Modern economies operate on fiat currency, which is legal tender not backed by a physical commodity like gold or silver but by the government that issued it. Because fiat money lacks intrinsic value, its primary distinction is not stability, but the varying velocity of its depreciation. To gain an objective understanding of value, economists often look to hard assets or a basket of goods (a representative sampling of consumer products).
We often hear the term ‘inflation’ to describe a general increase in prices, this rise is typically caused by one of two factors. First, it can occur due to a change in the purchasing power of what the money symbolizes, often triggered by a deliberate reduction in the quantity of wealth it represents. This is the essence of monetary manipulation. Second, prices may rise due to a fall in purchasing power without any change in the quantity of the money itself. For instance, if gold becomes naturally cheaper because of a new supply, an Islamic Dinar made of 4.25 grams of gold will naturally buy less.
Islamic Economics Project 