Ilm al-Jafr (‫)علم الجفر‬

An alternative
version of the
abjad
sequence,
based on the
name of Imam
Hasan ibn Ali
Ilm al-Jafr ( ‫علم‬
‫)الجفر‬,
sometimes
pronounced
ilm al-jifr, is a
term usually
given to a
certain class
of Islamic
mystical and
magical
practices. It
encompasses
a number of
different
disciplines,
and has been
frequently
studied by
both Shi'ite
jurists and
mystics.
Almost all
such practices
involve the
permutation of
letters, and
the divination
practices can
be classed as
a type of
bibliomancy.
Contents
[hide]

1 Defintions

2 Al-Jafr al-Jami'i (‫)الجفر الجامع‬

3 Ta'widh (‫)التعويذ‬

4 Legal Issues

Defintions

Originally, the
word jafr
means a type
of sheep's
skin. The
original jafr is
said to be a
scroll made of
sheep's skin
that was
passed on by
the Prophet
Muhammad to
Imam Ali ibn
Abi Talib. It is
reported in a
number of
hadiths that
this text
contained
esoteric
knowledge
concerning all
the events
that would
happen until
the Day of
Judgement;
all fortune, all
misfortune,
were all
recorded
within this
scroll.
According to
one report,
Muhammad
and Ali were
upon a
mountain,
when Jibra'il
descended
upon them,
bringing them
a wild, female
cow. Ali
slaughtered
the cow and
tanned the
hide, and
wrote down
everything
that was
reported to
him by Jibra'il
(cf. Rida
Hudraj, Kashf
al-Asrar al-
Khafiyyah, p.
136).
There is
another text
that is said to
contain similar
information,
known as the
white jafr ( ‫الجفر‬
‫)األبيض‬. This is
described in a
hadith of
Imam Ja'far
as-Sadiq:
"I posess the
white jafr...it is
the Psalms of
David, the
Torah of
Moses, the
Gospel of
Jesus, and
the book of
Abraham. It
contains all
that is
permissible
and
impermissible,
and also
contains the
Book of
Fatimah. It
contains
everything
that people
need from us,
and we do not
need anybody
else."
‫عندي الجفر األبيض‬
‫)و فيه( زبور داود و‬
‫توراة موسى و‬
‫إنجيل عيسى و‬
‫صحف إبراهيم و‬
‫الحالل و الحرام و‬
‫مصحف فاطة و فيه‬
‫ما يحتاج الناس إلينا‬
‫و ال نحتاج إلى أحد‬
Finally, there
is a weapon
that is said to
be in the
possession of
the Imam of
the Age which
is known as
the red jafr
(‫)الجفر األحمر‬,
and is
something
that will be
used by the
Twelfth Imam
after his re-
appearance
and the
establishment
of the
Messianic
age.
All of these
texts are seen
to form a
special part of
the esoteric
knowledge of
the Imams,
and are
references
that they use
for answering
all questions
that come
them. They
are said to be
an inheritance
that is passed
down from
Imam to
Imam,
throughout all
ages and
times.
Because of
this, many
scholars
question
whether
anybody can
have any
knowledge of
it during the
period of the
Occultation of
the Twelfth
Imam, though
many other
jurists are
reputed to
have had at
least some
knowledge of
these texts
and how to
use them. The
mystical
powers
associated
with these
texts are part
of the
charisma
surrounding
many
important
religious
scholars.
Ilm al-Jafr is
also practiced
by Sunni
scholars, even
though the
knowledge of
it is usually
linked directly
to Imam Ali.
Shi'ite jafr
practices tend
to revolve
more around
the
permutation of
letters,
whereas
Sunni books
on the subject
tend to
revolve more
around the
use of ilm ar-
raml and the
summoning of
jinns ( ‫تسخير‬
‫)الجان‬.
Many of the
practices bear
a striking
resemblance
to Kabbalah,
though there
is no doctrine
of the ten
sephirot
involved in
Islamic
magical
practices.
Many of the
evocations
used for jinns,
however, are
done in
Hebrew or
Syriac.
Al-Jafr al-
Jami'i ( ‫الجفر‬
‫)الجامع‬
The word jafr
is also applied
to a book that
is said to have
been the book
of Adam. This
book is known
as al-jafr al-
jam'i ( ‫الجفر‬
‫)الجامع‬, or the
"complete
jafr." Again, it
is said to
contain all
events fro the
beginning of
time until the
Day of
Judgement, in
an encoded
form.
According to
most books of
practical
mysticism, the
book of al-jafr
al-jami'i
consists of a
series boxes,
each box
containing
four letters.
Every line of
the book
contains 28
such boxes,
and every
page of the
book contains
28 such lines,
and every
book contains
28 such
pages. The
letters of the
boxes are
written in
order of the
abjad
sequence of
the Arabic
alphabet,
which accords
with the
sequence of
the Hebrew
alphabet, plus
the additional
six letters of
the Arabic
alphabet. It is
written as
follows:
‫ابجدهوزحط‬
‫يكلمنسع‬
‫فصقرشت‬
‫ثخذضظغ‬

Each letter in
the box
represents a
position within
the overall
text. The first
letter
represents the
book, the
second the
page, the third
the line, and
the fourth the
box itself. So,
the first box
on the first
line of the first
page of the
first book
would be:
[‫]اااا‬
The next box
in the line
would be
written:
[‫]اااب‬
The third box
would be
written:
[‫]اااج‬
And so on and
so forth until
the final letter
in the abjad
sequence, ‫غ‬.
The next line
would begin
similarly;
however, the
third letter
would now be
‫ ب‬, since this
is the second
line. So the
first box of the
second line of
the first page
of the first
book would
be:
[‫]اابا‬
The second
box would be:
[‫]اابب‬
The final box
of the second
line of the first
page of the
first book
would be:
[‫]اابغ‬

Differing
methods are
used for
deciphering
this book, and
using it to
answer
questions
about the
future, that
involve taking
the numerical
value of the
question,
astrological
information,
and other
values, in
order to
determine
which line in
the book is to
be referenced.
Other
methods are
then used for
determining
the answer in
relationship to
the question.
Ta'widh (‫)التعويذ‬
A ta'widh
(‫ )تعويذ‬is a type
of talisman or
amulet that is
used for
various
magical
purposes. The
knowledge of
making them
is usually
classed under
the rubric of
ilm al-jafr,
even though
this seems to
be largely
cultural and
has nothing to
do with the
original
meaning of
the word, and
the texts that
it refers to.
Originally the
word comes
the phrase
‫عوذ‬, meaning
to take refuge;
this is
because most
ta'widhs are
constructed
as
representation
s as one of
the two
chapters of
"taking
refuge",
chapters 113
and 114 of the
Qur'an. A
ta'widh is
usually made
in the form of
a magic
square or
some other
geometric
shape. What a
person usually
does is take a
particular
verse of
Qur'an or
Name of
Allah, and
total up the
numerical
value of its
letters. Every
letter in the
abjad
sequence has
a numerical
value, and so
every verse of
Qur'an or
Name of Allah
can be
rendered as a
number.

A series of ta'widhs from The Book of Grand Summonings

The numerical value of the letters is as follows:
= ‫ ف‬70 = ‫ ع‬60 = ‫ س‬50 = ‫ ن‬40 = ‫ م‬30 = ‫ ل‬20 = ‫| ك‬- 10 = ‫ ي‬9 = ‫ ط‬8 = ‫ ح‬7 = ‫ ز‬6 = ‫ و‬5 = ‫ ه‬4 = ‫ د‬3 = ‫ ج‬2 = ‫ ب‬1 = ‫ا‬
80 1000 = ‫ غ‬900 = ‫ ظ‬800 = ‫ ض‬700 = ‫ ذ‬600 = ‫ خ‬500 = ‫ ث‬400 = ‫ ت‬300 = ‫ ش‬200 =‫| ر‬- 100 = ‫ ق‬90 = ‫ص‬

For example, the name "Allah" consists of the letters ‫ا ل ل ه‬. Alif = 1, Lam = 30, Lam
= 30, Ha = 50, for a total of 66. A magic square (or sometimes a magic triangle, or
some other shape) is then constructed on the basis of this number, following the set
pattern that is appropriate for the magic square. The most common magic squares
used for talismans are 3x3 or 4x4, though there are many more elaborate ones that
are used by practioners.
ِAn example of a 3x3 taw'dih based on the name of Allah would be as follows. One
takes the numerical value of the name, which is 66. One substracts 12 from it,
leaving 54. One divides 54 by 3, which equals 18. 18 then becomes the base
number for the ta'widh, and a magic square is formed based on that number as
follows:

23 18 25

24 22 20

19 26 21
Notice that the
numerical
value of every
line totals up
to 66, the
original
number
(23+18+25 =
66, 19 + 26 +
21 = 66), and
so forth.
These letters
may
sometimes be
converted
back into
letters. For
example, the
number 21
which breaks
down to 20
and 1 might
be rendered
as ‫ي ا‬, with ‫ي‬
= 20 and 1 = ‫ا‬.
Many
ta'widhes
involve a mix
of numbers
and letters,
and will often
have other
names of
Allah encoded
in
alphanumeric
format
surrounding it.
Each Divine
Name is also
said to
correspond to
a letter; the
name of Allah
corresponds
to the letter ‫ا‬,
the name ar-
Rahman
(‫)الرحمن‬
corresponds
to the letter ‫ب‬,
the name
(‫)الرحيم‬
corresponds
to the letter ‫ج‬,
and so forth.
This means
that there are
several
names that
correspond to
any person's
given name.
Most
practioners
will usually
recite a name
equivalent to
its numerical
value before
making a
taw'dih on that
name. This is
known in
some
traditions as a
zakah. Many
schools of
thought argue
that the
proper
number of
recitations is
the numerical
value of the
name or verse
squared; so a
person
attempting to
make the
previous
ta'widh would
recite the
name "Allah"
4356 times.
Names are
sometimes
reduced
numerologicall
y, to come to
a single digit.
This is done
by adding up
the digits of
the number
progressively
until there is
only a single
digit left. With
the previous
example, 66 =
6+6 = 12 =
1+2 = 3.
These
numbers then
have
planetary
corresponden
ces. There are
a number of
different
systems used,
some based
on Kabbalah,
others
according
more with
Indian
systems; the
choice
depends on
the practioner.
The planetary
corresponden
ces usually
used are:
1 = Sun

2 = Moon

3 = Saturn

4 = Jupiter

5 = Mercury

6 = Venus

7 = Moon

8 = Sun

9 = Mars
This often
determines
other qualities
of the ta'widh,
and of the
work involved
in making the
ta'widh. Each
planet has
certain
corresponden
ces to color,
incense, and
element.
These
corresponden
ces are as
follows:
Planetary Correspondences

Planet Color Incense Element

Sun Yellow Cinammon Fire

Moon Green Camphor Water

Saturn Black Frankinscense Earth/Air

Jupiter Blue Musk Fire/Water

Mercury Turquoise Red Sandalwood Air/Earth

Venus White Sandalwood Earth/Air

Mars Red 'Uud Fire/Water

Each element
also has a
direction.
Water is
north, fire is
east, earth is
south, air is
west. So, in
the previous
example using
the name of
Allah, the
person would
wear black,
burn
frankinscense,
and face
south. The
ta'widh may
be disposed
of according
to its element:
a water one
tossed in a
large body of
water, a fire
one burnt, an
earth one
buried, an air
hung in a tree
or other high
place.
The planetary
corresponden
ce of the
taw'dih will
determine the
time in which
it is written.
Every day
corresponds
to a specific
planet:
Sunday = Sun

Monday = Moon

Tuesday = Mars

Wednesday = Mercury

Thursday = Jupiter

Friday = Venus

Saturday = Saturn
An artistically
rendered
taw'dih on the
Name of
Allah.
The planet is
said to be the
"Lord"
(rabb/‫ )رب‬of
its particular
day. So in the
previous
example, the
ta'widh on the
name of
"Allah" would
be written on
Saturday,
since Saturn
is the lord of
Saturday. The
day is further
divided into 15
hours (each
hour lasting
the total
length of the
day divided by
fifteen), and
assigned a
planetary
value, in the
following
sequence:
Sun Venus Mercury Moon Saturn Jupiter Mars
The first hour
of the day
begins exactly
at sunrise
(i.e., when the
time of fajr
has ended.
That hour will
correspond to
the planet that
rules over the
day. So, the
first hour after
sunrise on
Saturday will
correspond to
Saturn. The
next hour will
be Venus,
Mercury, the
Moon, Saturn,
Jupiter, Mars,
Saturn, and
Venus, for
fifteen hours
in total. The
day ends at
astronomical
sunset (i.e.,
the same time
that the time
for zuhr and
asr ends
according to
Shi'ite
jurisprudence.
The night
begins, and
the night is
similarly set
aside into 15
hours,
continuing the
same
sequence
above. Since
the last hour
of the Saturn
day is ruled by
Venus, the
first night hour
of the
following night
will be
Mercury, then
the Moon,
then Saturn,
and so on. A
practioner will
either write
the taw'idh in
the planetary
hour that
corresponds
to the planet
of the ta'widh,
or when the
Zoadiac sign
that is ruled
over by the
planet that
corresponds
to the taw'idh
is ascendant.
The hour is in
turn divided
into 15
segments,
exactly like
the day; an
advanced
practioner
might time the
work to
correspond to
the minutes
that
correspond to
the planet, in
order to
enhance the
power of the
ta'widh.
Verses or
names are
often picked
based on their
intended
function. For
example, the
verse "I cast
love from
myself upon
you" ( ‫و ألقيت‬
‫)عليك محبة مني‬
from the
chapter Ta Ha
might be used
for a love
spell, or the
verse "When I
am sick, He
cures me" ( ‫و‬
‫أذا مرضت فهو‬
‫ )يشفين‬might be
used to heal a
person. Often
these verses
and amulets
are inscribed
upon rings,
which are
commonly
worn by Shi'ite
Muslims
throughout the
world.
As is the case
with many
magical
systems, the
corresponden
ces bear an
important
relationship to
the discipline
of alchemy,
which was
discussed
extensively by
Imam Ja'far
as-Sadiq and
his student
Jabir ibn
Hayyan. Many
of the
paradigms
and pre-
requisites to
understanding
the
methodologie
s of jafr can
be found in
the Epistles of
Jabir ibn
Hayyan. In
many ways,
the practice of
jafr is a subset
of alchemy,
and
practioners
use it in order
to make
changes
within their
own internal
energy.
Legal Issues
Shi'ite
scholars have
generally
been of the
opinion that
the practice of
jafr is, in and
of itself,
permissible.
Ayatullah
Khu'i, in his
Misbah al-
Faqahah,
goes into a
quite detailed
discussion of
the various
types of
magical
practices that
exist within
the world. He
concludes that
many
practices
involve
subordination
to idols or
other spiritual
entitites, and
are therefore
an act of
polytheism.
Other
systems, he
argue, require
a belief in the
power of the
stars to
specifically
influence the
world, which
he also
considers to
be a kind of
polytheism,
insofar as it
implies a
belief in some
"partners"
alongside of
God that act
independently
of Him and
rule over the
world. In the
conclusion of
his
discussion, he
defines
impermissible
magic
(sihr/‫ )السحر‬as
being
"displaying
falsehood in
the form of
truth," using
the example
of Pharoah's
sorcorers as
the prime
example of
such a
practice. If
such practices
are used for
licit purposes,
however, he
sees that
there is no
problem, and
they do not
qualify as sihr
in and of itself.
Such
practices may
become
impermissible
from another
legal
standpoint,
however. If a
person used
such practices
to seduce a
woman from
her husband,
then it would
be
impermissible
because the
goal is
impermissible,
not because
of the means
used to reach
that objective.
Category:
Mysticism