In this episode, we explore the most (in)famous book of occult sciences in the history of the Islamicate World: the Shams al-Ma’arif (Sun of Knowledge).
WARNING: I am quoting and showing images from the book in this episode. Those concerned about its dangers might want to avoid watching it.

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Music by:
Filip Holm
Experia
Ethan Sloan

Sources/Recomended Reading:

Al-Buni, Ahmad ibn ‘Ali. “The Sun of Knowledge (Shams al-Ma’arif): An Arabic Grimoire in Selected Translation”. Translated by Amina Inloes & Illustrated by J.M. Hamade. Revelore Press, 2021.

Coulon, Jean-Charles (2022). “Amulets and Talismans in the Earliest Works of the Corpus Bunianum”. In “Amulets and Talismans of the Middle East and North Africa in Context” (Edited by Marcela A. Garcia & Petra M. Sijpesteijn). Brill.

Gardiner, Noah (2012). “Forbidden Knowledge? Notes on the production, transmission, and reception of the major works of Ahmad al-Buni”. Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 12 (2012). University of Michigan.

Gardiner, Noah (2014). “Esotericism in a manuscript culture: Aḥmad al-Būnī and his readers through the Mamlūk period”. Doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan.

Gardiner, Noah (2017). “Esotericist Reading Communities and the Early Circulation of the Sufi Occultist Aḥmad al-Būnī’s Works”. Arabica 64 (2017) 405-441. Brill.

Gardiner, Noah (2017). “Stars and Saints: The Esotericist Astrology of the Sufi Occultist Ahmad al-Buni”. Magic, Ritual, and Witchcraft (Spring 2017). University of Pennsylvania Press.

Melvin-Koushki, Matthew & Noah Gardner (2017). "Islamicate Occultism: New Perspectives". Brill.

Saif, Liana (2015). "The Arabic Influences on Early Modern Occult Philosophy". Palgrave Macmillan.

Saif, Liana; Francesca Leoni; Matthew Melvin-Koushki & Farouk Yahya (2021). "Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice". Brill.

Saif, Liana (2022). “Narratives of Danger: The Sun of Knowledge in Arabic Occulture”. Article: https://www.leidenislamblog.nl/articl...

Savage-Smith, Emily (ed.) (2004). "Magic & Divination in Early Islam". Ashgate Publishing.

Van Bladel, Kevin (2009). "The Arabic Hermes: From Pagan Sage to Prophet of Science". Oxford University Press.

Varisco, Daniel Martin (2017). “Illuminating the Lunar Mansions (manazil al-qamar) in Sams al-Ma’arif”. Arabica 64 (2017), 487-530. Qatar University.

"The Openings Revealed in Makka", al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya by Ibn 'Arabi. Translated by Eric Shu'ayb Winkel. Vol. 1. Pir Press.

“Shams al-Ma’arif al-Kubra”. Arabic Printed Edition by Dar al-Mizan.


Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:12 Ahmad al-Buni & Authorship
5:36 The writings of al-Buni
7:48 The Original Shams al-Ma'arif
11:38 Magic, Occultism or Sufism?
13:10 The Bunian legacy
15:18 Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra
30:24 Why is the book feared?
33:22 Conclusions

#occult #magic #middleeast