ʿIlm al-Ḥurūf (Arabic: عِلْم الْحُرُوف) or the science of letters, also called Islamic lettrism, is a process of Arabic numerology whereby numerical values assigned to Arabic letters are added up to provide total values for words in the Quran, similar to Hebrew gematria. Used to infer meanings and reveal secret or hidden messages.
ʿIlm al-Ḥurūf is composed of the two words ʿilm (Arabic: عِلْم) meaning "knowledge", and ḥurūf (Arabic: حُرُوف), the plural of the word ḥarf (Arabic: حَرْف), meaning "letters".
Table of letter values edit
| Arabic alphabet | name | numerological value |
|---|---|---|
| ا | ʾalif | 1 |
| ب | bāʾ | 2 |
| ج | jīm | 3 |
| د | dāl | 4 |
| ه | hāʾ | 5 |
| و | wāw | 6 |
| ز | zāy | 7 |
| ح | ḥāʾ | 8 |
| ط | ṭāʾ | 9 |
| ي | yāʾ | 10 |
| ك | kāf | 20 |
| ل | lām | 30 |
| م | mīm | 40 |
| ن | nūn | 50 |
| س | sīn | 60 |
| ع | ʿayn | 70 |
| ف | fāʾ | 80 |
| ص | ṣād | 90 |
| ق | q̈āf | 100 |
| ر | rāʾ | 200 |
| ش | šīn | 300 |
| ت | tāʾ | 400 |
| ث | thāʾ | 500 |
| خ | khāʾ | 600 |
| ذ | ḏāl | 700 |
| ض | ḍād | 800 |
| ظ | ẓāʾ | 900 |
| غ | ġayn | 1000 |
See also edit
Bibliography edit
- Sciences occultes et Islam, Pierre Lory, Annick Regourd, Institut français de Damas, 1993, ISBN 2901315046, ISBN 9782901315049.
- Coran et talismans : textes et pratiques magiques en milieu musulman, Hommes et sociétés, Constant Hamès, KARTHALA Éditions, 2007, ISBN 2845868731, ISBN 9782845868731.
- Fahd, T. "Ḥurūf". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C.E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W.P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill.
- René Guénon, Les Symboles de la Science Sacrée, Éditions Gallimard, Paris, "La Science des lettres", "Les Mystères de la lettre Nun", "La Montagne et la Caverne"
- Michel Valsan, L’Islam et la fonction de René Guénon, Éditions de l’Œuvre, Paris, un symbole idéographique de l’Homme Universel, le Triangle de l’Androgyne et le monosyllabe Ôm'.
- Ibn Arabi, Les Illuminations de La Mecque, Éditions Albin Michel, Paris, 1997, "La Science des lettres", translation and commentary by Denis Gril.
- Charles André Gilis, Les sept étendards du califat, Éditions Al-bouraq, Paris, 1993.