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| | Overview of the Abjad numerological system |
 | | Nowadays the Arabic alphabet does not follow the sequence a-b-j-d, but rather the order: A-B-T-Th-J-H.-Kh-D (the basic shapes of the letters A-B-J-D without their diacritical dots do, however, occur in that order, insofar as T and Th are distinguished from B only by dots, and the H. and Kh from the J only by dots). |
 | | However, the order A-B-J-D is quite ancient, insofar as the word abjad is not of Arabic origin, but comes from earlier written alphabets, perhaps from Phoenician though the sequence may be as old as Ugaritic. |
 | | I have never studied the matter, but the Bab perhaps took one of his cues for the use of gematria from Fazl Allah Astarabadi, founder of the Horufi sect (Todd Lawson would, I am sure, be able to speak in an informed manner on what is mere speculation on my part). |
| bahai-library.com /essays/abjad.html (1958 words) |
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