Ahmad ibn Ali al-Buni (Arabic: ) , his complete name is Shara al!"in or Shihab al!

"in Ahma# ibn Ali ibn $%s% al!&%ni al!'ali(i al!Ama)i*hi (born in &+ne (Annaba), Al*eria #ie# ,--.) /as a /ell (no/n S% i an# /riter on the esoteric 0al%e o letters an# topics relatin* to mathematics, sihr (sorcer1) an# spirit%alit1, b%t 0er1 little is (no/n abo%t him2 Al!&%ni li0e# in 3*1pt an# learne# rom man1 eminent S% i masters o his time24,5 A contemporar1 o 6bn Arabi,4-5 he is best (no/n or /ritin* one o the most important boo(s o his era7 the Shams al-Ma'arif, a boo( that is still re*ar#e# as the oremost occ%lt te8t on talismans an# #i0ination2 6t /as to be banne# soon a ter as heretical b1 ollo/ers o the 6slamic ortho#o812

Contents
4hi#e5

, 9is :ontrib%tion o ,2, 6n ;he%r*1 o ,2- 6n 'athematics an# Science - So%rces o his (no/le#*e o -2, So%rce o the 3ssentials o <is#om o -2- 'a*ical S=%are o -2> Art o ?etters o -2@ Acc%lt Bno/le#*e o -2. 3meral# ;ablet > 9is 6n l%ence @ <ritin*s . Ce erences D Eotes F 38ternal lin(s

His Contribution[edit]
In Theurgy[edit]

;able o associations bet/een letters, the mansions o the moon, the constellations o the stan#ar# )o#iac, an# the seasons b1 Al!%ni

6nstea# o sihr (Sorcer1), this (in# o ma*ic /as calle# Ilm al-Hikmah (Bno/le#*e o the <is#om), Ilm al-simiyah (St%#1 o the "i0ine Eames) an# Ruhaniyat (Spirit%alit1)2 'ost o the so!calle# mujarrabt (Gtime!teste# metho#sG) boo(s on sorcer1 in the '%slim /orl# are simpli ie# e8cerpts rom the Shams al-ma`rif24>5 ;he boo( remains the seminal /or( on ;he%r*1 an# esoteric arts to this #a12

In Mathematics and Science[edit]

6n c2 ,-HH, Ahma# al!&%ni sho/e# ho/ to constr%ct ma*ic s=%ares %sin* a simple bor#erin* techni=%e, b%t he ma1 not ha0e #isco0ere# the metho# himsel 2 Al!&%ni /rote abo%t ?atin s=%ares an# constr%cte#, or e8ample, @ 8 @ ?atin s=%ares %sin* letters rom one o the II names o Allah2 9is /or(s on tra#itional healin* remains a point o re erence amon* $or%ba '%slim healers in Ei*eria an# other areas o the '%slim /orl#24@5

Sources of his no!ledge[edit]

Ahma# al!&%ni also le t a list o other titles that he /rote2 Jn ort%natel1, 0er1 e/ o them ha0e s%r0i0e#2

Source of the "ssentials of #isdom[edit]

6t is state# in his /or( Manba Usul al-Hikmah (Source of the Essentials of is!om) that he ac=%ire# his (no/le#*e o the esoteric properties o the letters rom his personal teacher Ab% Ab#illah Shams al!"in al!As ahKni2 9e in t%rn recei0e# it rom Lalal al!"in Ab#%llah al!&istami, /ho in t%rn recei0e# it rom Sha1(h al!SaraMani, /ho recei0e# it rom Nasim al!SaraMani, /ho recei0e# it rom Ab#%llah al!&abani, /ho recei0e# it rom AsOl al!"in al!Shira)i, /ho recei0e# it rom Ab% al!EaMOb al! Sahr%/ar#i, /ho recei0e# it rom, 'ohamma# ibn 'ohamma# Al!Pha)ali al!;%si, /ho recei0e# it rom Ahma# al!As/a#, /ho recei0e# it rom 9ama# al!"On%ri, /ho recei0e# it rom the master al!L%na1# al!&a*h#a#i, /ho recei0e# it rom Sari al!"in al!Sa=ati, /ho recei0e# it rom 'aQr% al!Bar(hi, /ho recei0e# it rom "a/R# al!Lili, /ho recei0e# it rom 9abOb al!AQaMami, /ho recei0e# it rom 6mam 9asan al!&asri2

Magical S$uare[edit]
Al!&%ni states in the same /or( that he ac=%ire# his (no/le#*e o ma*ical s=%ares rom SirKM al!"On al!9ana i, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Shihab al!"On al!'%=a##asi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Shams al!"On al!Sarisi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Shihab al!"On al! 9ama#ani, /ho ac=%ire# it rom N%tb al!"On al!"i1KQi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom '%h1i##On 6bn Arabi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Ab% al!TAbbas Ahma# ibn al!;%rO)i, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Ab% Ab#illah al!N%rashi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Ab% 'a#On al! An#al%si2

Art of %etters[edit]
9e also states that he ac=%ire# a##itional (no/le#*e abo%t the esoteric art o letters an# the ma*ical s=%ares rom 'ohamma# T6)) al!"On ibn LamQa, /ho ac=%ire# it rom

'ohamma# al!Sirani, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Shihab al!"On al!9ama#ani, /ho ac=%ire# it rom N%tb al!"On al!"hi1aQi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom '%h1i##On 6bn Arabi2

&ccult 'no!ledge[edit]
Al!&%ni also states that he ac=%ire# his occ%lt (no/le#*e rom Ab% al!TAbbas Ahma# ibn 'a1mRn al!NastalKni, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Ab% Ab#illah 'ohamme# al! N%rashi, /ho ac=%ire# it rom Ab% 'a#On Sh%Ta1b ibn 9asan al!Ansari al!An#al%si, /ho recei0e# it rom Ab% A11%b ibn Abi SaTi# al!SanhaMi al!Arm%)i, /ho recei0e# it rom Abi '%hamma# ibn E%r, /ho recei0e# it rom Ab% al!Sa#hl Ab#%llah ibn &ashr, /ho recei0e# it rom Ab% &ashr al!9asan al!L%Mari, /ho recei0e# it rom al! Sa=ati, /ho recei0e# it rom "a/R# al!;KQi, /ho recei0e# it rom 9abOb al!ATMami, /ho recei0e# it rom Ab% &a(r '%hamma# ibn SOrOn, /ho recei0e# it rom 'ali( ibn Anas2

"merald Tablet[edit]
Al!&%ni also ma#e re*%lar mention in his /or( o Ulato, Aristotle, 9ermes, Ale8an#er the Preat, an# obsc%re :hal#ean ma*icians2 6n one o his /or(s, he reco%nte# a stor1 o his #isco0er1 o a cache o man%scripts b%rie# %n#er the p1rami#s, that incl%#e# a /or( o 9ermetic thin(ers2

His Influence[edit]
9is /or( is sai# to ha0e in l%ence# the 9%r% is an# the Ee/ ?ettrist 6nternational24.5 9e ma1 also ha0e in#irectl1 in l%ence# the late ShiTi mo0ement o &abism, /hich ma#e /i#esprea# %se o talismans an# ma*ical letters24D5

#ritings[edit]

Ahma# al!&%ni Shams al-Ma'airf al-"ubra (the Preat S%n o Pnoses), :airo, ,I-V2 Ahma# al!&%ni, Sharh Ism #llah al-a`$am fi al-Ruhani, printe# in ,>.F A9 or in 3*1pt al!'atbaWat al!'ahm%#i11at al!;%MMari11at biTl!A)har2 Ahma# al!&%ni, "abs al-ikti!a, Ariental 'an%scripts in "%rham Jni0ersit1 ?ibrar1

(eferences[edit]
,2 -2 >2 @2 .2 )um* u* + &1 :2 L2 &lee(er, P2 <i#en*ren, Historia Reli%ionum& 'olume ( Reli%ions of the )resent, p2,.D, )um* u* + Xincent L2 :ornell, Realm of the Saint* )o+er an! #uthority in Moroccan Sufism, Jni0ersit1 o ;e8as Uress, ,IIV, p2 --, )um* u* + 'artin 0an &r%inessen, GPlobal an# local in 6n#onesian 6slamG, So%theast Asian St%#ies (B1oto) 0ol2 >F, no2- (,III), @D!D> )um* u* + "ia*nosis thro%*h rosar1 an# san#: 6slamic elements in the healin* c%stom o the $or%ba (Ei*eria)2 Sanni A2 ?a*os State Jni0ersit1, Ei*eria )um* u* + Shams al!'aTari al!B%bra ;he S%n o Preat Bno/le#*e2

D2

)um* u* + 4"enis 'ac3oin, YEineteenth!:ent%r1 &abi ;alismansQ, St%#ia 6ranica ,@:, (,IV.), pp2FF!IV25

,otes[edit]

3#*ar <2 Srancis, Ma,,in% the -oun!aries bet+een Ma%ic. /he 0ames of 1o! in the ritin%s of #hma! ibn #li al--uni

Shams al-Ma'arif
Srom <i(ipe#ia, the ree enc1clope#ia

L%mp to: na0i*ation, search

Shams al-Ma'arif (The Book of the Sun of Gnosis)

A man%script cop1, be*innin* o ,Fth cent%r1 Author Ahme# al!&oni Country Al*eria %anguage Arabic -enre Acc%lt treatise, Primoire &C%C -H,-,@HV %C Class &S,FF, 2&V Arab Shams al-Ma'arif or Shams al-Ma'arif wa Lata'if al-'Awarif (Arabic: Z_^]\ [ `ab cd]ef `a]b, lit2 G;he &oo( o the S%n o Pnosis an# the S%btleties o 3le0ate# ;hin*sG) is a ,>th!cent%r1 *rimoire /ritten on Arabic ma*ic an# a man%al or achie0in* esoteric spirit%alit12 6t /as /ritten b1 =%asi!Nabalistic S% i Shei(h Ahma# bin Ali Al!b%ni in 3*1pt, /ho #ie# aro%n# ,--. :3 (D-- A9)2 ;he Shams alMa'arif is *enerall1 re*ar#e# as the most in l%ential te8tboo( o its t1pe in the Arab

an# '%slim /orl#s,4,5 an# is ar*%abl1 as important as, i not more than, the Uicatri8 in both hemispheres2 6n contemporar1 orm the boo( consists o t/o 0ol%mes7 Shams al-Ma'arif al-"ubra an# Shams al-Ma'arif al-Su%hra, the ormer bein* the lar*er o the t/o24-54>5 ;he irst e/ chapters intro#%ce the rea#er to ma*ic s=%ares, an# the combination o n%mbers an# the alphabet that are belie0e# to brin* ma*ical e ect, /hich the a%thor insists is the onl1 /a1 to comm%nicate /ith *enies, an*els an# spirits2 ;he table o contents that /ere intro#%ce# in the later printe# e#itions o the /or( contain a list o %nn%mbere# chapters (fal), /hich stretch to a n%mber o @H2 9o/e0er, prior to the printin* press an# 0ario%s other stan#ar#isations, there /ere three in#epen#ent 0ol%mes that circ%late#, each one #i erin* in len*th24@5 <hile bein* pop%lar, it also carries a rep%tation or bein* s%ppresse# an# banne# or m%ch o 6slamic histor1,4.5 b%t still lo%rishes in bein* rea# an# st%#ie# %p to the present #a12 'o#ern S% i circles s%ch as the &al(an!base# Ea=shban#i!9a==ani or#er ha0e reco*nise# its le*itimac1 an# %se as a compen#i%m or the occ%lt, an# hol# it in hi*h re*ar#24D5 Another title b1 the same a%thor, namel1 Manba' Usool al-Hikmah (G;he So%rce o the 3ssentials o <is#omG), is consi#ere# its companion te8t2

Contents
4hi#e5

, ;ranslations - See also > Eotes @ 38ternal lin(s

Translations[edit]
Altho%*h %ll!0ol%me translations into 3n*lish are not (no/n, there ha0e been n%mero%s ren#itions o a e/ o the more pop%lar rit%als o%n# /ithin the main treatise, as /ell as those that lie in its accompan1in* te8t2 Some o these rit%als ha0e ha# 0ario%s #e*rees o notabilit1, b%t one o rec%rrin* presence in man1 p%blications is that o the -irhatiya4F54V54I5 (also (no/n as /he #ncient 2ath or Re! Sul,hur4,H5)2 A%tsi#e o the Arab an# <estern /orl#, se0eral e#itions o the boo( ha0e been p%blishe# in the Jr#% an# ;%r(ish lan*%a*es24,,54,-54,>5

See also[edit]

Alchem1 an# chemistr1 in 6slam 6slamic astrolo*1 C%hani11a

,otes[edit]

,2 -2 >2 @2 .2 D2 F2 V2 I2 ,H2 ,,2 ,-2 ,>2

)um* u* + A/en "a0ies, 1rimoires* # History of Ma%ic -ooks, A8 or# Jni0ersit1 Uress, -HHI, p2 -F )um* u* + Shamsu al-Ma3aref al-"ubrah, Al Eo%r ?ibrar1, &eir%t, ?ebanon: -HHD2 )um* u* + Shamsu al-Ma3aref al-Su%hra, Al Eo%r ?ibrar1, &eir%t, ?ebanon: -HH.2 )um* u* + Srancis 'a##ison, 3milie Sa0a*e!Smith, Calph 92 Uin#er! <ilson, ;im Stanle1, Science& /ools #n! Ma%ic 'ol. 4(, A8 or# Jni0ersit1 Uress, ,IIF, p2 D. )um* u* + 'ichael 6p*ra0e, Scri,tures in 5ialo%ue* 6hristians an! Muslims Stu!yin% the -ible an! the 7ur'an /o%ether, :h%rch U%blishin* 6nc, -HH@, p2 @)um* u* + GShams%Ql!'aWari G2 esha1(h2com2 Cetrie0e# L%l1 I, -H,,2 )um* u* + <ahi# A)al, /he -irhatiya 6onjuration 2ath 8 the meanin% of its first (9 names, E2J2C2!Satimi1a S% i Ar#er, -HHV )um* u* + Eine0eh Sha#rach, Ma%ic /hat orks* )ractical /rainin% for the 6hil!ren of :i%ht, 6shtar U%blishin*, -HH., p2 --V )um* u* + Eine0eh Sha#rach, #ncient Ma%ick 6onjuration of )o+er* -e%inners 1ui!e to the -erhatiah, 6shtar U%blishin*, -H,, )um* u* + Eine0eh Sha#rach, Ma%ic /hat orks* )ractical /rainin% for the 6hil!ren of :i%ht, 6shtar U%blishin*, -HH., p2 @V )um* u* + 6=bal al!"in Ahma#, Shams al-Ma'arif al-"ubra a :ata'if al-'#+arif. Ur!u, "ar%l 6shaat, Barachi, Ua(istan: ,IFV2 )um* u* + &asir Ahma# 9a#rat Balian/ala, Shams al-Ma'arif :ata'if al-'#+arif. Ur!u /arjama, B%t%b Bhana Shan!e!6slam, ?ahore, Ua(istan2 )um* u* + Selahattin Alpa1, Sems;l Maarif. -;y;k -il%iler 1;ne<i, U2B2 ,.F &e1a)i#, 6stanb%l: ,IFI2

The Birhatiya of Al Buni

Over the past few days I've been researching the rite known as The Birhatiya, or Conjuration Oath, as found in Al Buni's !ellspring "ources of !isdo# , and I have to say I'# intrigued$ Its origins are largely unknown, although it predates #ost of the classical gri#oires$ Al Buni classifies it with the earliest of "olo#onic #aterial, and it has appeared in such widely differing tongues as %ersian and Albanian$ Other than this, little is known of it and yet &ages of the 'uhaniya tradition revere it greatly, ascribing to it i##easurable power as one of the three greatest rites in their school$ (uoting the translator's notes )inally we should e#phasi*e the i#portance of the conjuration oath + and specifically the na#es + should never be underesti#ated by practitioners, students or scholars$$$$ I a# surprised that #ore ,ri#oiric &ages don't #ake #uch effort to work with these ritesThey do see# #ore involved than their #odern widely accepted counterparts, in so#e cases re.uiring several thousand repetitions of a divine na#e during the course of the working$ But despite that, so#ething about the# fascinates #e and I a# #oved to atte#pt to incorporate the# in #y own #agickal repertoire$ I have #ade use of so#e of the lesser workings fro# The ,rand /ey of "olo#on the /ing and fro# The Book of 0eadly 1a#es, and been both surprised and pleased with the outco#e as well as the power that see#s to e#anate fro# the# when correctly perfor#ed$ 2I actually had to find an Ira.i born practitioner fro# Boston to coach #e on correct pronunciation and other ele#ents since the Ishtar series offer little guidance3 That being the case, I a# looking forward to getting deeper into this field of practice- 0espite being of the 'uhaniya line, it very closely rese#bles the early ,ri#oiric #aterial, and understandably, #akes use of #any of the sa#e divine na#es as the "olo#onic #aterials I'# #ore accusto#ed to$ I don't know precisely when I'll get to work with The Birhatiya, given the nu#ber of other pots

in which #y hands are presently occupied, but it's going to be as soon as possible and I a# going to begin the planning co#ponent i##ediately$

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