Mithqāl is a unit of mass equal to 4.25 grams (0.137 ozt) which is mostly used for measuring precious metals, such as gold, and other commodities, like saffron.
Etymology
The word mithqāl (; “weight, unit of weight”) comes from the Arabic thaqala (), meaning “to weigh” (cf. ). Other variants of the unit in English include miskal (from Persian or Urdu ; misqāl), mithkal, mitkal and mitqal. == Indian mithqaal ==
Indian mithqaal
In India, the measurement is known as mithqaal. It contains 4 and 3½ (rata'ii; مثقال). It is equivalent to 4.25 grams when measuring gold, or 4.5 grams when measuring commodities. It may be more or less than this. ==Nikki mithqal==
Nikki mithqal
A gold coin minted in Nikki, Benin and known as the mithqal was in wide circulation in West Africa in the 18th century, particularly the Niger bend. It was useable in the trans-Saharan trade and coexisted with the use of cowries as shell money. ==Conversion factors==
Conversion factors
The mithqāl in another more modern calculation is as follows: Nakhud is a Baháʼí unit of mass used by Bahá'u'lláh. The mithqāl had originally consisted of 24 nakhuds, but in the Bayán, the collective works of the Báb, this was reduced to 19. ==See also==