Alchemy is Sorcery

5 minutes • 1007 words

I constructed a geometrical figure to illustrate it. It proves the correctness of Maslamah’s statement.

For instance, when the compound is complete and perfect, the element of air in it is, to the element of air in the egg, in the same proportion as the element of fire in the former is to the element of fire in the latter.

The same applies to the 2 other elements, earth and water.

Two things that in this manner are proportionate to each other are similar to each other. For example, assume that the plane of the egg is HZWH. 997

If we want that, we take the smallest element 998 of the compound, that of dryness, and add to it the same (amount) of the element of humidity. We treat the two, until the element of dryness absorbs the element of humidity and takes over its power. This discussion contains a certain secret hint which, however, will not remain concealed from you. Then we add to the two the same (amount as theirs) of the spirit, that is, water.

Thus, the whole consists of 6 equal (parts). Then we treat the whole and add to it the same (amount) of the element of air, which is the soul. That is three parts.

Thus, the whole consists of nine parts equal in power to dryness. Under each of two sides of this compound whose nature (element) encloses the plane of the compound, we then put two elements.

The first two sides that enclose the plane of the compound are assumed to be those of the elements of water and air. They are the two sides AJD. 999 The plane is ABJD. Correspondingly, the two sides that enclose the plane of the ’egg’( and) which represent water and air are two sides of the (plane) HZWH.

The plane ABJD is similar to the plane HZWH <…> the element of air which is called ‘soul.’ 1000

The same applies to (the side) BJ of the plane of the compound. The sages never called anything by the name of something (else), except when the first thing could be compared to the other.

“Words for an explanation of which you have asked (me) are ‘holy land'1001 it means the combination of the higher and the lower elements; ‘copper,’ which is the (substance) the blackness of which has been removed and which was cut in pieces until it became an atom, and was then colored red with copperas, until it came to be copper. 1002

‘Maghnisiya’ 1003 is the stone of the (alchemists) in which the spirits are frozen and which is brought forth by the higher nature in which the spirits are emprisoned, in order to fight the fire (and protect) them against it. ‘Furfurah’ (purple) is a perishable red color that is produced by nature (kiyan).

‘Lead’ is a stone that has three powers of different individualities which, however, are similar to each other in form and genus. One of them is spiritual, luminous, and clear. It is the active power. The second is psychic. It moves and has sensual perception.

However, it is coarser than the first power. Its center is below that of the first (power). The third power is an earthy power. It is solid and astringent.

It turns back toward the center of the earth because of its gravity. It is the power that holds the spiritual and psychic powers together and encloses them.

Here ends the discussion by Ibn Bishrun, one of the great pupils of Maslamah al-Majriti, the Spanish authority on alchemy, letter magic, and sorcery, for the 9th century and later (times).

One can see how all the expressions used by (alchemists) tend to be secret hints and puzzles,1004 scarcely to be explained or understood. This is proof of the fact that alchemy is not a natural craft.

Alchemy is one of the ways in which the spiritual souls exercise an influence and are active in the world of nature. (It may) belong among the (miraculous) acts of divine grace, if the souls are good.

Or it may be a kind of sorcery, if the souls are bad and wicked. 1005 It is obvious that (alchemy may materialize) as a (miraculous) act of divine grace. It may be sorcery, because the sorcerer, as has been established in the proper place, may change the identity of matter by means of his magic power.

People think that a sorcerer must use some substance (in order) for his magical activity to take place.

Thus, certain animals may be created from the substance of earth, of hair, or of plants, or, in general, from substances other than their own.

That happened to the sorcerers of Pharaoh with their ropes and sticks. 1007

It also is reported of the Negro and Indian sorcerers in the far south and of the Turks in the far north, that by sorcery they force the air to produce rain, and other things.

Since alchemy is the creation of gold in a substance other than that of gold, it is a kind of sorcery.

The famous sages who discussed the subject, men such as Jabir, Maslamah, and their non-Muslim predecessors, followed this line.

Therefore, they used puzzling expressions. They wanted to protect alchemy from the disapproval that religious laws express for the various kinds of sorcery.

It was not because they were reluctant to communicate it (to others), as was thought by people who did not investigate the matter thoroughly.

One may compare the fact that Maslamah called his book on alchemy Rutbat al-hakim, while he called his book on sorcery and talismans Ghayat al-hakim.

He wanted to intimate that the subject of the Ghayah is a general one, whereas the subject of the Rutbah is a restricted one, for ghayah “final goal” is a higher (stage inresearch) than rutbah “degree, rank.” The problems of the Rutbah are in a way part of the problems of the Ghayah, or deal with the same subjects. (Maslamah’s) discussion of the two disciplines clarifies what we have said.