330. The Reality Of “786“

By Asma bint Shameem 

Some of us seek barakah (blessing) from it by writing this number on the top of our letters, documents, exams, and even job applications. 

Some of us write it on something and then hang it in the car to 'protect' us from accidents.

Some of us specifically choose it as the number for our cell phones or for our license plates, or email addresses, thinking we are doing something good and we're getting rewards for doing so.

But what is this 'magical, mystical' number that is supposed to bring you barakah and protection and 'good luck'?

They say it is the number "786".

Why?

Because, they say, each of the Arabic letters represents numbers and when you add all the letters that make up the Basmalah (meaning, Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem), you get a total of 786.

Thus, according to them, "786" is the is the numerical representation of  "Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem"

  

BUT IS IT?

Is it really so?

Can a number really do that?

Is it part of the Sharee'ah?

Did the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) or the Sahaabah ever use ‘numbers’ in place of the Basmalah?

Did we ever try to find the authenticity of such a claim?

Or are we just blindly following the traditions of our culture and forefathers? 

When we examine the Sharee'ah that our beloved prophet Muhammad (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) came with, we realize that "786"  has absolutely no religious or Islaamic significance.

The number 786 means 786; and nothing more!  

It's only a measure of quantity that is one more than the number 785 and one less than the number 787. 

Unfortunately, the practice of writing "786" instead of  "Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem" has become a common practice among Muslims, especially from the Indian sub-continent. 

And a lot of our brothers and sisters naively accept this number as a part of Islaam.

Actually, this old game of numbers was practiced by ancient civilizations. 

Islaam came to ELIMINATE ALL such superstitions, mysteries and numerological mumbo-jumbo.

However, some of us are still enslaved to this number game, and think that 786 represents "Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem" and can bring us Khair and blessings!

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid says:

"When Allaah or His Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam want to teach us something, they do so in the clearest way, far from puzzles and mystery numbers. All the efforts made by some Muslims to count letters and relate them to numbers are nothing but a waste of time....Indeed our deen is great, and not in need of such erroneous approaches"

THE ARGUMENTS

Argument #1) This is a system of numbers known as the ABJAD letters, each Arabic letter being represented by a number.

ANSWER:

We have to remember that the Qur'aan is not a book of mathematics or a book of symbolic numbers. 

Just think about this.... Can we remove  "Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem" from the top of Surah al-Faatiha and replace it with the number 786? 

Can these numbers replace the Perfect Names of Allaah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala??

Of course not.

The absurdity of ABJAD numbers becomes clear if you reflect upon the following numbers 66, 92, 352, and 296. 

What do these numbers stand for? 

What do they mean? 

They just seem like any other number to you and me, right?

In reality, according to the ABJAD system, these are the numerical values of Allaah, Muhammad, Qur'aan, and Rasool respectively.

So, from tomorrow, can I call on Allaah by saying' Ya 66' or when I want to send blessings on the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam, do I send them on 92?!

Astaghfirullaah and A'oodhu billaah!!!! 

Subhaan Allaahi 'ammaa yushrikoon. 

Argument #2) 

We don't want to disrespect the name of Allaah so we use this numerical representation on letters etc., in case it falls to the ground and be a cause of disrespect.

ANSWER:

Can anyone claim to respect the Word of Allaah more than the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and his Companions? 

No. 

And yet whenever he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam sent letters to non-Muslim Kings and chiefs, he wrote those letters bearing the sacred words "Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem". 

Also the letter that Sulaiman (Alaiyhi as-Salaam) sent to the queen of Sheba had the Basmalah as its heading and the queen was not a Muslim. 

Surely, Sulaiman (Alaiyhi as-Salaam) was a Prophet of Allaah who knew what exactly would respecting or disrespecting Allaah means. 

And yet he wrote the Basmalah and did not shorten it or abbreviate it because of fear of 'disrespect'.

إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ 

"Verily! It (the letter) is from Sulaiman, and verily it (reads):In the Name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful." (Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem). (Surah Naml:30).

Argument #3) 

We only use it for barakah and protection. 

ANSWER:

Seeking barakah and protection with some thing or in some way that is not prescribed in Islaam is Shirk because the One Who gives us protection is Allaah, Alone. 

And one can only seek barakah from things that have evidence to do so in Islaam and hanging a bunch of numbers is NOT ONE OF THEM, no matter what they (supposedly) represent.

Argument #4) 

So what if we use it? What's so wrong about it!

ANSWER:

The "wrong" with it is that it was NOT the practice of Rasul Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam or his Sahaabah. 

If it was good, he Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam would have used it and taught his companions and us to use it too. 

But he didn't. 

There's NO evidence in the Qur'aan or authentic Sunnah to show that he did. 

And it is not permissible to do any acts of worship except those which are approved by Sharee'ah.

The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:

"Whoever innovates something is this matter of ours (Islaam) which is not part of it, will have it rejected" 

(al-Bukhaari, Muslim).

Argument #5) 

We just use it as an abbreviation for convenience.

ANSWER:

We have to remember that "Bismillah-ir Rahmaan-ir Raheem", is not just a good phrase to be said before starting something, it is also the very first Aayah of the first Surah of the Qur'aan, meaning Surah 

al-Faatihah.

And obviously it's an unthinkable sin to abbreviate even a single letter from the Qur'aan, let alone a whole Aayah. 

The Qur'aan was revealed in plain Arabic and not in abbreviations or numbers.

"And the (Qur'an) is a revelation from the Lord of the Worlds ... in plain Arabic." (Surah ash-Shu'araa:192-195)

We have to ask ourselves this: 

Did Allaah reveal the Qur’aan in mathematical figures? 

Why are WE then converting it into numbers?

Remember that Allaah cursed and destroyed those previous nations that changed the Divine Revelations. 

Do we want to be one of them? 

A'oodhu billaah. 

May Allaah protect us. Ameen  

 Conclusion:

Using 786 with the intention of obtaining Divine blessings or thinking it's something special or that this number brings Barakah etc is nothing but ignorance and misguidance. 

Any attempt to justify it, is baseless and not proven from the Sharee’ah. 

It is in NO WAY whatsoever, sacred or special and was never the practice of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam or his Sahaabah or any of the righteous people after them. 

So forget this number from now on and realize it's nothing but just a number. 

Erase that '786' from the top of your letters, and change that email address. 

There’s NO NEED to use 786 in your phone number or social media accounts. 

It does NOT bring Barakah nor is it special. 

It’s not any different from 357 or 45 or 1000 or any other random number. 

May Allaah give us all the guidance to practice what is most Pleasing to Him. 

Ameen.