Islamic Symbols and Sufi Rituals for Protection and Healing: Religion and Magic in the Writings of Ahmad ibn Ali al-Buni

The writings attributed to Ahmad al-Buni (d. 622/1225) are some of the most famous grimoires in the Arabic language. As such, they have been both praised and reviled as examples of Islamic magic. This book examines a selection of texts attributed to al-Buni , focusing instructions in different texts for obtaining protection and healing by manipulating Islamic symbols such as verses of the Quran, the Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God, and even letters of the Arabic Alphabet. Analyzing these selections opens up questions about the ways that the use of Islamic symbols affected how premodern Arab authors thought about and constructed the rituals they prescribed. This brings up broader implications for the study of similar writings and practices in the Middle East, the Muslim world, and beyond. First, it interrogates the application of the category Islamic magic to these writings and related practices. Second, it engages with ongoing scholarly debates about the usefulness of establishing magic, science, and religion as separate categories of analysis.