Illegitimate Means of Reuniting with a Beloved: Description of Five Love Spell

Toker, Bilge İlhan

English

Universität Wien: OJS-Service

| 46 Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	a	Beloved:		Description	of	Five	Love	Spells	Bilge	İlhan	Toker					Author:	PhD,	Faculty	Member,	Faculty	of	Divinity,	Artvin	Çoruh	University	bilgeilhan@artvin.edu.tr		ORCID:	0000-0002-4328-6059			Keywords:	Love	Spell,	Talisman,	Mecmūʿa,	Recipe,	Abjad,	19th	century.			Cite	this	article:	İlhan	Toker,	Bilge.	“Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	a	Beloved:	Description	of	Five	Love	Spells”	Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions		2/2	(Summer	2024):	46-57.		Available	under	https://doi.org/10.25365/kshf-24-02-06.				_____________________________________________	Article	DOI	10.25365/kshf-24-02-06	Published	online	September	30,	2024	©	2024	Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	published	by	Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions.	This	 is	 an	 Open	 Access	 article	 licensed	 under	 the	 Creative	 Commons	 Attribution	 4.0.	 International	License	(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	Beloved	│47 Context	Magic	 is	 defined	 as	 the	 practice	 of	 obtaining	 beneficial,	 protective,	 or	 harmful	outcomes	by	establishing	a	connection	with	metaphysical	powers	or	by	using	objects	believed	to	possess	hidden	powers.1	Magic,	believed	to	have	been	taught	to	humanity	by	two	angels	named	Harut	and	Marut,	is	employed	to	eliminate	human	will,	reunite	with	a	beloved,	and	transform	people	into	various	forms.2	In	the	tradition	of	classical	Turkish	poetry,	magic	 and	 enchantment	 are	motifs	 that	 effectively	 contribute	 to	 the	initiation	of	the	adventure	between	the	lover	and	the	beloved.	The	act	of	enchanting	the	 lover	 by	 the	 beloved	 serves	 as	 a	 kind	 of	 catalyst	 for	 the	 development	 of	 their	relationship.	Although	the	beloved	is	portrayed	as	a	bewitching	woman	with	elements	of	 beauty	 such	 as	 hair,	 eyes,	 etc.	 in	 classical	 Turkish	 poetry,	 poets	 themselves	 have	occasionally	enchanted	 their	beloved	and	made	 them	 fall	 in	 love	with	 them	through	their	 poems.	 In	 the	 following	 couplet,	 as	 expressed	 by	 Sānī	 (d.?),	 he	 claims	 to	 have	enchanted	his	beloved	with	his	heartfelt	poems.	This	experience	leads	him	to	lose	faith	in	the	power	of	magic,	attributing	the	act	of	bewitchment,	which	is	typically	associated	with	the	beloved	in	classical	Turkish	poetry,	to	the	poet	in	this	particular	instance.			 Şiʿr-i	dil-sūzumla	teshīr	ettim	āḫīr	ol	mehi			 İʿtiḳādım	ḳalmadı	siḥre	de	efsūna	da3		 In	the	end,	I	enchanted	the	beloved	with	my	heartrending	poems.		 I	have	no	belief	in	magic	or	enchantment.		However,	 in	 real	 life,	 it	 is	not	as	 easy	 for	a	 lover	 to	enchant	 their	beloved	with	words	alone.	Therefore,	lovers	have	resorted	to	love	spells	that	involve	various	rituals,	specific	letter	symbols,	and	the	use	of	different	materials	in	order	to	reunite	with	their	 1		 Hikmet	Tanyu,	“Büyü”,	https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/buyu	(Accessed	April	 12,	2024)	Magic	 is	also	 considered	 to	 be	 the	 first	 belief	 of	 mankind,	 the	 source	 of	 art	 and	 religion.	 Orhan	Hançerlioğlu,	Dünya	İnançları	Sözlüğü,	(İstanbul:	Remzi	Kitabevi,	2010),	93.	2  İskender	Pala,	Ansiklopedik	Divan	Şiiri	Sözlüğü,	(İstanbul:	Kapı	Yay.,	2004),	404.	3  Hüseyin	Cöntürk,	Divan	Şiiri	Üstüne	Denemeler,	(İstanbul:	YKY,	2012),	412.		48 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 beloved	 or	 attract	 them	 towards	 themselves.	 This	 study	 includes	 five	 love	 spells	prepared	using	materials	 such	as	pigeon	blood,	 chicken	egg,	 ash,	 and	paper.	Four	of	these	 love	 spells	 involve	 letters	with	 different	 numerical	 values	 in	 the	 abjad	 system.	One	of	 them,	on	 the	other	hand,	 is	 a	 spell	 that	 includes	 the	names	of	 the	Ashab	al-Kahf4	 and	 the	 16th	 verse	 of	 the	 Surah	Al-Qiyamah.	 In	 the	 first	 part	 of	 the	 spell	 that	mentions	the	names	of	the	Ashab	al-Kahf,	a	verse	from	Surah	Al-Qiyamah	is	quoted,	which	means,	“Move	not	your	tongue	concerning	(the	Qurʿān,	O	Muhammad)	to	make	haste	therewith.”5	“ ۪ۜھِب َلَجَْعتِل ََكناَسِل ۪ھِب ْكِّرَُحت َال ”.	The	expression	lā	tuḥarrik	 كِّرَُحت َال 	in	the	first	 part	 of	 the	 verse	 is	 written	 as	 lā	merake	 كرم 	6.آل This	 seems	 to	 be	 the	 result	 of	either	a	mistake	on	the	part	of	the	copyist	or	a	deliberate	change	of	the	verse	by	the	compiler.	This	mecmūʿa,	 found	 in	 Dr.	 İsmail	 Bayer’s	 private	 library,	 has	 dimensions	 of	12*9	cm	and	consists	of	 122	pages.	The	compendium,	which	has	missing	pages,	has	a	varying	number	of	 lines,	and	some	folios	are	 left	blank.	Except	for	 later-added	folios,	the	 manuscript	 utilizes	 watermarked	 paper	 with	 a	 six-pointed	 star	 shape	 and	 the	inscription	 "SANSA"	 on	 it.	 This	 small	 mecmūʿa	 contains	 prayers,	 invocations,	talismans,	 and	 spells	 related	 to	 topics	 such	 as	 protection	 from	 dogs,	 swords,	 and	firearms,	attracting	the	beloved,	protection	from	accidents	and	misfortunes,	enhancing	milk	yield	in	animals,	acquiring	wealth,	and	attaining	intercession	through	the	Prophet	Muhammad.	There	is	no	record	indicating	when	the	compilation	was	written	and	the	identity	of	the	compiler.	The	presence	of	numerous	errors	in	the	spelling	of	words	and	affixes	 suggests	 that	 the	 compiler	 may	 not	 have	 been	 well-educated.	 All	 of	 the	 4		 “This	is	the	name	given	in	the	Kurʾan,	and	further	in	Arabic	literature,	to	the	youths	who	in	the	Christian	Occident	are	usually	called	the	“Seven	Sleepers	of	Ephesus”.	https://archive.org/details/volume-5/Volume%201/page/691/mode/2up	(Accessed	May	28.	2024) 	5  The	Translation	of	the	meanings	of	The	Noble	Qur’an,	By	Muhammad	Taqî-ud-Dîn	Al-Hilâlî	ann	Muhammad	Muhsin	Khân	(Madinah:	King	Fahd	Complex	for	the	Printing	of	the	Holy	Qur’an),	800.	https://dn790006.ca.archive.org/0/items/UploadWay2sona_20161017/The%20Holy%20Quran%20Translation%20By%20Hilali%20and%20Khan.pdf	(Accessed	May	28.	2024)	6  This	expression	is	quoted	from	the	16th	verse	of	Surat	al-Qiyamah.	However,	the	first	phrase	of	the	verse	has	been	misspelled	or	changed.	The	expression	written	as	lâ	merake	 	is كرمآل 	lâ كرحت الtuḥarrik	in	the	original	verse.		Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	Beloved	│49 talismans	transcribed	in	this	study	were	written	to	make	the	beloved	fall	in	love	with	the	spell	caster.	Transcription	Bāb	İki	ḥelāl7	arasında	muḥabbet	içün	yaza	üzerinde	götüresin	tılsım	budur		حرم لا ه الا م و ب 		ن و ب ج ى غ د ١١ ن ا م 	ل و ه الا ب م ال م ه 	ل ه ظ ف ى ذ لاز ى ح و 	ان ا لا ن ر د ص ال ا و م 	ه ال ا ل ن د ف ل ا ب ا ر 		م س ج 	ʾ	 ن ا ف ا ع 		8 نامن   ع ل ا د ى و ش ه ال ا	Translation	It	should	be	written	for	the	love	between	a	married	couple.	(Person)	should	carry	it.	Here	is	the	talisman.	b	v	m	a	lā	h	e	l	m	r	ḥ	m	a	n	11	d	ġ	y	c	b	v	n	h	m	lā	b	a	lā	h	v	l	v	ḥ	y	z	ā	l	ẕ	y	f	ẓ	h	l	m	v	a	lā	ṣ	d	r	n	e	l	a	nā	r	a	b	e	l	f	d	n	l	a	lā	h	ʿā	f	e	n	ʿ	c	s	m		A	lā	h	ş	v	y	d	e	l	ʿ	nümān		 7  This	spell	refers	to	the	husband	and	wife	using	the	term	“halal,”	which	means	“lawful”	in	Islamic	context. 	8  The	 letters	 provided	 in	 these	 spell	 descriptions	 are	 the	 equivalent	 numerical	 values	 of	 Arabic	letters	 in	 the	Abjad	 system.	The	 Latin	 alphabet	 equivalents	 are	 not	 provided	 in	 this	 section	 in	order	to	ensure	a	clear	understanding	of	the	numerical	values	of	the	letters.	50 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 		Transcription	Muḥabbet	içün		eger	dilerseñ	bir	kişiyi	kendüye	ʿāşıḳ	ḳılsuñ	bu	ṭılsımı	yazġıl	üç	bāre	kāġıda	yaz	birisini	odda	bıraḳasuñ	birin	de	ṣuya	atasuñ	birini	işigüniñ	altına	gömesüñ	ġāyet	mücerrebdür	ṭılsım	budur	٢٧۶١١١	 ١١١ م م م و 	١١	 ١١٨۴۶ م و و 	١١١١١	 ط و م م م 		Ġāyet	ṣınanmışdur	ġaflet	olunmaya.		Translation	For	the	sake	of	love,	if	 you	want	 to	make	 someone	 fall	 in	 love	with	 you,	write	 this	 talisman.	Write	 it	 on	three	pieces	of	paper.	You	should	throw	one	into	the	fire,	one	into	the	water.	The	third	one	 should	 be	 buried	 at	 the	 doorstep	 of	 the	 beloved.	 It	 has	 been	 tried	many	 times.	Here	is	the	talisman.	1	1	1	6	7	2	v	m	m	m	1	1	1	11	v	v	m	6	4	8	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	m	m	m	v	ṭ	(This	spell)	has	been	performed	many	times.	One	should	be	cautious.		Transcription	Bāb	Muḥabbet	içün	yaza		Birisini	odda	bıraḳa	birisini	ṣuya	ata	üç	nüsḫa	ide	birisini	daḫı	ḳapusunuñ	öñüne	ṣuyın	ṣacalar	ġāyet	mücerrebdür	tılsım	budur		Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	Beloved	│51 ١١١١١	۵	 ن ه الا ١١١١ ه 		ت و س و م ل ن ك 		١١١	 ١١١١ م م و و ه ن م ل د 	ر و ن١١١١ ء م١١١١١١١ ع س 	٩١	 و و و و و و مرر 	مرح ۴ م د د ح ووو 		Translation	It	should	be	written	for	the	sake	of	love.	One	should	throw	one	copy	into	the	fire	and	throw	one	into	the	water.	Three	copies	should	be	written.	One	should	also	sprinkle	its	water	in	front	of	the	door	of	the	beloved.	It	has	been	tried	many	times.	Here	is	the	talisman.		1	1	1	1	1	5	h	1111	a	lā	h	n	k	n	l	m	v	s	v	t	111	d	l	m	n	h	v	v	m	m	1111	s	ʿ	1111111	m	ʾ	1111	n	v	r	1	9	r	r	m	v	v	v	v	v	v	v	v	v	ḥ	d	d	m	4	ḥarem	(This	spell)	is	completed.		Transcription	Bāb	Muḥabbet	içün	yazalar	Ḳara	ṭavuḳ	yumurṭasına	yazalar	küle	göme	bir	sāʿat	ḳarārı	ḳalmaya	yanına	gele	ġāyet	mücerrebdür	tercübe	olunmuşdur		ش د و م ان ى ل ث ك م 	ان ى ل ش ش رت زی و 	ش دت ز و د ش و ن د و 	ن ت ك ش و ن ذ ش 		52 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 ه اص م اص اح مان ى ل 	اح ى ل ل ماع ىم د 	ت ن ك ش و ن ذ ش 		ل ى م ط ف ش و ىاع اط 	ال ال ال ال ال ال 	Tamām	olunmuşdur	Translation	It	should	be	written	on	the	black	hen’s	egg	and	buried	in	ash.	Within	one	hour,	the	steadiness	of	the	beloved	disappears	and	she	will	come	to	your	side.	It	has	been	extensively	experimented	with.	It	has	been	experienced.		m	k	s	y	nā	m	v	d	ş	vī	z	ter	ş	ş	l	y	nā	v	d	n	v	ş	d	v	z	ted	ş	ş	ẕ	n	v	ş	k	t	n	l	y	nām	ṣā	ṣā	m	ṣā	h	d	mī	ʿām	l	l	y	ḥā	ş	ẕ	n	v	ş	k	n	t	ṭā	ʿāy	v	ş	f	ṭ	m	y	l	lā	lā	lā	lā	lā	lā	(This	spell)	is	completed.		Transcription	Bāb	Muḥabbet	içün	yazalar	Gögercin(i)	ḳanıyla	yaza	ṣol	ḳoluna	baġlaya	ḳanġı	ʿavrat	gö[r]se	ʿāşıḳ	olur	duʿā	budur	Yā	Rabbi	Yā	Rabbi	Yā	Rabbi	Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	Beloved	│53 Hā	yehebu	lā	merake	bihi	lisānike	litaʿcele	bihi	elā	seylenā	yemʿahun9	kuhuf	Yemlihā	Mekselinā	Mislīnā	Mernūş	Debernūş,	Şāzenūş,	Kefeştetāyūş,	Ḳıṭmīr	İtmām	olunmuşdur	Translation	It	should	be	written	for	the	sake	of	love.	They	should	write	(this	spell)	with	pigeon's	blood	and	tie	it	to	their	left	arm.	Any	woman	who	sees	(the	person	carrying	the	spell)	will	fall	in	love	with	them.	Here	is	the	prayer.	My	God,	My	God,	My	God,	Hā	yuhibbū	lā	marake	"(Messenger!)	Do	not	move	your	tongue	quickly	to	hasten	it."	This	is	the	verse.	seylenā	yemʿatun	caves.	Yemlihā	Mekselinā	Mislīnā	Mernūş	Debernūş,	Şāzenūş,	Kefeştetāyūş,	Ḳıṭmīr		(This	spell)	is	completed.	 	 9  Non-italicised	words	have	no	exact	equivalent	in	Arabic.	These	expressions	were	probably	misspelled	when	the	text	was	copied. 54 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 Facsimilia		Spell	1:			 		 	Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	Beloved	│55 Spell	2:				 	56 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 Spell	3:				 			Spell	4:		Bilge	İlhan	Toker,	Illegitimate	Means	of	Reuniting	with	Beloved	│57 Spell	5:				 		Bibliography	Cöntürk,	Hüseyin.	Divan	Şiiri	Üstüne	Denemeler.	İstanbul:	YKY,	2012.	Hançerlioğlu,	Orhan,	Dünya	İnançları	Sözlüğü.	İstanbul:	Remzi	Kitabevi,	2010.	Pala,	İskender.	Ansiklopedik	Divan	Şiiri	Sözlüğü.	İstanbul:	Kapı	Yay.,	2004.	Tanyu,	Hikmet.	“Büyü”,	In	TDVIA.	Accessed	April	12,	2024.	https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/buyu		The	Translation	of	the	meanings	of	The	Noble	Qur’an.	By	Muhammad	Taqî-ud-Dîn	Al-Hilâlî	and	Muhammad	Muhsin	Khân	(Madinah:	King	Fahd	Complex	for	the	Printing	of	the	Holy	Qur’an).	https://dn790006.ca.archive.org/0/items/UploadWay2sona_20161017/The%20Holy%20Quran%20Translation%20By%20Hilali%20and%20Khan.pdf.	Accessed	May	28.	2024		https://archive.org/details/volume-5/Volume%201/page/691/mode/2up	Accessed	May	28.	2024	

Illegitimate Means of Reuniting with a Beloved: Description of Five Love Spells

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Illegitimate Means of Reuniting with a Beloved: Description of Five Love Spells

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