Zaa = z
‘Zaa’ is the seventeenth letter
of the Arab alphabet. It represents number
nine hundred and belongs to the element
of water, though in North Africa it is considered
to belong to the element of air.
It symbolizes the epiphany
or manifestation of God.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘zaa’ corresponds to the suppression
of satanic suggestions, which is a part
of the Adamic state.
^^
‘Ayn = ‘
The ‘ayn is the eighteenth
letter of the Arab alphabet.
In the science of the secrets
of letters it represents number seventy
and belongs to the element of earth.
It symbolizes the source of
intellect.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘ayn’ corresponds to forgiveness,
which is a part of prophecy.
^^
Ghain = gh
The ‘ghain’ is the nineteenth
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
number one hundred and belongs to the element
of earth, while in North Africa it is believed
to belong to the element of water.
It symbolizes total mystery.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘ghayn’ corresponds to the perfection
of the apparent image, which is a part of
the Adamic state.
^^
Faa = f
It is the twentieth letter
of the Arab alphabet. The ‘faa’ represents
number eighty and belongs to the element
of fire.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘faa’ corresponds to the door
of knowledge, which is a part of science.
^^
Qaaf = q
The ‘qaaf’ is the twenty-first
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
the number one hundred and belongs to the
element of water.
‘Qaaf’ is also the name of
a legendary mountain. It is a special letter,
since it is the title of the fiftieth verse
of the Qur’an, whose opening verse reads
as follows:
“Qaaf. By the majestic Qur’an!”.
In this respect we note that
there are twenty-nine suras that begin with
abbreviations composed of either just one
letter or groups of from two to five letters.
A total of fourteen letters are used or
half the Arab alphabet. Sometimes the Prophet
invoked God by uttering these two phrases:
“Oh kaa, haa, yaa, ’ain, saad!” or “Oh ha,
mim, ‘ain, sin, qaaf!” Some of these letters
grouped together give the word alrhmn (=
al-Rahmaan, the Merciful). Commentators
have sought many explanations. Possibly
they are initials, abbreviations, clarifying
expressions, unknown names or attributed
of God, symbols of the Ineffable Names or
names of the Qur’an. Or maybe they are oaths,
formulas of praise or names of the suras.
Some exegetes believe that they might be
the initials of the Prophet’s scribes, who
collected the suras. Since the Qur’an is
recited by singing it psalm-like, some see
in these letters the rules of psalmody or
kind of psalmody reading key. Finally it
is said: “Every book has its mystery and
the mystery of the Qur’an is in its initials.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘qaaf’ corresponds to interior
vision,
which is a part of the spirit.
^^
Kaaf = k
‘Kaaf’ is the twenty-second
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
number twenty and belongs to the element
of water.
It symbolizes the verb of creation,
i.e. kun (= be!).
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘kaaf’ corresponds to knowledge
of God, the Elevated, which is a part of
prophecy.
^^
Laam = l
‘Laam’ is the twenty-third
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
number thirty and belongs to the element
of earth.
It symbolizes perfect understanding.
As this is the Ramadan alphabet it should
be mentioned that the ‘night of power’ starts
in Arabic with the ‘laam’. This is a night
in which the seeker is favoured with a special
state of illumination, in which he learns
his true potential and rank in relation
to the Beloved. It is the time when the
seeker begins to arrive at the Source of
Union and the stage of those who are matured
in deep wisdom.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘laam’ corresponds to perfect
science, which is a part of the message.
^^
Mim = m
The ‘mim’ is the twenty-fourth
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
number forty and belongs to the element
of fire.
The ‘mim’ starts and ends with
a ‘m’, which points out that we’ll return
to the One we came from, the One without
beginning nor end. As the first and second
‘m’ are different, we may be reminded of
the fact that He never repeats the same
manifestation twice. For some the ‘mim’
symbolizes the duality 1. power of matter
/ 2. power of God.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘mim’ corresponds to virility,
which is a part of the Adamic state.
^^
Nun = n
The ‘nun’ is the twenty-fifth
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
number twenty-five and belongs to the element
of air.
‘Nun’ is the abbreviation of
Ramadan, the month of fasting. Shaykh Ibn
al-‘Arabi gives quite some attention to
the ‘nun’ in his ‘Fotuhat al-Makkiya’ and
in a booklet dealing with the ‘mim’, the
‘waaw’ and the ‘nun’. The shape of this
letter is like half a circle. He tells that
the primordial constitution of the world
is a sphere. Half of this sphere is the
sensible world and the other half is the
hidden world. He tells similar things about
the celestial sphere. In the creative word
‘kun’ (= be!) there is an apparent ‘nun’,
which proceeds from the world of sensible
realities. The word ‘kun’ is thus the intermediary
between the principle and its manifestation.
The letters ‘kaaf’ and ‘nun’ are written
in the Arab word (in fact you only write
‘kn’) and are thus corresponding to the
manifested side. The inverted ‘nun’ – when
looking at the shape of this letter – is
transcendent and it exercises authority
on the first ‘nun’ and it proceeds from
the world of spiritual realities.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘nun’ corresponds to complete
joy,
which is a part of expansion.
^^
Haa = h
‘Haa’ is the twenty-sixth letter
of the Arab alphabet. It represents number
five, just as in the Syriac and Canaanite
alphabets. It belongs to the element of
fire.
It is the symbol of orientation
to God. According to shaykh al-Qashani:
“This letter denotes the Essence in terms
of appearance, presence and existence”.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘haa’ corresponds to the detesting
of what is opposite, which is a part of
contraction.
^^
Waaw = w
The ‘waaw’ is the twenty-seventh
letter of the Arab alphabet. It represents
number six and belongs to the element of
air.
For the Sufi masters this letter
symbolizes the mystical promise of the total
assent to God. Shaykh al-Qashani remarks
that this letter denotes the universal aspect
of the whole.
Shaykh Ibn al-‘Arabi gives
quite some attention to the ‘waaw’ in his
‘Fotuhat al-Makkiya’ and in a booklet dealing
with the ‘mim’, the ‘waaw’ and the ‘nun’.
The ‘waaw’ has in common with the two last
mentioned letters that its beginning and
its ending are similar, which points out
that we’ll return to the One we came from,
the One without beginning nor end. As the
first and second ‘waaw’ are different, we
may be reminded of the fact that He never
repeats the same manifestation twice. Shaykh
Ibn al-‘Arabi tells that the ‘waaw’ is the
first perfect number, as the number six
symbolizes the perfect human being. Its
divisions are similar to itself, because
its half is three; its third is two and
its sixth is one and the addition of its
sixth, third and half is equal to six. The
letter ‘waaw’ is the product of two eminent
letters, the ‘baa’ (=2) and the ‘jim’ (=3).
The product of these two letters is again
6, the number of the letter ‘waaw’, so this
‘waaw’ also has the qualities of the two
other letters. As we have seen that 5 is
the number of the letter ‘haa’, it is also
2+3. This explains in part why the ‘waaw’
has been realized by the ‘haa’. The shaykh
also deals with the similarities in shape
between the ‘waaw’ and the ‘haa’. All of
it is an indication of the connecting force,
which unites the spiritual being with its
most elevated (the shaykh uses the term
‘ali = 111, perhaps symbolizing with the
supreme pole) side. He finishes by writing
that ‘the one who obtains the knowledge
of the secrets of the ‘waaw’ thus acquires
the revelation of the supreme sciences according
to the most pure modality.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘waaw’ corresponds to the quality
of dying when you still are alive, which
is a part of the message.
^^
Yaa = y
‘Yaa’ is the twenty-eight letter
of the Arabic alphabet. It represents number
ten and belongs to the element of air.
It symbolizes God’s help.
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs us that the ‘yaa’
corresponds to the perfect fear of God,
which is a part of prophecy.
:::
^^
Laam-alif = la
The ‘laam-alif’ is not part
of the traditional alphabet sequence, but
it is included because of a hadith, though
its authenticity is not very credible according
to to pre-eminent collector of such sayings,
the Turkish Bokhari. Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn
as-Saykh (1441) reported the saying as follows:
“Abu Dharr al-Ghifari asked the Prophet:
‘How many letters are there?’
The Prophet replied: ‘Twenty-nine’.
His companion wondered, then
counted them one by one and triumphantly
exclaimed:
‘There are twenty-eight’.
But the Prophet retorted: ‘No there are
twenty-nine, there is also the ‘laam-alif’.’
Shaykh ad-Dabbaagh informs
us that the ‘laam-alif’ corresponds to the
absence of inattention, which is a part
of the spirit.
This concludes the commentary
on the meaning of the letters of the Arab
alphabet.
^^
