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'irajah
The Zâ 'irajah
Chapter VI
The Zâ'irajah (obverse), from MS. E (Ahmet III, 3042, Vol.I, pl. following fol. 237) © Bollingen Foundation Inc.,
New York, N. Y.
The Zâ 'irajah
"A branch of the science of letter magic, (practiced) among the (authorities on letter magic), is (the technique of)
finding out answers from questions by means of connections existing between the letters of the expressions
(used in the question). They imagine that these (connections) can form the basis for knowing the future
happenings they want to know. Here we have something like puzzles and trick problems. There are many
discussions of the subject by them. The most comprehensive and most remarkable discussion of it is as-Sabtî's
Zâ'irajah of the World. It has been mentioned before. Here, we shall explain what has been said about how to
operate it. We shall quote the poem that, it is thought, as-Sabtî wrote on the subject. Then, we shall give a
description of the Zâ'irajah with its circle and the table written on the verso. Finally, we shall reveal the truth about
it. It is nothing supernatural; (the indications derived from it) result from an agreement in the wording of question
and answer. It is (just) one interesting way among others, and a curious one, for finding out the answer from the
question with the help of the technique called the technique of "breaking down". We have reffered to all this
before ..." (op. cit., ibid., Vol III, pp. 182-183)
The Zâ'irajah (reverse) , from MS. E (Ahmet III, 3042, Vol. I, pl. following fol. 237) © Bollingen Foundation Inc.,
New York, N. Y.
You (sing.) see revealed through your (pl.) senses, and through the intellect.
Whoever knows how to compose (the zâ'irajah) will know his body,
And be noted for having obtained the fear of God and everything ..." (op. cit., ibid. Vol. III, p. 183-184)