--- page_title: "Wisdom of the Ages: 'Uyun al-Haqa'iq, Arabic Natural Magic" summary: "'Uyun al-Haqa'iq in English: the 13th-century handbook of natural magic attributed to al-'Iraqi, on talismans, cipher signs, stage marvels and deceivers." html_url: https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/arabic-islamicate-occult-manuscripts/wisdom-of-the-ages-and-secret-of-the-sages.html text_url: https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/arabic-islamicate-occult-manuscripts/wisdom-of-the-ages-and-secret-of-the-sages.md revised: 2026-10-23 publisher: John Friend Publishing series: "Arabic Islamicate Occult Manuscripts in Translation" volume: "Vol. VIII" formats: - "Kindle $49.95" - "Paperback $79.95" - "Hardcover $99.95" --- ![Cover of Wisdom of the Ages and Secret of the Sages -- 'Uyun al-Haqa'iq wa-Idah al-Tara'iq by Abu al-Qasim al-'Iraqi, an Arabic handbook of natural magic, in English translation](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/assets/book_covers/08_wisdom_ages.jpg) Vol. VIII # Wisdom of the Ages and Secret of the Sages عيون الحقائق وإيضاح الطرائق Abu al-Qasim al-'Iraqi · Translated by John Friend · 327 pages (paperback) · Vol. VIII Free with Kindle Unlimited On talismans, secret alphabets, natural properties, and the wonders of the occult arts: the complete English translation of a thirteenth-century Arabic handbook of natural magic and marvels. Kindle **$49.95** · Paperback **$79.95** · Hardcover **$99.95** Formats: - [Buy on Amazon — Kindle](https://urlgeni.us/amazon/GvTC02) - [Buy on Amazon — Paperback](https://urlgeni.us/amazon/C54hKY) - [Buy on Amazon — Hardcover](https://urlgeni.us/amazon/MQaNgP) [Bookstores & libraries: order wholesale direct from the publisher](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/wholesale.html) ## What’s Inside Wisdom of the Ages - The author’s preface, naming the book and the purpose behind it, followed by thirty chapters. - The nawamis, the talismans behind every marvel, and chapters on incendiary preparations, incenses and fumigations, soporifics, niranjat and concealments. - The stage marvels of the medieval Islamic world: feats with eggs, rings, bottles, figurines, cups, fire and lamps. - The methods of the professional deceivers of the author’s age, described so that the reader may know them. - A practical compendium on inks and dyes, simple remedies, and the properties of plants, animals, stones and minerals. - Every recited formula, prayer and adjuration in English, ALA-LC transliteration and the original Arabic script, with a glossary of the book’s technical vocabulary. ## 'Uyun al-Haqa'iq: An Arabic Handbook of Natural Magic and Marvels *Wisdom of the Ages and Secret of the Sages* is the complete English translation of *Kitab 'Uyun al-Haqa'iq wa-Idah al-Tara'iq*, a thirteenth-century Arabic handbook of natural magic and marvels. It is attributed to Abu al-Qasim al-'Iraqi, the Egyptian alchemist and occultist known as al-Simawi. In his preface the author names the book and declares its purpose: having seen that most people displayed tricks in many ways yet showed nothing of the true realities behind them, he set out to gather the whole art in one place. ### The nawamis, niranjat and the illusionist’s art The thirty chapters begin with the hidden workings the author calls the *nawamis*, the talismans behind every marvel. From there they move through incendiary preparations, incenses and fumigations, putrefactions that breed creatures, soporifics, *niranjat*, concealments, and the trickery and stratagem of the illusionist. Readers who know the incense chapters of the other books in the series can compare them with [the incense recipes of the Arabic grimoires](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/incense-recipes-arabic-grimoires-planetary-fumigation.html). ### Stage marvels of the medieval Islamic world A long middle section treats the marvels performed before an audience: feats with eggs, rings, bottles, figurines, cups, slaughtered effigies and fire, and lamps whose light makes a gathering see one another with the faces of donkeys or dogs. ### The deceivers of the age The author then turns to the professional deceivers of his time: the astrologers’ devices, the wandering ascetics, the mountebanks, and the rogues who drug and rob travelers. He describes their methods so that the reader may know them. For how the Arabic manuscripts themselves draw the line between the sciences and sorcery, see [spiritual science and sorcery in the Arabic manuscripts](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/difference-between-spiritual-science-sorcery-arabic.html). ### Natural properties: plants, animals, stones and minerals The closing chapters are a practical compendium: medicines for hunting, inks and dyes, simple remedies, the properties of plants, animals, stones and minerals, and a regimen on the composition of the human being and the care of the body through the seasons. ### Cipher signs and how this edition presents the text Many of the recipes conceal their key ingredients in cipher signs written inline in the text. This edition reproduces every such run exactly where the author placed it, rather than transcribing or guessing at it. Barbarous names are transliterated exactly as written and never translated, and scribal tables are shown as drawn and accompanied by English tables. The volume includes the author’s preface, a translator’s note, a page explaining the conventions used, a two-level table of contents with page numbers, and a glossary. The text is presented as a historical document of the Arabic occult sciences. It records what its author and his sources believed and practiced, including recipes involving drugs and poisons, and nothing in it is offered as instruction. It is the eighth volume of *Arabic Islamicate Occult Manuscripts in Translation*; for the rest of the series and the other Arabic grimoires now in English, see [the complete guide to Arabic occult manuscripts in English](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/arabic-occult-manuscripts-in-english-complete-guide.html). ## Wisdom of the Ages: Frequently Asked Questions ### What is 'Uyun al-Haqa'iq wa-Idah al-Tara'iq? Kitab 'Uyun al-Haqa'iq wa-Idah al-Tara'iq, published in English as Wisdom of the Ages and Secret of the Sages, is a thirteenth-century Arabic handbook of natural magic and marvels attributed to Abu al-Qasim al-'Iraqi. Its thirty chapters run from talismans, incenses and fumigations to the stage marvels of the medieval Islamic world, the methods of the deceivers of the author's age, and the properties of plants, animals, stones and minerals. ### Who was Abu al-Qasim al-'Iraqi? The book is attributed to Abu al-Qasim al-'Iraqi, the Egyptian alchemist and occultist known as al-Simawi. In his preface he names the book and says why he wrote it: having seen that most people displayed tricks in many ways yet showed nothing of the true realities behind them, he set out to gather the whole art in one place. ### What are the nawamis? Nawamis is the book's term for the hidden workings behind every marvel, which it calls the talismans behind them. From the nawamis the chapters move through incendiary preparations, incenses and fumigations, putrefactions that breed creatures, soporifics, niranjat and concealments, and the volume's glossary explains the book's technical vocabulary. ### Does the book give instructions for drugs or poisons? No. The text is presented as a historical document of the Arabic occult sciences: it records what its author and his sources believed and practiced, including recipes involving drugs and poisons, and nothing in it is offered as instruction. The author describes the methods of the deceivers of his age so that the reader may know them. ### How is the Arabic text presented? Every recited formula, prayer and adjuration is given in three layers: English, ALA-LC transliteration and the original Arabic script. Barbarous names are transliterated exactly as written and never translated. The cipher signs that conceal key ingredients are reproduced where the author placed them, and scribal tables are shown as drawn and accompanied by English tables. ### Is Wisdom of the Ages and Secret of the Sages available in English? Yes. It is the complete English translation, in Kindle, paperback (327 pages) and hardcover editions, and the eighth volume of Arabic Islamicate Occult Manuscripts in Translation. The Kindle edition is free with Kindle Unlimited. ## You May Also Like - [The Tested Remedies of the Monks — Arabic Grimoire](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/arabic-islamicate-occult-manuscripts/the-tested-remedies-of-the-monks.html) - [Tumtum al-Hindi — Arabic Grimoire](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/arabic-islamicate-occult-manuscripts/tumtum-al-hindi-the-book-of-tumtum-the-indian.html) - [The Complete Magic of the Jinn Kings — Arabic Grimoire](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/books/arabic-islamicate-occult-manuscripts/the-complete-magic-of-the-jinn-kings.html) ## Related Articles - [Medieval Arabic Occult Manuscripts in English: The Complete Guide — Essay](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/arabic-occult-manuscripts-in-english-complete-guide.html) - [Incense Recipes in Arabic Grimoires: Planetary Fumigation — Essay](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/incense-recipes-arabic-grimoires-planetary-fumigation.html) - [The Line Between Spiritual Science and Sorcery — Essay](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/difference-between-spiritual-science-sorcery-arabic.html) - [Arabic Talisman Making: A Beginner’s Guide — Essay](https://johnfriendpublishing.com/articles/arabic-talisman-making-guide-beginners.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)