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Why does the Arabic letter alif symbolize the unity of Allah in Islamic mystical thought?

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Close-up of a sunflower head showing seeds arranged in a spiral pattern that follows the Fibonacci sequence. — number symbolism The head of a sunflower arranged in a Fibonacci sequence.

In Islamic mystical thought, the Arabic letter alif is regarded as a powerful symbol of the uniqueness and unity of Allah. This association is rooted in the letter's form and its place within the Arabic alphabet.1

As the first letter of the alphabet, the alif is represented by a simple, straight vertical stroke. Because it carries the numerical value of one, it serves as a visual and symbolic representation of tawhid—the doctrine of the oneness of God. In this context, the straightness and singularity of the stroke reflect the concept that God is a unity, uncompounded and absolute. This practice of assigning mystical and numerical significance to letters is a common feature of Islamic pious thought, often used by mystics to contemplate the nature of the divine.213