In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
It is permissible to use the number 786 on letterheads etc if there is a fear of the name Allah being disrespected. According to the numeric values mentioned in the famous lexicon, Fairuzul Lughaat, the number 786 symbolizes Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem if the numeric value of each letter in Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem is added up.
Every Arabic letter has a numeric value. For example the numeric value of the letter ( ب ) Ba is 2 and the numeric value of the letter م)) Meem is 40. The numeric values of the letters that make up Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem are illustrated below:
ب ------------------- 2
س ------------------- 60
م ------------------- 40
ا ------------------- 1
ل ------------------- 30
ل ------------------- 30
ه ------------------- 5
ا ------------------- 1
ل ------------------- 30
ر ------------------- 200
ح ------------------- 8
م ------------------- 40
ن ------------------- 50
ا ------------------- 1
ل ------------------- 30
ر ------------------- 200
ح ------------------- 8
ي ------------------- 10
م ------------------- 40
Total: 786
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم = 786
Note: The Alifألف) ) in the word Allah ألله)) and in the word Rahmaan رحمن)) has been excluded as these two Alif's are not written in Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem although they are pronounced when recited.
However, the practice of substituting Bismillahir Rahmaan Nir Raheem with the number 786 is not substantiated by the Ahadith nor the Qur'aan. This was merely the practice of some of our pious predecessors. It is not a sunnah practice nor does it hold any virtue.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Suhail Tarmahomed,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah
