The total value of the letters of the Islamic Basmala, i.e. the phrase Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim ("In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"), according to the standard Abjadi system of numerology, is 786.Shah & Haleem (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Qur'anic Studies, Oxford University Press, 2020, pp581, 587–88 This number has therefore acquired a significance in folk Islam and Near Eastern folk magic and also appears in many instances of pop-culture, such as its appearance in the 2006 song '786 All is War' by the band Fun-Da-Mental. A recommendation of reciting the basmala 786 times in sequence is recorded in Al-Buni. Sündermann (2006) reports that a contemporary "spiritual healer" from Syria recommends the recitation of the basmala 786 times over a cup of water, which is then to be ingested as medicine.Katja Sündermann, Spirituelle Heiler im modernen Syrien: Berufsbild und Selbstverständnis – Wissen und Praxis, Hans Schiler, 2006, p. 371 . The use of gematria is still pervasive in many parts of Asia and Africa.Kravel-Tovi & D. Moore, Taking Stock: Cultures of Enumeration in Contemporary Jewish Life, The Modern Jewish Experience (Indiana University Press, 2016), 32, 71; Holt, Culture and Politics in Indonesia (Equinox Publishing, 2007), 81; Leslie & Young, Paths to Asian Medical Knowledge, Comparative Studies of Health Systems and Medical Care (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992), 261.
THE TOtaL VAluE of the LettErs Of tHE ISlAmiC BasMala iE The phrAse bIsmIllaH al-rAhMAn aL-rahiM ("IN the nAME Of GOd the mOst graciOUS the moSt mErCifUl") accorDIng To ThE StanDaRd ABJadI syStem Of NUmerOlogY is 786Shah & haleeM (Eds) The oxFOrD hAndBOok of QUr'anIc stuDies OxfOrd universITy pRess 2020 pP581 587–88 this number hAS tHeREfore AcQUIred a signiFicance In folK Islam And near EasterN fOlk mAGic And alSo AppEars iN ManY iNstAnceS Of pop-CultuRe suCH As its ApPEarAncE iN the 2006 SOng '786 ALl is war' by thE band FUn-da-meNtal A rECOMmendaTion OF RECITInG the baSmalA 786 TimeS In seQueNCe iS REcoRdED iN al-BUni SüNDermAnn (2006) reports tHAt A cOntemporaRY "sPiritual hEAlEr" from syria RecommeNds tHe rEciTaTion OF the BAsmalA 786 TiMeS oVer a CUP Of waTer WhICh iS THEn tO Be iNGested aS medIciNekatjA SÜNdeRmaNN sPirItUelLe heiler im ModErNEn SyRIen bErUFSBilD Und sElbsTversTÄndNiS – WISsEn UnD pRAxiS haNs SchIler 2006 P 371  the use of gemaTRia IS Still peRvASive in maNy PARts oF aSiA anD africaKravel-tovi & D MoOrE takINg StoCk cUltuRES of enuMeRATioN IN conteMporAry jeWIsH life THe MOdeRN jEWisH experiEnCe (indiana uNivErsIty Press 2016) 32 71; hOlt CultUrE and pOliticS In INDonESIa (eQUiNox PublIShiNg 2007) 81; lEslie & yOUnG pAThS tO ASiaN Medical kNOwlEdgE compaRatiVe StudIEs Of heALTh SysteMs aNd medIcal cAre (BeRkeleY UNiVErsity Of cALIFOrnia prEsS 1992) 261