You might also like

More about On Magic

• Book details
• Synopsis
• Trending among others

You get 224 loyalty points

Book synopsis

The Ikhwan al-Safa (Brethren of Purity), the anonymous adepts of a tenth-century esoteric fraternity based in Basra and Baghdad, hold an eminent position in the history of science and philosophy in Islam due to the wide reception and assimilation of their monumental encyclopaedia, the Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa (Epistles of the Brethren of Purity). This compendium contains fifty-two epistles offering synoptic accounts of the classical sciences and philosophies of the age; divided into four classificatory parts, it treats themes in mathematics, logic, natural philosophy, psychology, metaphysics, and theology, in addition to didactic fables. The Rasa'il constitutes a paradigmatic legacy in the canonization of philosophy and the sciences in mediaeval Islamic civilization, as well as having shown a permeating influence in Western culture. This is the fifth volume in a series presenting the very first critical edition of the Rasa'il in its original Arabic, complete with the first fully annotated English translation. Epistle 52: On Magic is the last in the corpus, and presents the short version of the 'Epistle on Magic, Incantations, and the Evil Eye'. Within its pages the authors of the epistle argue for the legitimacy of magic and the other occult sciences, and seek confirmation of their views in authorities as diverse as Plato, the Qur'an, the Torah, the astrologer Abu Ma'shar, and the mysterious sect of pagan star-worshippers known as the Sabians of Harran. As in all other volumes of the series, this volume provides the first critical edition of the Arabic text, together with an English translation and a substantial range of notes. An extensive introduction highlights the unique relevance of this treatise within the framework of the Brethren's encyclopaedia itself, and to the history of science in general.

Book details

Book category Books in English Humanities History History: earliest times to present day

• Full title: On Magic
• Subtitle: An Arabic critical edition and English translation of Epistle 52, Part 1
• Author: Godefroid De Callatay, Bruno Halflants, Godefroid De Callata, Institute of Ismaili Studies
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardback
• Number of pages: 336
• EAN: 9780199638956
• ISBN: 0199638950
• ID: 04534214
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Weight: 668 g
• Dimensions: 165 × 236 × 24 mm
• Date of publishing: 24. November 2011

Trending among others

---

---

---