Picatrix (Ghayat al-Hakim): The World's Most Famous Book of Magic?

Let's Talk Religion

Discover the mysteries of Picatrix (Ghayat al-Hakim), one of the most influential books of magic ever written. This ancient Arabic text has fascinated mystics, scholars, and occultists for centuries with its unique blend of astrology, alchemy, and Hermetic philosophy. In this episode, we explore its origins, history, and the themes it contains.

Thank you to Dr. Saif for appearing in, and helping out with, this video. Check out her excellent work (some of which is listed in the sources below).

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Sources/Recomended Reading:

Attrell, Dan & David Porreca (translated by) (2019). “Picatrix: A Medieval Treatise on Astral Magic”. Pennsylvania State University Press.

Fierro, Maribel (1996). “Batinism in al-Andalus: Maslama b. Qasim al-Qurtubi, author of the Rutbat al-Hakim and the Ghayat al-Hakim (Picatrix)”. In “Studia Islamica, 1996/2, 84”. Brill.

Melvin-Koushki, Matthew & Noah Gardner (2017). "Islamicate Occultism: New Perspectives". Brill.

Pingree, David (1981). “Between the Ghaya and the Pixatrix”. In “Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Volume 44, 1981”. University of Chicago Press.

Saif, Liana (2015). "The Arabic Influences on Early Modern Occult Philosophy". Palgrave Macmillan.

Saif, Liana; Francesca Leoni; Matthew Melvin-Koushki & Farouk Yahya (2021). "Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice". Brill.

Savage-Smith, Emily (ed.) (2004). "Magic & Divination in Early Islam". Ashgate Publishing.

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