Hey onepence, you might be interested in some of these links.

THE ISLAMIC DINAR. Introduction. (Stuff about the gold dinar, Islam,
riba...)
http://homepages.tscnet.com/omard1/dinar.htm

Launching the Islamic Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham in UAE -
The traditional Muslim coins and the deeper significance of their reappearance as currency
http://www.islamicmint.com/newsarticles/launch.html

"...Frightening as the atomic bomb is, another kind of bomb, namely The Islamic Dinar could pose an even bigger threat to our existing financial system which I believe would be enormously bullish for gold..."
The Islamic (Gold) Dinar - Gold Beagle (http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_98/taylor112598.html)

My take on this is: If it's been around since 1998, it is certainly taking its time to have any perceivable effect- at least from the viewpoint of the western nations.

And I have a quote from 1998 from my archives:

By Umar Vadillo & Mahmud Lund
May 18th 1998

"My name is Mahmud Lund. Please allow me to introduce myself as a director of the Islamic Mint. Umar Vadillo has asked me to communicate with you, give his greetings and the news about his recent trip to Malaysia. To quote from his report, entitled: The Islamic Dinar in Malaysia"

"An historical step was made a few days ago by the Islamic Party of Malaysia with more than 500,000 members and the Government of Kelantan (A state in the NE of Malaysia) when they adopted the Islamic Dinar as part of their policy."

"In a public event on the 28th of April, in the city hall of Kuala Krai in Kelantan, members of the Central Committee and other senior members announced the decision to introduce the Islamic Dinar as part of the party policy."

"Then the same day in the evening in a large gathering of 10,000 people in the mini-stadium Kelaburan, the Chief Minister of Kelantan personally endorsed the establishment of the Islamic Dinar as the currency of the Muslims."

"In a talk which I was invited to give at this gathering there was a resounding acclamation for the choice of the Islamic Dinar over the US Dollar as the currency which the audience would choose for themselves. I finished my talk with the words, "Allah does not say in the Qur'an, 'US Dollar or Malaysian Ringgit'. Allah says, 'Dinar' and 'Dirham'. If we use the Islamic Dinar prosperity will come to us; if we accept the US Dollar misery will come to us. Let us say from Kelantan to the world "The Islamic Dinar is our currency. No more inflation. No more Soros." A flood of people came afterwards wanting to immediately take dinars and dirhams."...

"The Islamic Dinar is on its way to becoming the currency of the Muslim peoples. And, Allah knows best, it could once again become the currency of all people who are tired of being cheated."

"The Islamic Mint acknowledges the many requests we have had for purchase of the Dinar and the Dirham and ask your patience as we proceed methodically towards a successful world-wide launch in significant numbers for these most important coins, a real money! We hope to be able to fill orders in the near future. Please visit the Islamic Mint for news updates."

"Thanks once again, Sincerely, Mahmud Lund."