Magic culture is certainly fascinating. But what is it? What, in fact, are magic writings, magic artifacts? Originally published in Hebrew in 2010, Jewish Magic Before the Rise of Kabbalah is a comprehensive study of early Jewish magic focusing on three major topics: Jewish magic inventiveness, the conflict with the culture it reflects, and the scientific study of both. The first part of the book analyzes the essence of magic in general and Jewish magic in particular. The book begins with theories addressing the relationship of magic and religion in fields like comparative study of religion, sociology of religion, history, and cultural anthropology, and considers the implications of the paradigm shift in the interdisciplinary understanding of magic for the study of Jewish magic. The second part of the book focuses on Jewish magic culture in late antiquity and in the early Islamic period. This section highlights the artifacts left behind by the magic practitioners-amulets, bowls, precious stones, and human skulls-as well as manuals that include hundreds of recipes. Jewish Magic before the Rise of Kabbalah also reports on the culture that is reflected in the magic evidence from the perspective of external non-magic contemporary Jewish sources. Issues of magic and religion, magical mysticism, and magic and social power are dealt with in length in this thorough investigation. Scholars interested in early Jewish history and comparative religions will find great value in this text.

Against the sweeping backdrop of South Asian history, this is a story of journeys taken by sixteenth-century reformist Muslim scholars and Sufi mystics from India to Arabia. At the center is the influential Sufi scholar Shaykh Ali Muttaqi and his little-known network of disciples. Scott Kugle relates how &Ali Muttaqi, an expert in Arabic, scriptural hermeneutics, and hadith, left his native South Asia and traversed treacherous seas to make the Hajj to Mecca. Settling in Mecca, he continued to influence his homeland from overseas. Kugle draws on his original translations of Arabic and Persian manuscripts, never before available in English, to trace Ali Muttaqi's devotional writings, revealing how the Hajj transformed his spiritual life and political loyalties. The story expands across three generations of peripatetic Sufi masters in the Mutaqqi lineage as they travel for purposes of pilgrimage, scholarship, and sometimes simply for survival along Indian Ocean maritime routes linking global Muslim communities. Exploring the political intrigue, scholarly debates, and diverse social milieus that shaped the colorful personalities of his Sufi subjects, Kugle argues for the importance of Indian Sufi thought in the study of hadith and of ethics in Islam. We are proud to announce that this book is freely available in an open-access enhanced edition thanks to TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem)-a collaboration of the Association of American Universities, the Association of University Presses, and the Association of Research Libraries-and the generous support of Emory University and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

AFaerie Treasury is a comprehensive, insightful, and magical guide to the world of the fae! You'll find a wealth of facts, real-life faerie stories, tips, advice, and faerie inspiration. This detailed yet fun book explains the hierarchy of faerie, their culture, religion, and lives, and is designed to be dipped into whenever you need inspiration - the perfect gift for anyone wanting to know how to bring faerie wisdom and magic into their lives! You will discover: *Amazing real-life stories of contact with the faerie folk from all over the world *The flowers and trees favoured by the little people, and the best oils, crystals, and candle colours to encourage faeries into your space. *Use the remarkable A-Z reference of faeries to find out which faeries are good... and which are just plain naughty! *Discover the faeries' secret hide-outs *Find out how to turn your home and garden into magical faerie spaces *Have fun with magical faerie crafts History, myths, and real-life accounts are combined in this fascinating book, for all those who are intrigued by the enchanting, magical, and mysterious realm of faeries! This is a repackage of A Faerie Treasury