Abjad numerals

Short description: Numeral system of the Arabic alphabet

Numeral systems

Hindu–Arabic numeral system

* Western Arabic
* Eastern Arabic

* Bengali
* Devanagari
* Gurmukhi
* Sinhala
* Tamil

* Balinese
* Burmese
* Dzongkha
* Gujarati
* Javanese
* Khmer
* Lao
* Mongolian
* Thai

East Asian

* Chinese
* Suzhou
* Hokkien
* Japanese
* Korean
* Vietnamese
* Tangut

* Counting rods

Alphabetic

* Abjad
* Armenian
* Āryabhaṭa
* Cyrillic
* Ge'ez
* Georgian
* Greek
* Hebrew
* Roman

Former

* Aegean
* Attic
* Babylonian
* Brahmi
* Chuvash
* Egyptian
* Etruscan
* Glagolitic
* Inuit
* Kharosthi
* Mayan
* Muisca
* Quipu

* Prehistoric

Positional systems by base

* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* 8
* 10
* 12
* 16
* 20
* 60

Non-standard positional numeral systems

* Bijective numeration (1)
* Signed-digit representation (Balanced ternary)
* factorial
* negative
* Complex-base system (2i)
* Non-integer representation (φ)
* mixed
* Asymmetric numeral systems

List of numeral systems

* v
* t
* e

The Abjad numerals, also called Hisab al-Jummal (Arabic: حِسَاب ٱلْجُمَّل, Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.), are a decimal alphabetic numeral system/alphanumeric code, in which the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet are assigned numerical values. They have been used in the Arabic-speaking world since before the eighth century when positional Arabic numerals were adopted.[1] In modern Arabic, the word Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. (أَبْجَدِيَّة) means 'alphabet' in general.

In the Abjad system, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, ʾalif, is used to represent 1; the second letter, bāʾ, 2, up to 9. Letters then represent the first nine intervals of 10s and those of the 100s: yāʾ for 10, kāf for 20, qāf for 100, ending with 1000.

The word ʾabjad (أبجد) itself derives from the first four letters (A-B-J-D) of the Semitic alphabet, including the Aramaic alphabet, Hebrew alphabet, Phoenician alphabet, and other scripts for Semitic languages. These older alphabets contained only 22 letters, stopping at taw, numerically equivalent to 400. The Arabic Abjad system continues at this point with letters not found in other alphabets: thāʾ= 500, etc. Abjad numerals in Arabic are similar to the earlier alphanumeric codes of Hebrew gematria and Greek isopsephy.

## Contents

* 1 Abjad order
* 2 Uses of the Abjad system
* 3 Letter values
* 4 Similar systems
* 5 See also
* 6 References
* 7 Sources
* 8 External links

## Abjad order

The Abjad order of the Arabic alphabet has two slightly different variants. The Arabic abjad order is not a simple historical continuation of the earlier north Semitic alphabetic order, since it has a position corresponding to the Aramaic letter samekh / semkat ס, yet no letter of the Arabic alphabet historically derives from that letter.

In the most common Mashriqi abjad sequence, loss of Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. was compensated for by the split of Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. ש into two independent Arabic letters, ش (Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.) and ﺱ (Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.), which moved up to take the place of Script error: The function "transl" does not exist..

The Mashriqi abjad sequence, read from right to left, is:

غ | ظ | ض | ذ | خ | ث | ت | ش | ر | ق | ص | ف | ع | س | ن | م | ل | ك | ي | ط | ح | ز | و | ه | د | ج | ب | أ

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This is commonly vocalized as follows:

* Script error: The function "transl" does not exist..

Another vocalization is:

* Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.

In the Maghrebian abjad sequence (quoted in apparently earliest authories and considered older[2]), loss of Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. was compensated for by the split of Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. צ into two independent Arabic letters, ض (Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.) and ص (Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.), which moved up to take the place of Script error: The function "transl" does not exist..

The Maghrebian abjad sequence, read from right to left, is:[2][3][unreliable source?]

ش | غ | ظ | ذ | خ | ث | ت | س | ر | ق | ض | ف | ع | ص | ن | م | ل | ك | ي | ط | ح | ز | و | ه | د | ج | ب | أ

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which can be vocalized as:

* Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.

Another vocalization is:

* Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.

Competing order

In Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Hamdani's encyclopædia Kitāb al-Iklīl min akhbār al-Yaman wa-ansāb Ḥimyar (الإكليل من أخبار اليمن وأنساب حمير), the letter sequence is:[4]

ي | ش | س | ه | ز | ر | ق | ف | ظ | ط | غ | ع | ض | ص | ن | و | م | ل | ك | ذ | د | خ | ح | ج | ث | ت | ب | أ

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Modern dictionaries and other reference books use the newer Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. (هجائي) / Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. (أَلِفْبَائِي) order, which partially groups letters together by similarity of shape:

ي | و | ه | ن | م | ل | ك | ق | ف | غ | ع | ظ | ط | ض | ص | ش | س | ز | ر | ذ | د | خ | ح | ج | ث | ت | ب | أ

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In the Maghrebian Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. / Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. order (replaced by the Mashriqi order[3][unreliable source?]), the sequence is:[2]

ي | و | ه | ش | س | ق | ف | غ | ع | ض | ص | ن | م | ل | ك | ظ | ط | ز | ر | ذ | د | خ | ح | ج | ث | ت | ب | أ

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Persian dictionaries use a slightly different order, in which و comes before ه instead of after it.

## Uses of the Abjad system

Before the Hindu–Arabic numeral system, the abjad as numbers were used for all mathematical purposes. In modern Arabic, they are primarily used for numbering outlines, items in lists, and points of information. Equivalent to English, "A.", "B.", and "C." (or, rarer, Roman numerals: I, II, III, IV), in Arabic, thus "أ", then "ب", then "ج", not the first three letters of the modern Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. order.

The abjad numbers are also used to assign numerical values to Arabic words for purposes of numerology. The common Islamic phrase بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. ('In the name of Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate' – see Basmala) has a numeric value of 786 (from a letter-by-letter cumulative value of 2+60+40+1+30+30+5+1+30+200+8+40+50+1+30+200+8+10+40). The name Allāh الله by itself has the value 66 (1+30+30+5).

## Letter values

In common abjad order:[2]

| Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation

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1 | ا | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. / Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
2 | ب | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
3 | ج | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
4 | د | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
5 | ه | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
6 | و | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
7 | ز | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist./Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
8 | ح | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
9 | ط | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
|  |  |
| Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation

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10 | ي | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
20 | ك | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
30 | ل | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
40 | م | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
50 | ن | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
60 | س | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
70 | ع | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
80 | ف | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
90 | ص | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
|  |  |
| Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation

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100 | ق | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
200 | ر | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
300 | ش | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
400 | ت | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
500 | ث | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
600 | خ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
700 | ذ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
800 | ض | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
900 | ظ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
1000 | غ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.

In Maghrebian Abjad order:[2]

| Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation

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1 | ا | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. / Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
2 | ب | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
3 | ج | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
4 | د | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
5 | ه | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
6 | و | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
7 | ز | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist./Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
8 | ح | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
9 | ط | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
|  |  |
| Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation

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10 | ى | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
20 | ك | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
30 | ل | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
40 | م | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
50 | ن | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
60 | ص | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
70 | ع | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
80 | ف | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
90 | ض | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
|  |  |
| Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation

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100 | ق | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
200 | ر | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
300 | س | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
400 | ت | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
500 | ث | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
600 | خ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
700 | ذ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
800 | ظ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
900 | غ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
1000 | ش | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.

For four Persian letters these values are used:

Value | Letter | Name | Trans-
literation | Has numerical
value of

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2 | پ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | ب
3 | چ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. or Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | ج
7 | ژ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. or Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | ز
20 | گ | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. | ك

## Similar systems

The Abjad numerals are equivalent to the earlier Hebrew numerals up to 400. The Hebrew numeral system is known as Gematria and is used in Kabbalistic texts and numerology. Like the Abjad order, it is used in modern times for numbering outlines and points of information, including the first six days of the week. The Greek numerals differ in a number of ways from the Abjad ones (for instance in the Greek alphabet there is no equivalent for ص, Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.). The Greek language system of letters-as-numbers is called isopsephy. In modern times the old 27-letter alphabet of this system also continues to be used for numbering lists.

## See also

* Eastern Arabic numerals
* Western Arabic numerals
* Kufic
* Hurufism
* 'Ilm al-Huruf (science of letters)
* Gematria
* Isopsephy
* Katapayadi system

## References

1. ↑ Stephen Chrisomalis (2010). Numerical Notation: A Comparative History. Cambridge University Press. pp. 162. ISBN 9780521878180. https://books.google.com/books?id=ux--OWgWvBQC&pg=PA247. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Macdonald 1986, p. 117, 130, 149.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 (in Arabic) Alyaseer.net ترتيب المداخل والبطاقات في القوائم والفهارس الموضوعية Ordering entries and cards in subject indexes Discussion thread (Accessed 2009-Oct-06)
4. ↑ Macdonald 1986, p. 130.

## Sources

* Macdonald, Michael C. A. (1986). "ABCs and letter order in Ancient North Arabian". Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies (16): 101–168.

## External links

* Overview of the abjad numerological system
* Sufi numerology site
* Numerical Value of an Arabic Text as per "Abjad" Calculation - www.alavibohra.org

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