--- page_title: "Ilm al-Huruf Book: Al-Buni's Science of Letters in English" summary: "Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf, al-Buni's book of ilm al-huruf (علم الحروف), the science of letters, in English: the Arabic letters, their spirits, and magic squares." html_url: https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/al-buni-manuscripts-collection/usul-ilm-al-huruf.html text_url: https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/al-buni-manuscripts-collection/usul-ilm-al-huruf.md revised: 2026-10-24 publisher: John Friend Publishing series: "Al-Buni Manuscripts Collection" volume: "Volume VIII" formats: - "Kindle $29.95" - "Paperback $29.95" --- ![Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf English translation book cover with the Arabic title كتاب أصول علم الحروف وضوابط الأوفاق: The Principles of the Science of Letters, on the science of letters and the rules governing magic squares, by Ahmad ibn Ali al-Buni, translated from Arabic by John Friend](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/assets/book_covers/buni_08_usul_huruf.jpg) Volume VIII — Al-Buni Manuscripts Collection # Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf — Al-Buni's Science of Letters أصول علم الحروف Translated by John Friend · 161 pages · Vol. VIII Free with Kindle Unlimited English translation of al-Buni's *Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf* — the theoretical foundations of letter science (*'ilm al-huruf*). Contains the classification of letters into luminous and dark categories, the system for taking possession of intellects, souls, and hearts, and the dangerous knowledge that al-Buni reserved for advanced practitioners. Kindle **$29.95** · Paperback **$29.95** Formats: - [Buy on Amazon — Kindle](https://urlgeni.us/amazon/JzkpdD) - [Buy on Amazon — Paperback](https://urlgeni.us/amazon/FGQbhl) - [Read Free Sample](https://read.amazon.com/sample/B0H2Q7TPSR?clientId=share) [Bookstores & libraries: order wholesale direct from the publisher](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/wholesale.html) ## What's Inside - The foundations of letter science (*ilm al-huruf*) — al-Buni's systematic account of how the Arabic alphabet structures reality. - How each Arabic letter corresponds to elements, planets, and spirits, with the specific correspondences laid out in full. - The theoretical framework underlying all of al-Buni's practical operations — the key that unlocks the logic of the larger works. - Essential reading for understanding the *Shams al-Ma'arif* — 161 pages of foundational letter doctrine. ## The Ilm al-Huruf Book in English *Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf*, attributed to Ahmad ibn Ali al-Buni, is a treatise on *'ilm al-huruf*: it sets out the lunar mansions and planets, the natures and spirits of the Arabic letters, and the rules governing magic squares. It is an ilm al-huruf book in the most literal sense: its full Arabic title, *Kitab Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf wa-Dawabit al-Awfaq* (كتاب أصول علم الحروف وضوابط الأوفاق), means *The Principles of the Science of Letters and the Rules Governing Magic Squares*. *'Ilm al-huruf* (علم الحروف), also written ilm huruf or, as it is spoken, ilmul huruf, means “the science of letters”; *al-huruf* simply means “the letters.” The book presents itself as a letter set down by Imam al-Buni for Suqrat the Wise, written to reveal what earlier authors had concealed and to clarify what they had expressed in symbols. Its opening grounds the science in the knowledge of the names that God gave to Adam, citing [Asaf ibn Barkhiya](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/solomons-vizier-asif-ibn-barkhiya-throne-bilqis.html), and calls the science of letters “the upright knowledge and the straight path.” ### Four Parts: From the Stars to the Letters **Part One** covers the science of astronomy: the lunar mansions and zodiac signs, and the seven planets with their incenses and metals. **Part Two** is the science of letters proper — the origin of the letter, the spirits of the letters and their assigned servitors, the natures of the letters, the auspicious, extracted, luminous, and dark letters, and a closing chapter on letter magic squares. **Part Three** applies the science to the human world, including taking possession of intellects, souls, and hearts, attraction, and love. **Part Four** treats derived sciences: the Egyptian weights, the duty of guarding this knowledge in silence, the zayirjah, and philosophy. ### Luminous and Dark Letters A central division sorts the alphabet into luminous and dark letters. The luminous letters are the fourteen that stand at the openings of Qur'anic surahs, and working with them is for spiritual things — spirits, intellects, souls, and thoughts; the dark letters are their opposites, used for bodies, plants, animals, and every sensible thing. Our essay [Dark Letters, Luminous Letters](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/dark-letters-luminous-letters-al-buni-dangerous-classification.html) explores the classification further. If you know the letter chapters of the [Shams al-Ma'arif](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/first-complete-shams-al-maarif-english-translation.html), this is the theory behind them; for a letter-by-letter introduction to Arabic lettrism, see [the secret powers of the Arabic alphabet](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/secret-powers-arabic-alphabet-al-buni-letter-breakdown.html). In this [Al-Buni Manuscripts Collection](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/collection.html) edition, the talismanic seals and magic squares of the ilm al-huruf manuscript are reproduced as images from the source, and illegible passages are noted rather than reconstructed. ## Ilm al-Huruf: Frequently Asked Questions ### What is ilm al-huruf? Ilm al-huruf (علم الحروف) is the Arabic science of letters. This book calls it “the upright knowledge and the straight path” and treats each letter as having a nature, a spirit, and assigned servitors, with its own uses in practice. ### Is there an ilm al-huruf book in English? Yes. Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf, attributed to Ahmad ibn Ali al-Buni, is available in a complete English translation as Volume VIII of the Al-Buni Manuscripts Collection: a 161-page paperback ($29.95) and a Kindle edition included in Kindle Unlimited. ### What are al-Buni's luminous and dark letters? The luminous letters are the fourteen letters that stand at the openings of Qur'anic surahs, and the book assigns them to work with spiritual things such as spirits, intellects, and souls. The dark letters are their opposites and are used for bodies, plants, animals, and every sensible thing. ### Does Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf cover magic squares? Yes. Its full title adds wa-Dawabit al-Awfaq, “and the Rules Governing Magic Squares,” and its part on the science of letters closes with a chapter on letter magic squares. Part One also sets out the lunar mansions and the seven planets with their incenses and metals. ### How does Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf relate to the Shams al-Ma'arif? Both are attributed to Ahmad ibn Ali al-Buni and share the vocabulary of letters, names, planets, and magic squares. Usul 'Ilm al-Huruf is the shorter, theoretical work on the science of letters; Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra is the 40-chapter compendium published as Volume I of the same collection. ## You May Also Like - [al-Asrar al-Rabbaniyyah — Al-Buni Collection](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/al-buni-manuscripts-collection/al-asrar-al-rabbaniyyah.html) - [Hijab 'Azim al-Sha'n — Al-Buni Collection](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/al-buni-manuscripts-collection/hijab-azim-al-shan.html) - [Majmu'at al-Awrad — Al-Buni Collection](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/al-buni-manuscripts-collection/majmuat-al-awrad.html) ## Related Articles - [Dark Letters, Luminous Letters: Al-Buni's Dangerous Classification — Essay](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/dark-letters-luminous-letters-al-buni-dangerous-classification.html) - [Take Possession of Intellects, Souls, and Hearts: Al-Buni — Essay](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/take-possession-intellects-souls-hearts-al-buni.html) ## Follow the Translation New essays on the Arabic occult tradition, manuscript discoveries, and translation notes. - [Follow on Substack](https://substack.com/@johnfriendpublishing) - [Follow on Medium](https://medium.com/@johnfriendpublishing)