subject: Arabic Tattoos of Numbers [print this page] The trend of Arabic tattoos is growing stronger, and you can find many unique ideas including poems, names, proverbs and numbers if you are considering getting an Arabic tattoo of your own. There are no rules: you can get anything, translated from any language. Some elements might get lost in the translation, but a professional translator can often advise on the best translation (which isn't always the most accurate or literal one). Remember that translation, especially with complex tattoo phrases, is more an art than a science.
In Arabic, numbers are written using a different set of symbols than the one used in western society. They are referred to as Eastern Arabic numerals or Arabic-Indic numerals. If you do not read Arabic, chances are you will not be able to tell the difference between an Arabic letter and an Arabic number, but if you happen to come across a number you can read, this is sign that this part of the tattoo has nothing to do with Arabic, most likely.
If you would like to represent a date in your Arabic tattoo, there are a couple of options that are available to you.
One is the simple Arabic translation of the names of the months and days as you know them.
The second is a version of the months' name that resembles the months of the Hebrew calendar, and is derived from Aramaic.
Since some forms are more common than others, and Arabic is not the same everywhere (you can look at the differences between American English and British English as an analogy), you might consider asking for more specific advice regarding your chosen tattoo from the translator who prepares your translation.
