Some manuscripts are remembered for their beauty. Others are remembered for the mysteries they preserve.
Attributed to the 13th-century scholar Ahmad ibn ‘Ali al-Buni, Shams al-Ma’arif al-Kubra remains one of the most discussed works associated with Arabic letter science, sacred numbers and Islamic esoteric traditions.
This complete English edition gives modern readers access to its four parts and forty chapters, presented with Arabic terminology, transliterations, invocations, diagrams, seals and magic squares reproduced from the source material.
For centuries, the ideas contained in Shams al-Ma’arif have fascinated readers interested in ancient manuscripts, Arabic symbolism, sacred geometry and the historical sciences of letters and numbers.
However, the original material is complex, difficult to locate and largely inaccessible to readers who cannot study classical Arabic.
This English edition brings the complete work together in a structured and readable format, allowing you to explore its terminology, diagrams and teachings without relying solely on incomplete summaries found online.
Explore the symbolic relationships established between Arabic letters, numbers, planets and spiritual correspondences.
Study numerical grids ranging from simple structures to more complex arrangements, along with their traditional construction and symbolism.
Discover the text’s treatment of the twenty-eight Mansions of the Moon, celestial influences and the traditional organization of particular times and hours.
Examine chapters devoted to the Beautiful Names of God, their symbolic arrangements and their place within the manuscript’s spiritual system.
Explore discussions concerning the Basmalah, Al-Fatiha, Ayat al-Kursi, Ya-Sin and other Quranic passages addressed throughout the work.
Learn how the manuscript connects letters, numbers, lunar cycles, planets and the twelve zodiacal signs within its historical cosmological framework.
Observe reproduced seals, circles, tables and magic squares preserved from the source edition.
Discover a section dedicated to plants and the properties historically associated with them.
This is not a short summary or a superficial introduction.
The work is organized into four extensive parts covering:
Every section opens another window into the intellectual and symbolic world surrounding this famous manuscript.
Access all four parts and forty chapters in English rather than relying on disconnected excerpts.
Important Arabic terms and specialized names are retained alongside their transliterations where appropriate.
Talismanic seals and magic squares are presented as images from the source material instead of being arbitrarily recreated.
The detailed table of contents makes it easier to navigate subjects such as letter science, lunar mansions, Divine Names and numerical squares.
Read the document directly on your telephone, tablet or computer after completing your purchase.
This collection may interest you if you are:
No previous knowledge of the manuscript is required, although its extensive and specialized content rewards careful study.
📘 Shams al-Ma’arif al-Kubra
🌙 The Complete Sun of Divine Knowledge
📚 All four parts and forty chapters
🔤 English translation with retained Arabic terminology
🔢 Magic squares, tables, seals and manuscript diagrams
📥 Digital access after purchase
📱 Readable on telephone, tablet and computer
Go beyond the legends and explore the actual structure, symbols and subjects that have made Shams al-Ma’arif al-Kubra one of the most discussed manuscripts in the history of Arabic esoteric literature.
Discover its treatment of letters, sacred numbers, lunar mansions, Divine Names, Quranic passages, magic squares and ancient cosmological correspondences—all brought together in one extensive English edition.
