Batin

Batin (Arabic بَاطِن, bāṭin — "hidden", "inner", "esoteric") is a concept of Islamic philosophy and Sufism denoting the hidden, inner meaning of things, in opposition to Zahir (ظَاهِر, ẓāhir — "manifest", "outer").

Names of Allah

The duality Al-Batin — Az-Zahir. The pair Batin–Zahir is one of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah (الأسماء الحسنى): Al-Batin (الباطن — "the Hidden") and Az-Zahir (الظاهر — "the Manifest").

In the Quran: "He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden" (57:3).

Batin and Zahir of a Number

In the context of Arabic numerology (#31):

• Zahir of a number — its mathematical value, the outer form
• Batin of a number — its hidden spiritual essence, the energetic quality

Sufi Hermeneutics

Ta'wil — the search for inner meaning. Sufi hermeneutics (Ta'wil, تأويل) seeks the Batin in every verse of the Quran: behind the literal meaning stands the spiritual one.

The Ismaili School

The doctrine of Batin. The Ismaili school (الإسماعيلية) developed a whole doctrine of Batin, contrasting outer (shariah, شريعة) and inner (haqiqa, حقيقة) knowledge. True knowledge is always hidden.

Practical Application

In the numerological method #31, the Batin of a number is unveiled through the meditative practice of Dhikr (ذكر — the remembrance of God).