Shams al-Ma'arif

Page 2 of the book, introduction. A script containing a magic square surrounded by magic words. Shams Al-ma'arif ( Kitāb shams al-ma`ārif wa latā'if al-awārif ("The Book of the Sun of Gnosis and the Subtleties of Elevated things") is one of the great Arabic books of magic and spiritualism . It was written by Sheikh Ahmed bin Ali Al-boni , who died in about 1225 (622 AH). The book is made up of two volumes: one big book, called Shams Al-ma'arif Al-kubra and a smaller one, named Shams Al-ma'arif Al-sughra . Shams Al-ma'arif Al-kubra contains 40 chapters and the first few chapters introduce the reader into magic squares and magic combination of numbers and alphabet that the author insists are the only way to communicate with genies and spirits . Another title by the same author, namely Manba' Usool al-Hikmah , is considered its companion text.

Shams al-Ma'arif or Shams al-Ma'arif wa Lata'if al-'Awarif ( , lit. "The Book of the Sun of Gnosis and the Subtleties of Elevated Things") is a 13th-century grimoire written on Arabic magic and a manual for achieving esoteric spirituality . It was written by quasi- Qabalistic Sufi Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al-buni in Egypt , who died around 1225 CE (622 AH ). The Shams al-Ma'arif is generally regarded as the most influential textbook of its type in the Arab and Muslim worlds , and is arguably as important as, if not more than, the Picatrix in both hemispheres. In contemporary form the book consists of two volumes; Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra and Shams al-Ma'arif al-Sughra , the former being the larger of the two. The first few chapters introduce the reader to magic squares , and the combination of numbers and the alphabet that are believed to bring magical effect, which the author insists is the only way to communicate with genies , angels and spirits . The table of contents that were introduced in the later printed editions of the work contain a list of unnumbered chapters ( faṣl ), which stretch to a number of 40. However, prior to the printing press and various other standardisations, there were three independent volumes that circulated, each one differing in length. While being popular, it also carries a reputation for being suppressed and banned for much of Islamic history, but still flourishes in being read and studied up to the present day. Modern Sufi circles such as the Balkan -based Naqshbandi-Haqqani order have recognised its legitimacy and use as a compendium for the occult, and hold it in high regard. Another title by the same author, namely Manba' Usool al-Hikmah ("The Source of the Essentials of Wisdom"), is considered its companion text.

13th-century book by Ahmad al-Buni ( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Shams al-Ma'arif or Shams al-Ma'arif wa Lata'if al-'Awarif ( , lit. "The Book of the Sun of Gnosis and the Subtleties of Elevated Things") is a 13th-century grimoire written on Arabic magic and a manual for achieving esoteric spirituality . It was written by Ahmad al-Buni in Ayyubid Egypt , who died around 1225 CE (622 AH ). The Shams al-Ma'arif is generally regarded as the most influential textbook of its type in the Arab world , and is arguably as important as, if not more than, the Picatrix in both hemispheres. In contemporary form the book consists of two volumes; Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra and Shams al-Ma'arif al-Sughra , the former being the larger of the two. The first few chapters introduce the reader to magic squares , and the combination of numbers and the alphabet that are believed to bring magical effect, which the author insists is the only way to communicate with jinn , angels and spirits. The table of contents that were introduced in the later printed editions of the work contain a list of unnumbered chapters ( faṣl ), which stretch to a number of 40. However, prior to the printing press and various other standardisations, there were three independent volumes that circulated, each one differing in length. While being popular, it also carries a reputation for being suppressed and banned for much of Islamic history, but still flourishes in being read and studied up to the present day. Many Sufi orders, such as the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order have recognised its legitimacy and use as a compendium for the occult, and hold it in high regard. Another title by the same author, namely Manba' Usool al-Hikmah ("The Source of the Essentials of Wisdom"), is considered its companion text.

13th-century book by Ahmad al-Buni Shams al-Ma'arif or Shams al-Ma'arif wa Lata'if al-'Awarif is a grimoire centered on Arabic magic . It is claimed to be a manual for achieving esoteric spirituality. The work is included within the larger compilation Shams al-maʿārif al-kubrā , which is also known as the "Shams al-Ma'arif" . Although widely attributed to the 13th century North African Sufi scholar Ahmad al-Buni , his authorship of the text is disputed and has been argued to be pseudepigraphic (falsely attributed). The Shams al-maʿārif al-kubrā is a compilation work of a number of different authors, including some authentic work from al-Buni. While being popular, it also carries a notorious reputation for being suppressed and banned for much of Islamic history. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). Notes on the production, transmission, and reception of the major works of Ahmad Al-Buni , Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 12 (2012).