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On Magic
An Arabic critical edition and English translation of Epistle 52, Part 1
Edited and translated by Godefroid de Callataÿ and Bruno Halflants
336 pages
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234x156mm
978-0-19-963895-6
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Hardback
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24 November 2011
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- First critical edition of the original Arabic text with a new English translation
- Contains a comprehensive introduction by the two volume editors and translators
- The Epistles is a classic work of medieval Islamic learning
- Bilingual format presents Arabic and English text within the same volume — ideal for non-native Arabic speakers
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'ân, the Torah, the astrologer Abû Ma'shâr, and the mysterious sect of pagan star-worshippers known as the Sabians of Harrân. 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.Readership: Students and scholars of philosophy, history of science, Islamic studies, history of ideas in Mediaeval Islamic civilization, classics, and theology.
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Edited and translated by Godefroid de Callataÿ, University of Louvain, and Bruno Halflants, University of Louvain Godefroid de Callataÿ is Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the University of Louvain, Belgium. He has specialised in the history of Arabic sciences and philosophy and is the author of numerous articles and books on the Brethren of Purity, including his French translations of Epistles 7, 28, and 36, and his latest volume: Ikhwan al-Safa': A Brotherhood of Idealists on the Fringe of Orthodox Islam, for the 'Makers of the Muslim World' series (Oxford: Oneworld, 2005). In addition, he is also
directing a project on Arabic and Latin encyclopaedias of the Middle Ages at the University of Louvain.
Having first embarked on a Civil Engineer career shich led him to work for many years in Arab countries of the Middle-East, Bruno Halflants joined the University of Louvain in 1995, where he obtained the Master degree in Arabic and Islamic studies. Established there as a scientific research worker, in 2007 he published an extensive grammar of Middle Arabic, supported by an original edition of the oldest known manuscript of one of the longest tales from the Thousand and One Nights. He has more recently joined the IIS Ikhwân project in order to prepare the critical edition of both the short and the long versions of Epistle 52 of the Brethren of Purity.
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"The publications that are planned within this project will no doubt rekindle the interest of scholars and students of Islam in Islam's rich cultural, educational and historical legacy ... The work of the Ikhwan al-Safa, like many other works that make up the classical Muslim educational thought, need to be seriously studied and reflected upon. This new publication project contributes immensely towards realizing this educational aim." - Abdullah Sahin, Muslim World Book Review - about Epistles of the Brethren of Purity series "The editors and translators of this short epistle on magic have provided a model of careful and thorough scholarship applied to a difficult and esoteric text." - Emilie Savage-Smith, Times
Literary Supplement
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Foreword by Nader El-Bizri (General Editor)
Introduction
Technical Introduction
Epistle 52, Part 1: The Quiddity of Magic
Appendices
Bibliography
Index
Risala 52, Part 1 (Arabic Text & Variants)
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The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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