dinar/Mithqal is equal to 24 carats and 1 carat is equal to 3 barley-corns ,hence it is equal to 72 grains.The writer of Lughat ul Quran has not elaborated it.
IMPORTANT POINT.The translator of Dr. Wahaba al-Zahail's book Hakim-Ullah gives a comprehensive foot note at page-42 of Massail Zakah O Sadqat,managed and published by an important Islamic Institution-IRI-Islamabd.The note is translated in English version as under:-
(The Nisab of Zakah in Gold i.e taxable quantity of Gold is 20 mithqal or 20 Dinars)According to Ahnaf a mithqal is equal to 5 grams but according to jamhoor(masses-majority of the Muslims)its weight is 3.60grams.The Faisal Islamic Bank declared its weight 4.457 grams and it is reasonable average weight OR it is equal to 4.25grams.And listen near the Hanabla a Dinar is less than a mithqal hence the Nisab of zakah according to Hanabla is calculated as 25-2/7+1/9 Dinars.At next page47 while mentioning the Nisab of Zakah in Silver he writes that 200 Dirhams were equal to 7 Mithqals, a Dinar was equal to 20 carats whereas a carat was equal to 5 barley-corns.Hence Dirham Shariah is equal to 70 barley-corns.As such between mithqal and Dinar equality is found.According to Ahnaf the weight of Dirham Shariah is3.50grams and according to Jamhhor it is of 3.208grams.The Arabic Dirham is equal to 2.975 grams.(The Nisab of Zakah, in Silver was mentioned,according to Ahnaf 200 Dirhams--approximately equal too 700grams and according to Jamhoor its weight is 642 grams.
Now some countries/Institutions struck the Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham,the details of which can be seen in print and electronic medias to know the current practice.

BJECTIVES OF THIS DISCUSSION


1.To state that:- Before and at the advent of Islam the business transactions were being made through Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams (in shape of bullion and coins).The  same practice has been accepted in  Islam,and further the Gold Dinar/Silver Dirhams had been struck.The 7 Mithqals/Dinars were equal to 10 Dirhams(one Dirham=6 Daniqs).Afterward the fulus(fils) had been struck and used for minor translations.From the above record the Asool( first principle)is derived that the Islamic monetary system accepted such money which has intrinsic value, and there is no room for paper money or like it.Hence recourse is imperative. Most of the Islamic scholars in the past has seen and accepted this type of  money(except gold and silver and fulus for minor transactions) with abomination but following the "Objectives of Shari'ah".(It will be discussed briefly in the next note).
NOW THE KINDS OF MONEY ARE TREATED AS UNDER, AND THE MUSLIM SCHOLARS HAVE ACCEPTED THESE.  
NECESSARY GLOSSARY FOR USEFUL CONCEPTS TERM/MEANING:
.A. FULL BODIED MONEY
 MONEY WHOSE METALLIC CONTENTS HAD A VALUE IN NON-MONETARY USES(SUCH AS IN MAKING 
ORNAMENTS)EQUAL TO THEIR VALUE IN EXCHANGE.
B. COMMODITY STANDARD. A MONEY SYSTEM THAT IS BASED ON FULL BODIED MONEY. THE FAMOUS GOLD STANDARD WAS AN EXAMPLE OF COMMODITY STANDARD.

C. REPRESENTATIVE FULL BODIED MONEY. A SYSTEM OF TOKEN MONEY THAT HAVE LITTLE INTRINSIC VALUE BUT THAT IS BACKED(CAN BE CONVERTED INTO)A COMMODITY SUCH AS GOLD AND SILVER. THE TOKENS MAY OR MAY BE METALLIC. THE US AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES USED THIS SYSTEM UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, WHEN GOLD AND SILVER CERTIFICATES WERE ISSUED BY US TREASURY WHICH REPRESENTED THE VALUE OF UNDERLYING METAL AS FIXED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

D. FIAT MONEY: A MONEY THAT HAS LITTLE COMMODITY VALUE COMPARED TO ITS VALUE IN EXCHANGE. THIS MONEY IS ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT,CENTRAL BANK AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

E. FIDUCIARY MONEY S
YSTEM :A SYSTEM BASED ON FIAT MONEY.

GOLD STANDARD: A MONEY SYSTEM PREVALENT IN MANY COUNTRIES UNTIL THE EARLY 1970S BUT IS NOW DISCONTINUED UNDER WHICH THE UNITS OF THE CURRENCY OF COUNTRY WERE CONVERTIBLE INTO FIXED AMOUNTS OF GOLD:FIXED PARITY A UNIT OF CURRENCY-DEFINED AND MAINTAINED BY THE CENTRAL BANK AND BACKED BY THE SOVEREIGN GUARANTEE. (CONT"D-ISLAMIC MONETARY SYSTEM )

2.As far as the weight of Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham is concerned'"Various accounts are given of their weights.Some Institution have minted these coins now .The Reasonable and approved weights of these coins, by the authorized Islamic scholars may be followed.
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