Shams al-Ma'arif

Shams al-Ma'arif or Shams al-Ma'arif wa Lata'if al-'Awarif is a 13th-century grimoire centered on Arabic magic and claimed to be a manual for achieving esoteric spirituality. It was written by the scholar Ahmad al-Buni who wrote it while living in Algeria; he died around 1225 CE (622 AH). The book is a patchwork of bits and pieces of Al-Buni's authentic works, and texts by other authors. Scholars like the proto-Salafi ibn Taymiyya have criticized the book and labeled Al-Buni as a deluded devil(Shaytan)worshipper.

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 claims is the only way to communicate with Jinn, Dark angels and spirits. The table of contents that was introduced in the later printed editions of the work contains a list of unnumbered chapters (faṣl), which stretch to 40. However, before 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 notorious reputation for being suppressed and banned for much of Islamic history. However, it continues to persist, in being read and studied up to the present day, despite its questionable veracity and negative implications. Some Sufi orders, such as the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order have occasionally recognised its potential spiritual value, provided that the reader understands it.

Another title by the same author, namely Manba' Usul al-Hikmah "The Source of the Essentials of Wisdom", is considered its companion text.

Translations

Although a translation into English has not been undertaken, there have been numerous renditions of a few of the more popular rituals found within the main treatise, as well as those that lie in its accompanying text. Some of these rituals have had various degrees of notability, but one of recurring presence in many publications is that of the Birhatiya (also known as The Ancient Oath or Red Sulphur).

In 2022 a partial English translation by Amina Inloes was published by Revelore Press as "Shams al-Ma’arif: The Sun of Knowledge An Arabic Grimoire: A selected Translation"

In 2023 another English translation of the Shams al Ma'arif was published by Johann Voldemont as ''Shams al-Ma'arif:Talismans and Magic Squares'' which focuses primarily on the talismans and magic squares contained within the text. Outside of the Arab and Western world, several editions of the book have been published in the Urdu and Turkish languages.

See also

• Alchemy in the medieval Islamic world
• Astrology in the medieval Islamic world
• Simiyya

Notes

External links

• Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra wa Lataifu al-Avarif
• Partial Translation in Spanish and First Comparative Edition by Jaime Coullaut Cordero (from Universidad de Salamanca)