The 7 principles of Za'irajah

Note: The letters of the chords and the table are composed of 3 basic types:

1. Arabic letters

These are taken at their face value as numerals

2. Ghubar letters.

They are treated differently. Some are taken at their face value, when there are no more than four cycles. If there are more than four, they are used as tens as well as hundreds, as required by the operation.

3. Zimam letters.

They are treated in the same way (as ghubar letters). However, the zimam letters offer another possibility. One may be used as one thousand and ten (as ten thousand), and they (may be used) in the proportion of five (to one) in relation to the Arabic letters [?].

One may place in (each) field of the table three letters of this type and two of the (other) type. Empty fields may be left in the table. If there are more than four basic cycles, (the empty fields) are counted in vertically.

If there are no more than four, only the filled fields are counted.

The operation with the question requires 7 principles.

1. The number of the letters of the chords.
2. The retention of their cycles after division by 12

There are always eight cycles in the complete one, and six in the incomplete one.

3. The knowledge of the degree of the ascendant
4. The ruler of the sign (of the zodiac)
5. The greatest principal cycle, which is always one
6. The result of adding the ascendant to the principal cycle
7. The result of multiplying ascendant plus cycle by the ruler of the sign (of the zodiac)
8. The result of the ruler of the sign (of the zodiac) added to the ascendant.

The whole operation takes place in 3 cycles multiplied by 4, thus making 12 cycles.

The relationship of these 3 cycles, which are [. . .] each growth having a beginning.

Then, they are multiplied as quadruple cycles as well as triple cycles [?].

Then, they may be the result of 6 multiplied by 2, and thus have a(nother) growth. This is something apparent in the operation. These cycles are followed by “results.” They are in [?] the cycles.

There may be one result, or more than one, up to six.

Is the za’irajah a modern or an ancient science?

The ascendant is in the first degree of Sagittarius. Thus, we place the letters of the chord of the beginning of Sagittarius and the corresponding chord of the beginning of Gemini and, in the third place, the chord of the beginning of Aquarius up to the limit of the center.

We add to it the letters of the questions.

We look at the number of (the letters).

The smallest number there can be is 88, and the largest 96. This is the total of a complete cycle.

Our question consists of 93 letters.

If the question contained more than 96 letters, it would be shortened by dropping all 12 cycles.

One keeps what comes out from them and what remains.

In our question, there are 7 cycles. The remainder is 9.

They are set down among the letters, as long as the ascendant has not reached 12 degrees.

If it has reached 12 degrees, no number or cycle is set down for them. But their numbers are again set down, when the ascendant has reached more than twenty-four degrees in the third decan.

The ascendant is then set down as one, the ruler of the ascendant (the sign of the zodiac) as four, and the greatest cycle as one. The total of ascendant and cycle is added up, and, in this question, makes two.

This total is multiplied by the ruler of the sign. This is 8.

The ruler is added to the ascendant. This is five. These are the seven principles.

The result of multiplying the ascendant and the greatest cycle by the ruler of Sagittarius, when it is less than twelve, is entered at the “side of eight” from thebottom of the table upward. When it is more than twelve, it is divided in cycles.

The remainder is entered at the side of eight. A mark is put upon the end of the number.

The five that is the result of the addition of ruler and ascendant is what is entered on the side of the uppermost large surface of the table.

One counts, consecutively, groups of five cycles and keeps them until the number stops opposite the fields of the table that are filled.

If it stops opposite one of the empty fields of the table, one should not pay any attention and go on with the cycles, until one reaches one of four letters, namely, alif, b, j, or z.

In our operation, the number falls upon alif and leaves three cycles behind. Thus, we multiply three by three, which gives nine.

That is the number of the first cycle. This must be set down. The total between the vertical and long sides must be added up. Then it will be in the field of eight.

The number in the first cycle, which is nine, must be entered in the front (recto) of the table adjacent to the field in which the two are brought together, going towards the left, which is (the field of) eight.

It thus falls upon the letter lam-alif, but no composite letter ever comes out of it. It thus is just the letter t - four hundred in zimam letters 895 A mark is put on it, after removing it, (indicating that it belongs) to the verse of the poem. 896

Then, one adds up the numbers of the cycle of the ruler. one gets 13, which is entered among the letters of the chords. One sets down (the letter) upon which the number falls and puts a mark upon it, (indicating that it belongs to) the verse of the poem.

This rule shows how much the letters circulate according to the natural order. This is as follows. One adds the letter of the first cycle, which is nine, to the ruler of the sign (of the zodiac), which is four.

Thus, one gets 13. This is doubled to get 26.

From this, one subtracts the degree of the ascendant, which, in this particular question, is one.

Thus, there remains 25.

Accordingly, the first order of the letter is 25, then 23 twice, then 22 twice, according to that subtraction, until the (procedure) reaches one at the end of the rhymed verse. 897

One does not stop at 24, because the one (which would make 24 out of 25) had originally been subtracted.

Then, one takes the second cycle and adds the letters of the first cycle to the 8 resulting from the multiplication of ascendant and cycle by the ruler.

This gives 17.

The remainder is 5.

Thus, one goes up 5 on the side of 8 from where one had stopped in the first cycle.

One puts a mark on (that place). One enters seventeen on the front (recto) of the table, and then five. One does not count empty fields. The cycle is that of tens.

We find the letter th - five hundred, but it (counts the same as) n, because our cycle represents the tens. Thus, five hundred is (counted as) fifty, because its cycle is seventeen.

If it had been twentyseven, it would have been in the hundreds. Thus, one sets down an n. Then, one enters five, also from the beginning, and notes what (number of) the surface it confronts.

It is found to be one. One reverses the number one. It falls upon five. One adds the one of the surface to five, and gets six. One sets down a w and marks it with four [?] (as belonging) to the verse of the poem.

One adds them to the eight which was the result of the multiplication of ascendant and cycle by the ruler. Thus, one gets twelve. The remainder of the second cycle, namely five, is added to 12.

Thus, one gets seventeen. That is something that belongs to the second cycle. Thus, we enter seventeen among the letters of the chords. The number falls upon one. Thus, one sets down alif and puts a mark upon it (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. Of the letters of the chords, one drops three, the number ofthe result of the second cycle. Then, one makes the third cycle. One adds five to eight and gets thirteen. The remainder is one.

One moves the cycle at the side of eight by one. One enters 13 into the verse of the poem. One takes the (letter) upon which the number falls.

It is q. A mark is put upon it. Thirteen is entered among the letters of the chords. One sets down what comes out. It is s. A mark is put upon it (as belonging) to the verse of the poem.

Then, the one which is the remainder of the cycle of thirteen is entered next to the resulting s. One takes the chord next to the letters.

It is b. It is set down, and a mark (indicating that it belongs) to the verse of the poem is put upon it. This is called the “leaning cycle.” Its scale is correct. This is as follows.

One doubles thirteen and adds to it the one which remains of the cycle. Thus, one gets 27.

This is the letter b, which is derived from the chords (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. Thirteen is entered at the front part of the table.

One notes what (part of) the surface confronts it. One doubles it and adds to it the one which is the remainder of thirteen. This is the letter j. The total, thus, is seven.

This is the letter z. We set it down and put a mark upon it (indicating that it belongs) to the verse of the poem. The scale of it is that one doubles seven and adds to it the one which is the remainder of thirteen. Thus, one gets fifteen. It is the fifteenth of the verse of the poem. This is the end of the triple cycles.

Then, one makes the fourth cycle. It has the number nine, (obtained) by adding the remainder of the previous cycle. One then multiplies ascendant and cycle by the ruler.

This cycle ends the operation in the first field of the quadruple (cycles).

Then, one picks two letters from the chords, goes up nine on the side of 8, and enters nine from the cycle of the letter which was taken last from the verse of the poem.

The ninth is the letter r. It is set down, and a mark is put upon it.

Then, nine is entered on the front (recto) of the table, and one notes what (letter of) the surface faces it. It is j. One reverses the number one. That is alif. This is the second after [?] the letter r (belonging) to the verse of the poem. It is set down, and a mark is put upon it.

One counts nine, starting next to the second.

It again is an alif. It is set down, and a mark is put upon it. Then, one picks a letter from the chords and doubles nine. This gives eighteen. One enters it among the letters of the chords and comes to a stop at the letter r. It is set down and marked with eight and four, (indicating that it belongs) to the verse of the poem. Then, one enters eighteen among the letters of the chords and comes to a stop at the letter s. It is put down and marked with two.

One adds 2 to 9, which is 11, and enters 11 on the front (recto) of the table. It is confronted by an alif from the surface.

It is set down and marked with 6.

Then, one makes the fifth cycle. Its number is seventeen. The remainder is five. One goes up five on the side of eight.

One picks two letters from the chords.

One doubles five and adds the result to seventeen, the number of its cycle. The total is twenty-seven. It is entered among the letters of the chords. It falls upon t. It is set down and marked with thirtytwo. One subtracts the two which is at the base of thirtytwo, 898 from seventeen. The remainder is fifteen.

One enters it among the letters of the chords and comes to a stop at q. It is set down and marked with twenty-six. On the front part of the table one enters twenty-six. One comes to a stop at two in ghubar letters.

That is the letter b. It is entered and marked with fifty-four.

Then, one picks two letters from the chords and makes the sixth cycle. Its number is thirteen. The remainder is one. Thus, it becomes clear that the cycle of order (rhyming [?]) belongs to twenty-five. The cycles are ninety [?]-five, seventeen, five, thirteen, and one.

One multiplies five by five which gives 25.

This is the cycle in the order of the verse.

One removes the cycle on the side of 8 by one.

But, as we have mentioned before, thirteen is not entered in the verseof the poem, because it is a second cycle of a second compositional growth.

But we add to one the four that belongs to the 54 which led to b (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. This gives five. One adds five to the thirteen that belongs to the cycle, and gets eighteen. One enters it on the front (recto) of the table and takes (the letter of) the surface that confronts it.

It is alif. It is set down and marked with 12, (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. One picks two letters from the chords.

At this point, one looks at the letters of the question. The (letters) that have come out (in the preceding operation) are paired with the verse of the poem, beginning at the end. One marks them with the letters of the question, so that it enters numerically into the verse of the poem.

The same is done with every letter that comes out hereafter, in correspondence with the letters of the question. All the letters coming out are paired with the verse of the poem, beginning at the end, and a mark is put on them.

Then, one adds to 18 the units with which one has marked the letter alif. They come to two.

Thus, one gets a total of twenty. One enters it among the letters of the chords and comes to a stop at the letter r. It is set down and marked with 96, (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. This is the end of the cycle with regard to chord letters.

Then, one picks two letters from the chords and makes the seventh cycle. It is the beginning of the second of the two “inventions.” This cycle contains the number nine. One adds one to it.

Thus, one gets ten 899 for the second growth.

This one is added later on to twelve cycles, if it belongs to that proportion, or it is taken away from the principal (cycle). Thus, one gets a total of ten. One goes up on the side of ninety-eight, enters ten on the front (recto) of the table, and gets thus to stop at five hundred. It is, however, (counted) only as fifty, n. It is to be doubled. Thus, it is q. It is set down and marked with 52 (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. Two is dropped from fifty-two, and the nine which belongs to the cycle is dropped. The remainder is forty-one.

One enters it among the letters of the chords and thus comes to a stop at one, which is set down. One also enters (forty-one) in the verse of the poem and thus finds one.

This is the scale of the second growth.

It is marked with two signs (as belonging) to the verse of the poem, one (which is put) upon the last alif of the scale, and another upon the first alif.

The second is 24.

Then, one picks two letters from the chords and makes the eighth cycle. Its number is seventeen. The remainder is five. One enters (it) on the side of fifty-eight, enters five in the verse of the poem, and thus comes to a stop at ‘ayn, seventy.

It is set down, and a mark is put upon it. Five is entered in the table.

One takes the (number) of the surface confronting it. It is one. It is set down and marked with forty-eight, (as belonging) to [?] 899a the verse. One drops one from 48 for the second base and adds to it the five of the cycle. The total is fifty- two. That is entered on the front (recto) of the table.

One thus comes to a stop at the ghubar letter two. It is in the order of hundreds, because it should be a larger number. Thus, it is (counted as) two hundred, which is the letter r. 900 It is set down and marked with twenty-four; (as belonging) to the verse of the poem.

Having reached 96, the whole thing starts from the beginning, which is 24.

One adds the 5 of the cycle to 24 and drops one.

The total is 28.

One enters half of it in the verse of the poem and thus comes to a stop at eight. Thus, h is set down, and a mark is put upon it.

One makes the ninth cycle. Its number is thirteen. The remainder is one.

One goes up one on the side of eight. Here the operation does not follow the same procedure as in the sixth cycle, because the number should be many times larger.

Also, the (cycle) belongs to the second growth and is the beginning of the third third of the quadruple (arrangement) of the signs of the zodiac and the end of the third fourth of the triple (arrangement).

Thus, one multiplies the thirteen of the cycle by the four that is (the number of) the preceding triple (arrangement) of the signs of the zodiac. The total is 52.

One enters it on the front (recto) of the table and thus comes to a stop at the ghubar letter two. However, it is in the hundreds, having gone beyond the units and tens.

Therefore, it is set down as two hundred, r, and marked with forty-eight, (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. One adds the one of the base to the thirteen of the cycle, enters fourteen in the verse of the poem, and thus comes to a stop at h. It is marked with twenty-eight.

Seven is subtracted from fourteen. There remains seven.

Then, one picks two letters from the chords. One enters seven and thus comes to a stop at the letter l. It is set down, and a mark (indicating that it belongs) to the verse is put on it.

Then, one makes the tenth cycle. Its number is nine. It is the beginning of the fourth triple (arrangement).

One goes up nine on the side of eight. There is an empty (field). One goes up another nine and gets into the seventh (field) from the beginning.

One multiplies nine by four, because we have gone up twice nine, so that (nine) was only multiplied by two.

One enters thirty-six in the table and thus comes to a stop at the zimam letter four. It should be in the tens, but we take is as a unit, because there are too few cycles.

Thus, the letter d is set down. If one adds the one of the base to thirtysix, its limit [?] belongs to the verse of the poem. A mark is put upon it.

If one had entered on the front (recto) of the table nine and nothing else, without multiplication, one would have come to a stop at eight.

Thus, one divides forty-eight (by twelve). 901 The remainder is four. This is what one wants. If one had entered eighteen, which is nine multiplied by two, on the front (recto) of the table, one would have come to a stop at the zimam letter one, which belongs to the tens.

One subtracts two, which was used to double the nine. The remainder is eight, half of which is (four. Again, this is) what one looks for. If, by multiplying (nine) by three, one were to enter twenty-seven on the front (recto) of the table, one would come to a stop at the zimam letter ten. The operation is the same. Then, nine is entered into the verse of the poem.

The letter which comes out is set down. It is alif. Then, one multiplies nine with the three which is the component of the previous nine, drops one, and enters twenty-six in the front (recto) of the table. The number that comes out - two hundred -is set down with the letter r. It is marked with ninetysix, (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. Then, one picks two letters from the chords and makes the eleventh cycle. It has (the number) seventeen. The remainder is five. One goes up five on the side of eight, corresponding to what had been undertaken in the first cycle. One enters four 902 on the front (recto) of the table and comes to a stop at an empty (field). One takes (the number of) the surface which confronts it. It is one. Thus, one enters one into the verse of the poem. This is r-s 903 It is set down and marked with four. If we had come to a stop at a filled field of the table, we would have set down the one as three. One doubles seventeen, drops the one, and adds four. Thus, one gets thirty- seven. One enters it in the chords and comes to a stop at h 904 It is entered and marked with five. One doubles five, enters (ten) into the verse, and thus comes to a stop at l.

It is set down and marked with 20.

Then, one picks two letters from the chords and makes the twelfth cycle. It has (the number) 13.

The remainder is one. One goes up one on the side of eight. This cycle is the last cycle, the end of the two inventions, the end of the threequadruple (arrangements), and the end of the four triple (arrangements).

The one on the front (recto) of the table falls upon the zimam letter eight, which is just eight units. The only (number) we have in the cycles is one. Were there more than a four in the quadruple (arrangement) of the twelve, or more than a three in the triple (arrangement) of the twelve, there would be h (eight). But it is just d (four). Therefore, it is set down and marked with seventy-four, (as belonging) to the verse of the poem. Then, one notes which (number) from the surface corresponds to it. It is five. The five which belongs to the base, is added to it. Thus, one gets ten. A y is set down, and a mark is put upon it. One notes in which rank it occurs. We find it in the seventh. 905 Thus, we enter seven among the letters of the chords. This entry is called the “letter birth.” There is an f. One sets it down and adds the one of the cycle to seven. The total is eight. One enters it among the chords and gets to s. It is set down and marked with eight. One multiplies eight by the three that is in excess of the ten of the cycle - because it is the end of three quadruple (arrangements) of the cycles - and gets twenty-four. It is entered into the verse of the poem, and a mark is put upon (the number) which comes out from it. It is two hundred (r).

Its sign is 96, which is the end of the second 906 cycle of the letter cycles. One picks two letters from the chords and writes down the first result. It has a nine. This number always corresponds to the remainder of the letters of the chords, after they have been divided into (twelve) cycles. It is nine. 907 Then, one multiplies nine with the three which is in excess of the ninety letters of the chords, and adds to it the one which is the remainder in the twelfth cycle. Thus, one gets twenty-eight. One enters it among the letters of the chords and gets to an alif. It is set down and marked with ninety-six. If the seven 908 - which is the cycles of the ninety letters is multiplied by four - which is the three that is in excess of ninety plus the one that is the remainder in the twelfth cycle - the result is the same.

One goes up nine on the side of eight and enters nine in the table. Thus, one gets to the zimam letter two. One multiplies nine with the (number) of the surface corresponding to it, namely, three. Seven, the number of the chords with letters, is added to it, and the one which is the remainder in the twelfth cycle is subtracted. Thus, one gets thirty-three. One enters it into the verse and gets to five. One puts it down 909 (as h), doubles nine, and enters eighteen on the front (recto) of the table. One takes (the number) which is on the surface. It is one. One enters it among the letters of the chords and gets to an m. It is set down, and a mark is put upon it. Then, one picks two letters from the chords and writes down the second result. It has (the number) seventeen. The remainder is five. One goes up on the side of fifty-eight 910 Five is multiplied by the three which is in excess of ninety. Thus, one gets fifteen. One adds to it the one which is the remainder in the twelfth cycle. This is nine. 911 One enters sixteen into the verse and gets to a t. It is set down and marked with sixty-four. One adds to five the three which is in excess of ninety, and one adds the one which is the remainder in the twelfth cycle. This is thirty-nine. 912 One enters it on the front (recto) of the table and gets to the zimam letter thirty. One notes what (number) is on the surface. It is found to be one. It is set down (as alif), and a mark (indicating that it belongs) to the verse of the poem is put upon it. It also is the ninth from the verse. One enters nine on the front (recto) of the table and comes to a stop at a three in the tens. Therefore, an l (thirty) is set down, and a mark is put upon it.

Then, one writes down the third result. Its number is thirteen. The remainder is one. One moves one on the side of eight. The three which is in excess of ninety,and the one which is the remainder in the twelfth cycle are added to thirteen. Thus, one gets seventeen, plus the one of the result, which gives eighteen. It is entered among the letters of the chords. It is an l, which is set down. This is the end of the operation. The example in the preceding question was this. We wanted to know whether the za’irajah was a modern or an ancient science. 913 The ascendant was in the first degree of Sagittarius. We set down: The letters of the chords. The letters of the question. The principles, which are: (1) The number of the letters - ninety-three. (2) The cycles of (the letters) - seven, with the remainder of nine. (3) The ascendant - one. (4) The ruler of Sagittarius - four. (5) The greatest cycle - one. (6) The degrees of the ascendant plus the cycle - two. (7) Ascendant plus cycle multiplied by the ruler eight. (8) The ruler added to the ascendant-five. The verse of the poem= 914 A weighty question you have got. Keep, then, to yourself Remarkable doubts which have been raised and which can be straightened out with diligence. The letters of the chords:

s, t, d, 915 t, h, n, th, k, h, m, d, s, w, n, th, h, s, alif, b, l, m, n, s, ‘ayn, f, d, q, r, s, y, k, 1, m, n, s, ‘ayn, f, q, r, s, t, th, kh, dh, z, gh, sh, t, k, n, ‘ayn, h, s, z, w, h, l, s, k, l, m, n, s, alif, b, j, d, h, w, z, h, t, y. The letters of the question: alif, l, z, 91 5a y, r, j, t; ‘ayn, l, m; m, h, d, th, alif, m; q, d, y, m. 561225 s w alif l ayn 358 876 1 2 3 4 5 First Cycle= 9. Second Cycle= 17, remainder 5, Third Cycle= 13, remainder 1, Fourth Cycle= 9.z y m alif l kh l q h z t f s n alif dh n gh r alif y b sh k d b t h alif l j d 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Fifth Cycle= 17, remainder 5, Sixth Cycle= 13, remainder 1, Seventh Cycle= 9. Eighth Cycle= 17, remainder 5, Ninth Cycle= 13, remainder 1, Tenth Cycle= 9. Eleventh Cycle= 17, remainder 5, Twelfth Cycle= 13, remainder 1, 2652 28 3265 First Result= 9 Second Result= 17, remainder 5, 6355896 Third Result= 13, remainder 1. 58 65 m th l alif l 50 alif 41 916 t, w, n, alif, q, s, b, x, r, alif, alif, r, s, alif, t, q, b, alif, r, q, alif, ‘ayn, alif, r, h, r, h, 918 l, d, alif, r, s, h, [alf 919 ], l, d, y, f, s, r, alif, h, m, t, alif, l, l. [m 917 ],

Their period is according to twenty-five, then twentythree twice, then twenty-one twice, until one gets to the one at the end of the verse [?]. 920 All the letters are moved. t, r, w, h, n; r, w, h; alif, l, q, d, s; atif, b, r, z; s, r, h, alif; l, alif, d, r, y, s; f, alif, s, t, r, q, atif; b, h, alif; m, r, t, q, atif; alf, l, ‘ayn, l, alif.