Abjad Calculator

Abjad Calculator: Ilm ul Adad Value of Arabic and Urdu Text

An Abjad calculator finds the numerical value of Arabic text. In the Abjad system each letter of the Arabic alphabet stands for a number, so the total of a name, a word or a whole phrase can be worked out by adding its letters. The practice is known as Ilm ul Adad, the science of numbers, and also as Abjad numerology or Hisab al Jummal. Type or paste text in Arabic or Urdu, and the calculator shows the total, the single-digit value and the value of every letter and word. If you only want the number of a name, switch to the Name Number tab, which gives just the total with no extra details.

Quick answer: the Abjad value of Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim is 786 in the Mashriqi system.

What Is Ilm ul Adad?

Before the Arabic world adopted Hindu-Arabic numerals, letters were used as numbers, much like Roman numerals. The order of the letters is remembered with the words Abjad, Hawwaz, Hutti, Kalaman, Saafas, Qarashat, Thakhadh and Dazagh. Over the centuries the values were also used to write dates as words, known as chronograms or tarikh, and to study names. Many people today look up Abjad values out of cultural or religious interest, or to see how a favourite name adds up.

How the Abjad Value Is Calculated

The first nine letters count from 1 to 9, the next nine count in tens from 10 to 90, the next nine in hundreds from 100 to 900, and the last letter, Ghayn, is 1000. Add the values of all the letters in the text to get the total, called the Kabir or great number.

The single-digit value, called the Saghir or small number, is found by adding the digits of the total until one digit is left. For 786 that is 7 + 8 + 6 = 21, then 2 + 1 = 3.

Letter Values Table

This table shows the value of each letter in the two systems. They agree on most letters.

Mashriqi and Maghribi Abjad

The Mashriqi or Eastern order is the most common and is the one used for the standard value of 786. The Maghribi or Western order is used in North Africa. Six letters change value between them: Sin, Shin, Sad, Dad, Zha and Ghayn. Texts without those letters add up to the same number in both systems, and the calculator shows you the value in the other system as well.

Worked Examples

These are the totals for some well-known words and names. The Ta Marbuta in Fatima and Aisha counts as 5 here.

How Special Letters and Marks Are Counted

Different writers handle a few letters in different ways, so the calculator uses common rules and lets you change the two that vary most.

• Diacritics: short vowel marks are ignored.
• Alif forms: Alif with hamza or madda and Alif Wasla count as Alif.
• Hamza on Waw and Ya: they count as Waw and Ya.
• Standalone hamza: hamza (ء) has no independent Abjad value, so it is left out of the total and the calculator tells you when that happens. It is not counted as zero either.
• Alif Maqsura: counts as Ya, 10.
• Ta Marbuta: counts as 5, like Ha, or as 400, like Ta. Choose the one you prefer.
• Shadda: counted once by default. You can choose to count the letter twice.
• Urdu letters: Peh, Chay, Zhay, Gaf, Tay, Dal and Ray count as the Arabic letter they come from.

How to Enter Arabic Text

Paste the text, type it on an Arabic keyboard, or tap the Arabic keyboard under the text box. It includes the common Urdu letters. You can also tap an example such as Bismillah, Allah, Muhammad, Ahmad or Ali to see how a result looks. The value of a name depends on how it is spelled in Arabic, so check the spelling you are using.

A Note on Using Abjad Values

Abjad values are a traditional practice, and people attach different meanings to them. This calculator only does the arithmetic. It does not predict the future, give religious rulings or claim that any number has a hidden effect. If you are interested in a different number system built on names and dates, try the numerology calculator.

How to Use This Abjad Calculator

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