Musa bin Hazim’s Rule in Termiz and the Introduction of Islamic Coins

Musa bin Hazim

It has already been mentioned that Musa bin Abdullah bin Hazim had founded an independent state at Termiz and that Huraith and Thabit, Qatna Khuazai's sons, fled from Muhallab and went to Musa bin Abdullah at Termiz. When Muhallab became the Governor of Khorasan, he did not disturb Musa and exhorted his sons, "Always leave Musa alone and forgive him for if there is no Musa, somebody else from among Banu Qais will be the Governor of Khorasan" When Abdur Rahmari bin Mohammad was defeated by Yazid bin Muhallab at Herat, Abdur Rahman bin Mohammad and Abdur Rahman bin Abbas' men who fled from the conflict with Yazid, went directly to Musa bin Abdullah at Termiz. When Ratbeel chopped off Abdur Rahman bin Mohammad's head and sent it to Hajjaj, Abdur Rahman's men fled from Ratbeel and went to Musa bin Abdullah and took refuge at Termiz. In this way, Musa bin Abdullah came to have eight thousand Arabs under his command. Both brothers, Huraith and Thabit, served as commanders and Musa bin Abdullah was an independent king. Huraith and Thabit said to Musa, "The people of Bukhara and all the Turkish chiefs are displeased with Yazid bin Muhallab. If we let them be with us, we can expel Yazid bin Muhallab and occupy Khorasan ourselves." Musa said, "If we expel Yazid from Khorasan, some other governor of Abdul Malik' will occupy it and we will not be able to save Khorasan. It is better to expel Abdul Malik's governors from Turkistan. We then would be able to maintain our hold on that territory because Abdul Malik's troops will not have an approach, and the Turks and the Mongols who are present near the borders will help us." Following this decision, all the Governors of Abdul Malik were expelled from the area and Musa bin Abdullah's government became strong and stable.

After a short time the Turks, the Mongols and the Tibetans invaded Musa's country jointly. The leader of the Turks along with ten thousand soldiers were stationed on a mound, Huraith bin Qatna attacked them. The attack was so fierce that the Turks had to take shelter behind the mound. It was during that confusion and uproar that an arrow hit Huraith on the forehead. The wound proved fatal and he died after two days. Because evening had set in, the fight was postponed. The next day Musa attacked and vanquished the Turks and returned with a good deal of spoils of war to their fort at Termiz. After the death of Huraith, his brother Thabit bin Qatna, taking a wrong idea about Musa's intentions parted with him. He left Termiz and halted at Hoshra and began to rally the Arabs and non-Arabs round him. When Musa left with an army to fight with him, the people of Bukhara, Kush and Nasf stood up in support of Thabit. Musa had to return to Termiz helpless. After a few days, all the Turks assembled and taking Thabit bin Qatna with them laid siege to Termiz with a staggering eight thousand soldiers. Musa defended with great courage. Thabit was killed and the Turks became disorganized and left raising the siege,.

Only a short time had passed following this confusion when Yazid bin Muhallab after having been dismissed from the governorship of Khorasan, left for Kufa and in his place his brother Mofaddal bin Muhallab was chosen as the governor of Khorasan. Immediately after taking control he gave an army to Uthman bin Masood and sent him from Merv to invade Musa bin Abdullah bin Hazim and wrote to his own brother Mud'rik bin Muhallab who lived in Balkh to set out with his army to launch an attack on Termiz. Moreover, he wrote to Ratbeel and Tarkhoon, the Turkish kings, to arrive there with their troops to help Uthman bin Masood. Those Turkish chiefs who had already grown jealous of Musa and had suffered defeat at his hands repeatedly, immediately left with their armies for Termiz. His enemies converged on his territory from four different directions compelling him to remain besieged in the fort. The siege laid by those massive armies continued for two months and there was no end in sight. At last, Musa bin Abdullah said to his men, "We can not exercise self restraint any more. It is more fitting that we attack the enemies all of a sudden." All agreed to the proposal. Musa deputed his nephew Nadar bin Sulaiman in the city and the fort and exhorted him, "If I am killed, don't surrender the city and the fort to Uthman bin Masood rather surrender them to Mudrik bin Muhallab."

Musa deputed one-third of his men to face Uthman with the instructions not to begin the attack first and taking two-thirds of the men attacked the flank led by Tarkhoon and Ratbeel. Unable to face Musa they retreated. Musa chased them for a great distance. When he returned, the people of Saghad and other Turks blocked his way to the fort. Renewed fighting began. He was surrounded on all sides. Uthman bin Masood also turned his attention to him. First Musa's horse was killed and then he also followed it fighting bravely.

After having ruled over Termiz independently for fifteen years, Musa who came from the tribe of Qais left this world. Mofaddal wrote the letter of the good tidings to Hajjaj, but the latter was not happy. Nadar bin Sulaiman surrendered Termiz to Mudrik and Mudrik gave it to Uthman.

The Beginning of the Islamic Coins

Among the many firsts attributed to Abdul Malik bin Marwan, during his regime that the Muslims for the first time cast and introduced their own coins. Until then, Roman coins were in currency in Syria, Arabia and Egypt. In Iraq, the Iranian coins were in use. In Arabia, there was neither a strong government nor were there Arabic coins. Roman coins had been in circulation in all those countries since ancient times. When, the Islamic Sultanate was established and it extended from Balkh and Jaihoon to the Atlantic Ocean, still no one thought of introducing Islamic coins.

By chance Abdul Malik bin Marwan happened to write a few letters to the Emperor of Rome. In accordance with the Islamic way, he wrote "There is no true god but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger" and prayers for the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) on the top of these letters. The Emperor wrote back to him saying, "Don't mention your Allâh and the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) on the top of your letters. We don't like it. If you don't give it up, we will cast in our mint coins, which will be bearing your Prophet's name in an insulting manner and then send them into circulation and that will hurt you more."

Abdul Malik was very concerned and disconcerted while going through that letter. He sought counsel from Khalid bin Yazid bin Muawiya. He said to him, "Stop the circulation of the Roman coins in your country, mint your own coins and put them into circulation." Abdul Malik liked the idea. He set up a mint and had 14-carat dirhams minted which weighed 5 'mashas' - each. Then Hajjaj had قل هو الله أحد (Say He is Allah, One) minted on one side of the dirham and dinar. Abdul Malik proclaimed that from that time forth only Arabic coins would be accepted in payment of taxes. By this method, the Arabic dinar and dirham became circulated in all the countries.

Some points regarding important events remain to be mentioned. For example, Abdul Malik bin Marwan went on the Hajj pilgrimage for the first time in 75 A.H. after becoming caliph. In 77 A.H., the fort of Harqla was conquered. That same year Abdul Malik's brother Abdul Aziz bin Marwan the Governor of Egypt, pulled down the Jama Masjid (the Grand or Main Mosque) and reconstructed it and expanded it from all sides. In 81 A.H., he won Qaliqala from the Romans. In 82 A.H., the Fort of Senan was brought under possession. Mofaddal bin Muhallab, the Governor of Khorasan, after becoming free from the trouble in Khorasan by killing of Musa bin Abdullah, occupied Badghais. In 84 A.H. Abdullah bin Abdul Malik conquered Masisa from the Romans. In 85 A.H. Abdul Aziz bin Abu Hatim bin Noman Bahli populated the city of Ardabil (town in northwestern Iran, 38 miles from the Caspian Sea). In Jamad al-Awwal 85 A.H., Abdul Malik's brother Abdul Aziz bin Marwan died in Egypt and Abdul Malik appointed his own son Abdullah, as the Governor of Egypt in his place.