A “dirham” is a historical and modern currency unit used in various Islamic countries, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. The term “dirham” has its roots in the ancient Greek “drachma” and was historically associated with various silver coins in the Islamic world. The dirham has been used by different Islamic dynasties and empires.

Notable examples include the silver dirham used in early Islamic Caliphates, such as the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates, as well as the contemporary United Arab Emirates dirham, which is a modern currency still in circulation. The modern dirham is typically a paper currency, but historically, it was a silver coin of varying weights and designs, often featuring inscriptions in Arabic calligraphy.