Other Za'irajah Methods

A number of people in the Maghrib have been observed 933 to have a knowledge of the science of letter magic.

They have produced remarkable and extraordinary things and have been active in the world of existence with the help of God. Every virtue depends on exertion.

A good habit, together with patience, is the key to everything good, just as a lack of skill and haste are the beginning of all failure. I say= If one wants to know the power of each letter of the alphabetos 934 - the alphabet - to the last number - and this is the beginning of the science of letters - one must look for the number that belongs to each letter.

This degree, which means harmony for the letters [?], constitutes the power that a (particular letter) possesses with regard to the corporealia. The number is then multiplied by itself.

The result is the power that a (particular letter) possesses with regard to the spiritualia. It is the “chord” (of the particular letter).

This cannot be done with letters that have diacritical points. It can be done only with those that have no diacritical points, because the letters with diacritical points have degrees of meaning which will be explained later on. 935

The form of every letter has a (corresponding) form in the world on high, the (divine) throne. These (forms) may be moving or stationary, high or low, as is indicated in the proper places on the tables written down in (connection with) the za’irajahs.

The powers of the letters fall into 3 categories.

1. A power that becomes manifest after (the letters) have been written down

This is the least important. Such a letter is thus written down for a spiritual world which belongs to that particular letter. Whenever the letter produces a psychic power and concentration of mind, the powers of letters exercise an influence upon the world of the bodies.

2. The power of (the letters) in the realm of thought.

It is the result of the activation of the spiritualia for (the letters). It is a power among the spiritualia on high, and a formal power in the world of corporealia.

3. The power that causes the inward - the psychic power - to concentrate upon bringing (the letter) into being.

Before (a letter) is pronounced, it is a form in the soul. After it is pronounced, it is a form among the letters and a powerin speech.

The natures of (the letters) are the same as those attributed to (all) created things, namely, heat-and-dryness, heat-and-cold, cold-and-humidity, and cold-and-dryness.

This is the secret of the ogdoad.

Heat combines air and fire. The two are (represented by the letters) 936 alif, h, t, m,, f, sh, dh, j, z, k, s, q, th, and z. Cold combines earth and water= d, h, l, ‘ayn, r, kh, gh, b, w, y, n, s, t, and d. Humidity combines air and water= j, z, k, s, q, th, z, d, h, l, ‘ayn, r, kh, and gh. Dryness combines fire and earth= alif, h, t, m, f, sh, dh, b, w, y, n, s, t, and d.

This is the relationship and mutual interpenetration of the letters representing the natures and the interpenetration of the particulars of the world within (the letters) on high and here below, through the agency of the primary mothers, that is, the four individual natures (elements).

If one wants to find out the unknown from a given question, one must ascertain the ascendant of the questioner, or the ascendant of his question. Then, the letters of the four cardines of (the horoscope) - one, five, 937 seven, and ten must be “spelled” (istintaq) 938 equally and according to order, and the numbers of the powers and the chords must be found out, as we shall explain. One adds up, establishes proportions, and tries to open up [?] the answer. Thus, one will find what one is looking for, either clearly expressed or implied.

The same is the case with any question one may happen to have to explain.

If one wants to discover the powers of the letters of the ascendant, together with the name of the questioner and the object, one must add up the numerical values of (the letters) according to the “great calculation.” 939 The ascendant, (let us assume,) is Aries, (and) the fourth (sign after Aries) 940 is Cancer, the seventh Libra, and the tenth Capricornus, which is. the strongest of the cardines. The article that goes with the name of each sign is omitted. One notes which rational numbers placed in their circle belong to each house (of the zodiac).

Then, all the parts of multiples [?] in the proportions resulting from istintaq are eliminated. Under each letter, (the number [?]) which belongs to it in this connection is written down. Then, one follows the same procedure with regard to the numerical values of the letters of the four elements and (the number [?]) that belongs to them. All these (numbers) are written as letters. The cardines, powers, and dispositions 941 are arranged in a mixed line.

One spells the letters out and multiplies whatever must be multiplied, in order to find out the (various) scales.

One sums up and tries to open up [?] the answer. Thus, the hidden thought and its answer will be found.

For instance, let us assume that the ascendant is Aries (al-hamal), as mentioned before. It is written down (in unconnected letters) h-m-l. The numerical value of h is eight, which can be divided by two, four, and eight. (It thus yields) d (four), b (two), and alif (one).

The numerical value of m is forty, which can be divided by two, four, eight, ten, and twenty. (It thus yields,) to be precise, [m (forty),] k (twenty), y (ten), h (five), d (four), and b (two). The numerical value of l is thirty, which can be divided by two, two-thirds, three, five, six, and ten. (It thus yields) k (twenty), y (ten), w (six), h (five), and j (three). The same is done with all the letters of the question and the name in each word which happens to occur (in connection with the problem). The chords are found by dividing the square of each letter by its smallest aliquot part. 942 For instance, the numerical value of d is four, the square of four is sixteen. This (number) is to be divided by its smallest aliquot part, namely, two.

Thus, the chord of d is eight.

Each chord, then, is placed opposite its letter. Then, the elemental relationships are found out, as has been mentioned before in connection with the explanation of the spelling (method of the greatcalculation). They have a foundation useful for finding them out from the nature of the letter and the nature of the field of the table in which the (letter) occurs, as was mentioned by the shaykh for (the benefit of) those who know the technical terminology.

Deductions that can be drawn with the help of letter systems as to deeply hidden thoughts.

This goes as follows: If someone asks what is the sickness of the patient, the cause of whose disease is not known, and what medicine will be appropriate for its cure, one orders the person who asks the question to name something that can be applied to the name of the unknown sickness, so that the word he names can be made the foundation of (the operation).

The word is “spelled out” (istintaq) together with the name of the ascendant, the elements, the questioner, the day, and the hour, if one wants to go thoroughly into the question. If not, one restricts oneself to the word that the questioner says, and uses it, as we shall explain.

For instance, the questioner says “horse” (faras). The numerical value of the 3 letters (f-r-s) with their rational aliquot parts is set down. The numerical value off is eighty, 943 which has the aliquot parts m (forty), k (twenty), y (ten), h (eight), and d (four).

The numerical value of r is two hundred, which has the aliquot parts q (one hundred), n (fifty), k-h (twenty-five), k (twenty), and y (ten). The numerical value of s is sixty, 944 which has the aliquot parts m (forty), l (thirty), k (twenty), y (ten), w (six), and j (three).

W is a perfect number, having (the aliquot parts) four, three, and two, and so is s, having (the aliquot parts) forty, thirty, twenty, and ten.

If one simplifies 946 the letters of the words and then finds two elements equal, one assumes that the one that has more letters has superiority over the other. Then, one adds up the number of the letters of the elements in the name of the desired object, together with its letters, without simplification.

One does the same with the name of the questioner. One assumes that the greater and stronger (number) has superiority.

Description of how to find out the powers of the elements. FIRE hhh mm EARTH w yyyy n AIR j kkkk q WATER h l

The superiority here goes to the earth. Its nature, coldand-dryness, is the nature of the black bile. Thus, one assumes that the sick person suffers from the black bile. After one has composed an appropriate statement from the letters resulting from the breakdown into aliquot parts, it turns out that the throat is the place where the pain is located. The appropriate medicine is a clyster, and the appropriate liquid lemon juice. This results from the powers of the numbers of the letters of the word “horse.” The (preceding discussion) is a brief, appropriate example.

In order to find out the powers of the elements from proper names, one proceeds in the following way. For instance, one takes “Muhammad” and writes it with unconnected letters (m-h-m-d). Then, one writes down the names of the fourelements according to the composition of the (celestial) sphere. The result will be the letters and number of each element. For instance: FIRE EARTH AIR WATER Three kinds ’’’ hh mm Three kinds bbb www nn Six kinds jj zz kkk ss qq nn Six kinds dddd hhh lll ’’’ rrr hhh One will find that the strongest of the elements of the name mentioned is the element of water, because the number of its letters is twenty. Therefore, one gives it superiority over the other elements of the name mentioned. One proceeds in the same way with all names. They are then added to their chords, or to the chord attributed to the ascendant in the za’irajah, or to the chord of the verse ascribed to Malik b. Wuhayb which he made the basis for the mixture of questions and which runs:

A weighty question you have got. Keep, then, to yourself Remarkable doubts which have been raised and which can be straightened out with diligence.947

This is a famous chord for finding out unknown things. It served as the basis for Ibn ar-Raqqam 948 and his colleagues. It is a complete, self-sufficient operation (that works) in (all) arbitrary instances.

The operation with this mentioned chord is as follows 9 49 One writes it down with its letters unconnected and mixed with the word of the question according to the technique of “breaking down.” 950 The number of the letters of this chord - that is, the verse - is forty-three, because every doubled letter counts as two.

Then, the letters (of the questions), which are repeated in the mixing, are eliminated, and one letter which is similar to the letter of the question is eliminated from the basic (verse) for each remaining letter of the question.

The two remainders are set down on one line, so mixed that the first letter is taken from the remainder of the “pole,” and the second from the remainder of the question, (and so forth), until the two remainders are used up.

This yields 43 letters.

Five n’s are then added, so that there are forty-eight letters, and the musical scales are balanced through them. Then, one writes down the remainder in order. If the number of the letters that come out after the mixing, agrees with the original number before elimination, the operation is correct. Then, a table of squares is filled with the (letters) that have been mixed. The end of the first line is the beginning of the second, and so on, until the first line reoccurs. The letters in the “region” follow each other in proportion to the motion. Then, the chord of each letter is brought out, as was mentioned before. It is put opposite its letters. Then, the elemental relations of the letters of the table are found out, in order to indicate their natural power, their spiritual scales, their psychic dispositions, and their principal bases from the table that has been composed for that purpose.

The way to find out the elementary relations is to note what the nature of the first letter of the table is, and what the nature of the field in which it resides is. If the two agree, it is good. If not, a relation between the two letters must be found out.

This rule extends to all the letters of the table. Those who know the rules as theyhave been established in the musical circle can easily prove the correctness of this (procedure).

Then, 951 one takes the chord of each letter after multiplying it by the bases of the four cardines of the (celestial) sphere, as was mentioned before. One should avoid what is adjacent to the cardines, and also the sawaqit, because their relationship is confused.

The result here is the first degree of diffusion. Then, one takes the total of the elements and subtracts from it [?] the bases of the generated things. There remains the base of the world of creation after it has been exposed to the moments [?] of creation.

Then, there are transferred to it some abstractions from matter - the elements that constitute matter. The result is the middle horizon of the soul.

The first degree of diffusion is subtracted from the total of the elements. There remains the world of mediation. It has to do with the worlds of simple beings and not with (those of) composite ones.

The world of mediation is then multiplied by the middle horizon of the soul. The result is the most high horizon. To it, the first degree of diffusion is transferred. Then, the first of the elements basically constituting matter is subtracted from the fourth (degree of diffusion [?]).

There remains the third degree of diffusion. The total of the particulars of the elements is always multiplied by the fourth degree of diffusion. The result is the first world of particularization. The result of the multiplication of the second (element) with the second (degree of diffusion) is the second world of particularization.

The same is the case with the third and fourth.

The worlds of particularization are added up and subtracted from the world of totality. There remain the worlds of abstraction. They are divided by the most high horizon. The result is the first particular.

From here, the operation is continued until its completion. There are preliminary remarks to it in the books of Ibn Wahshiyah, al-B:uni, and others. The procedure follows a natural and definite 951a norm that applies to this and other metaphysical disciplines.

The construction of letter za’irajahs, as well as the divine art and philosophical magic center around it. It 952 should be known that all these operations lead only to getting an answer that corresponds to the idea of the question. They do not give information on anything supernatural.

They are a sort of witty (game), as we mentioned at the beginning of the book. 953 Likewise, they do not belong to the science of letter magic (simiya’).