'Ilm al-huruf explained

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

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

• Gematria
• Hurufism
• Hurufiyya movement
• Western Arabic numerals
• Eastern Arabic numerals

Bibliography

• Sciences occultes et Islam, Pierre Lory, Annick Regourd, Institut français de Damas, 1993,, .
• Coran et talismans : textes et pratiques magiques en milieu musulman, Hommes et sociétés, Constant Hamès, KARTHALA Éditions, 2007,, .
• Encyclopedia: Fahd. T.. Bearman. P.. Th.. Bianquis. C.E.. Bosworth. E.. van Donzel. W.P.. Heinrichs. Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Ḥurūf. 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.