Money in Classical Islam: Legal Theory and Economic Practice

Abstract The present study examines the conception of money in classical Islamic law, specifically the relationship between scholarly discourses on money and actual economic practice. I shall argue that the theoretical concept of money was to some extent a fiction. Muslim jurists conceived of money...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Oberauer, Norbert (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2018
In: Islamic law and society
Year: 2018, Volume: 25, Issue: 4, Pages: 427-466
Further subjects:B Money
B Weavers
B Coins
B Currency
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Summary:Abstract The present study examines the conception of money in classical Islamic law, specifically the relationship between scholarly discourses on money and actual economic practice. I shall argue that the theoretical concept of money was to some extent a fiction. Muslim jurists conceived of money in terms of a three-tier currency system that involved gold dinars, silver dirhams and copper fulūs. The market was much more complex. A wide range of coins of various metallic content, weight and value circulated. In the first part of the study I describe the complexity of Islamic money markets. In the second part, I investigate how scholars reacted to the gap between theory and practice and posit some tentative conclusions about the relationship between Islamic law and practice.
ISSN:1568-5195
Contains:Enthalten in: Islamic law and society
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15685195-00254A03