Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra, authored by 13th-century scholar Ahmad al-Buni, is a foundational text of Islamic esotericism blending Sufi mysticism, mathematics, and occult practices. While featuring 40 chapters on topics like Ilm al-Huroof (science of letters) and spirit interaction, the text is largely suppressed in many areas for its association with forbidden magic and Jinn. For more on the historical context and controversy, read the article on Middle East Eye.

The Author: Ahmad al-Buni Al-Buni was an Algerian scholar who wrote extensively on Sufism and esoteric subjects. He claimed to have discovered the "Greatest Name of God" (Ism Allah al-A‘zam) and believed that the 99 names of God, combined with numerical values (abjad) of Arabic letters, could unlock supernatural powers.

Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra (The Sun of Knowledge) is a foundational 13th-century text attributed to Ahmad al-Buni that covers Islamic esotericism, talismans, and magic. While considered a forbidden work of sorcery by orthodox Islamic scholars, it remains popular as a source of esoteric knowledge and occult practices. For a historical breakdown of the text, visit

Audio and Video Lectures: Offer lectures or recitations of selected passages. This could include audio explanations by contemporary scholars or video lectures that discuss key concepts.

Modern Reputation Despite—or because of—its taboo status, Shams al-Ma'arif remains widely read in the Arab world, North Africa, Turkey, and South Asia. It has seen a surge in digital circulation as PDFs have spread online. In recent years, it has also gained attention in Western occult circles and on social media (e.g., TikTok or YouTube) as an "extremely dangerous forbidden book."

to bridge the seen and unseen worlds in search of his lost sister. The text's geometric talismans and invocations, associated with Ahmad al-Buni, manifest sentient shadows, revealing that the book is a gateway to a reality maintained by jinns. Read the full story on the Shams al-Maarif PDF.