Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra (The Sun of Knowledge) is a 13th-century Arabic treatise by Ahmad al-Buni focusing on esoteric spirituality, talismanic magic, and divine names, widely considered one of the most influential and controversial occult texts in the Islamicate world. Digitized copies and manuscript scans are available through academic repositories such as the NYU Digital Library Internet Archive Internet Archive Shams al-maʻārif al-kubrá wa-laṭāʼif al-ʻawārif
Shams Al Maarif Al Kubra has had a profound impact on the development of Islamic occultism and Sufism. The text has been widely studied, practiced, and revered by generations of mystics, occultists, and scholars. Its influence can be seen in various areas:
(The Great Sun of Gnosis) is arguably the most infamous, powerful, and controversial book in the Islamic esoteric tradition. For centuries, this 13th-century grimoire has been whispered about in the same breath as forbidden magic, angelic summoning, and divine names that can alter reality.
Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra (The Sun of Knowledge, the Greater) is a medieval Arabic grimoire attributed to Ahmad al-Buni (d. c. 1225–1226). It’s a foundational text in the Western Islamic occult tradition, covering talismans, astrology, numerology (abjad), mystical letters and names of God, and methods for invoking spiritual influences. The work blends neoplatonic and Islamic esoteric ideas with practical ritual techniques; historically it circulated in manuscript form and later printed editions, and has been influential (and controversial) across North Africa, the Middle East, and beyond.