ON THE ISLAMIC ORIGIN OF THE ROSE-CROIX

By Emile Dantinne ( Sar Hieronymu!

Ori"inally #u$li%e& in t%e re'ie( )In*onnue) +,-+
.
/ 0AGE 1 2 0AGE 3 4
To 5no( t%e %itory o6 t%e myteriou Or&er o6 t%e
Roe-Croi78 it i in&i#ena$le to re6er to t%e an*ient
&o*ument (%i*% attet to it e7iten*e in Euro#e at
t%e $e"innin" o6 t%e +9t% *entury:
T%e mot im#ortant o6 t%ee &o*ument an& t%e
earliet i entitle&; Alle"emeine un& "enerale
Re6ormation &e "ant.en (eiten <elte8%ene$en &er
Fama Fraternitati &e l=$li*%en Or&en &e
Roen5reut.e an alle Gele%rte un& Hau#ter Euro#ae
"e*%rie$en :::: T%i anonymou te7t o6 +>9 #a"e in
o*ta'o a##eare& in Cael 6rom t%e #rintery o6 <il%elm
<eel in +?+>:
T%e eential an& ori"inal #art o6 t%e Re6ormation i t%e
Fama Fraternitati *om#riin" #a"e ,+ to ++@ o6 t%e
+?+> e&ition:
+
T%e Fama Fraternitati #ea5 o6 a e*ret 6raternity
6oun&e& t(o *enturie $e6ore $y C%ritian Roen5reut.
1

(%oe li6e it re*ount:
Born o6 a no$le 6amily8 C%ritian Roen5reut. $e*ame
or#%ane& at an early a"e: He "re( u# in a *on'ent
(%i*% %e le6t at t%e a"e o6 i7teen year in or&er to
tra'el in Ara$ia8 E"y#t an& Moro**o (Se&ir8 Hitoire &e
Roe-Croi78 # >1!:
It i &urin" t%e *oure o6 t%ee tra'el in Ilami*
*ountrie t%at %e (a #ut into *onta*t (it% t%e a"e o6
t%e Eat8 (%o re'eale& to %im t%e uni'eral %armoni*
*ien*e &eri'e& 6rom t%e Boo5 M (%i*% Roen5reut.
tranlate&:
It i on t%e 6oun&ation o6 t%i tea*%in" t%at %e
*on*ei'e& t%e #lan 6or imultaneou uni'eral reli"iou8
#%iloo#%i*8 *ientiA*8 #oliti*al8 an& artiti* re6orm: For
t%e reali.ation o6 t%i #lan %e unite& (it% e'eral
&i*i#le to (%om %e "a'e t%e name o6 Roe-Croi7:
T%e 6oun&er o6 t%e Or&er o6 t%e Roe-Croi7 $elon"e&8 a
aBrme& $y %i %itorian8 to a no$le 6amily8 $ut no
&o*ument allo( u to aBrm t%i #erem#torily: But t%at
(%i*% i *ertain i t%at %e (a an orientalit an& a "reat
tra'eler:
T%e Fama tell u )t%at in %i yout% %e attem#te& a
Courney to t%e Holy Se#ul*%re (it% a $rot%er 0:A:L:
Alt%ou"% t%i $rot%er &ie& in Cy#ru an& o &i& not ee
Derualem8 our $rot%er C:R: &i& not turn $a*58 $ut
em$ar5e& 6or t%e ot%er *oat an& &ire*tin" %imel6
to(ar& Dama*u8 (antin" to *ontinue $y 'iitin"
Derualem8 $ut &ie to i*5ne o6 $o&y8 %e to##e&
%imel6 an& t%an5 to t%e ue o6 ome &ru" ((%i*%
(ere not 6orei"n to %im! %e re*ei'e& t%e 6a'or o6 t%e
Tur5 an& entere& into *onta*t (it% t%e Sa"e o6
Dama*o (Dam*ar! in Ara$ia::::)
3
He $e*ame a*Euainte& (it% t%e mira*le a**om#li%e&
$y t%e Sa"e an& %o( t%e (%ole o6 nature (a un'eile&
to t%em: Not $ein" a$le to *ontain %i im#atien*e8 %e
ma&e an a"reement (it% t%e Ara$ t%at t%ey (oul&
ta5e %im to Dam*ar 6or a *ertain um o6 money:
I6 one a&mit t%e &ate +39@ a t%e &ate o6 $irt% o6
C%ritian Roen5reut.8 it i in*onteta$le t%at t%e
$e"innin" o6 %i 'oya"e to t%e Mi&&le Eat i ituate& in
t%e Art year o6 t%e +-t% *entury &urin" t%e
interre"num o6 +3@, to +>F18 &urin" t%e e#o*% o6
Sultan Sulieman t%e Firt (+>F1-+>+F!
>
: :::$ut
in*onteta$ly $e6ore t%e "reat *atatro#%e o6 1,t% May
+>-38 t%e &ate o6 t%e ta5in" o6 Contantino#le $y t%e
Tur5: Be6ore t%at time8 t%ere i no &ou$t t%at relation
$et(een Euro#e an& t%e Ilami* (orl& (ere Euite
normal an& t%at a youn" lo'er o6 t%in" Ara$ian u*%
a C: Roen5reut. (oul& not %a'e lot t%e o##ortunity
to $e a**e#te& in t%e learne& *ir*le o6 Ilami*
*ountrie:
In #ite o6 t%e intelle*tual &e*a&en*e (%i*% mar5e& t%e
en& o6 t%e Cali#%ate ) t%e uni'eritie o6 Cairo8
Ba"%&a& an& Dama*u (ere %i"%ly re#ute&
-
:)
T%ere i not%in" at all ur#riin" t%at t%i youn"
German a'ant %oul& "o to Derualem an& %a'e t%e
&eire to 5no( a$out t%e Ara$ #%iloo#%y (%oe
inGuen*e %a& $een o *oni&era$le on me&ie'al
*%olati*im in*e Gre"ory IX %a& li6te& t%e #ro%i$ition
on Aritotle an& t%e Ara$ #%iloo#%er
?
:
T%e te7t o6 t%e Fama relati'e to t%e relation%i# o6
C:Roen5reut. (it% t%e Sa"e o6 Dama*o i not yet a
*lear a one t%in5: Doe it u""et Dama*uH T%i
'illa"e in Ara$ia i name& Dama%EIn: In a&&ition8 t%e
an*ient *a#ital o6 t%e realm o6 Dama*Jne8 t%e *a#ital o6
Syria8 i not at all in Ara$ia:
- 1 -
/ 0AGE + 2 0AGE 3 4
In reality &oe it not u""et a totally &iKerent *%oolH
It i ne*eary to note t%at t%e (or& uni'erity or
*olle"e *orre#on& to t%e ara$i* noun ma&raat: T%e
aut%or o6 a Hitory o6 Le$anon re6er to t%e ma&raat-
ul-%IEIEi A BayrIt8 (%i*% mean t%e Lni'erity o6 La(
in Beirut
9
:
T%e (or& Dam*ar t%ere6ore remain Euite myteriou: I
%a'e in 'ain *onulte& &i*tionarie $y Lane8 Ma.imir5i8
Ri*%ar&on8 <a%rmun&8 Nen5er8 Belot8 Hou(a8 t%e
Su##lement au7 &i*tionnaire ara$e $y Do.y8 t%e
A&&ition au7 &i*tionnaire ara$e $y Fa"nan8 t%e
En.y5lo#O&ie &e Ilam an& t%e Ge*%i*%te &er
Ara$i*%en Literatur $y Bro*5lemann: DMCR i not an
ara$i* root:
An& yet Dam*ar &oenPt eem o 6ar 6rom Derualem: It
i t%ere t%at %e tren"t%ene& %i 6oun&ation in t%e
Ara$i* lan"ua"e t%at t%e 6ollo(in" year %e tranlate&
t%e Boo5 M into "oo& Latin
@
:
It i uB*iently &iB*ult to 5no( (%at t%e aut%or
inten&e& $y Boo5 M: 0er%a# it u""et a tranlation
o6 a lot $oo5 $y Aritotle8 $earin" t%i title8 $ut it
%ar&ly eem #ro$a$le: Sin*e t%e Fama *ite ot%er
$oo5 $y mean o6 a letter8 one *an in&u*e t%at t%e
initial in Euetion *orre#on& to t%e *ate"ori.ation C%r:
Roen5reut. ma&e 6or t%e $oo5 (%i*% %e tranlate&
6rom Ara$i*:
A6ter t%ree year o6 tu&y in (%i*% %e e#e*ially
*on*entrate& on me&i*ine an& mat%emati*8 %e
em$ar5e& 6rom t%e Sinu Ara$i*o 6or E"y#t8 (%ere %e
a##lie& %i attention to #lant an& animal:
He &oenPt eem to %a'e $een in E"y#t 6or 'ery lon" 8
(%en a %e tate8 %e em$ar5e& 6or t%e &etination o6
Fe.: <%at %e ay %ere i (ort% remem$erin"; ) E'ery
year t%e Ara$ an& A6ri*an en& t%eir *%oen &e#utie
to meet to Euetion ea*% ot%er on t%e u$Ce*t o6 t%e
Art an& to 5no( (%et%er omet%in" $etter %anPt $een
&i*o'ere&8 or i6 e7#erien*e %anPt (ea5ene& t%eir
$ai* #rin*i#le: T%ere6ore e'ery year ee omet%in"
ne( (%i*% im#ro'e mat%emati*8 me&i*ine8 an&
ma"i*
,
:) But %e re*o"ni.e& t%at )t%eir ma"i* (a not
alto"t%er #ure an& t%eir Ma$$ala% i &eAle& $y t%eir
reli"ion)
N+F
:
T%e Sa"e (%om %e meet in Fe. are in #erio&i* an&
re"ular *onta*t (it% t%oe o6 ot%er Ilami* *ountrie:
T%e )Elementarie)8 t%at i to ay t%oe (%o tu&y t%e
element8 re'eale& many o6 t%eir e*ret to %im
++
:
Fe. (a at t%e time a *enter o6 #%iloo#%i*al an&
o**ultit tu&ie; ome tau"%t t%ere (ere t%e al*%emy
o6 A$u-A$&alla%8 Ga$ir $en Hayan8 an& t%e Imam Da6ar
al Sa&iE8 t%e atrolo"y an& ma"i* o6 Ali-a%-
S%a$ramalli%i8 t%e eoteri* *ien*e o6 A$&arra%man
$en A$&alla% al I5ari: T%ee tu&ie Gouri%e& 6rom
t%e time o6 t%e Omayya&
+1
:
T%e 6a*t t%at e*ret are u""ete& in&i*ate (it%out
any &ou$t t%at t%ey 6orme& t%e tea*%in" o6 e*ret
o*ietie: It &oenPt at all u""et t%e Sa$ean8 an
eentially %etero&o7 o*iety (%i*% re#reente& a
ur'i'al o6 #a"anim: One i in*line& to $elie'e t%at
C%r: Roen5reut. %a& 6oun& %i e*ret amon"t t%e
Bret%ren o6 0urity8 a o*iety o6 #%iloo#%er (%i*% %a&
6orme& in Bara in t%e Art %al6 o6 t%e 6ourt% *entury
a6ter t%e HeCira (?11 ! (%i*%8 (it%out $ein" ort%o&o7 8
inter#rete& t%e &o"ma an& a##lie& itel6 eriouly to
*ientiA* reear*%: T%eir &o*trine (%i*% %a& it our*e
in t%e tu&y o6 t%e an*ient Gree5 #%iloo#%er8 $e*ame
more #ronoun*e& in a neo-#yt%a"orean &ire*tion
+3
:
T%ey too5 6rom t%e 0yt%a"orean tra&ition t%e %a$it o6
en'ia"in" t%in" un&er t%eir numeri* a#e*t:
T%eir inter#retation o6 &o"ma remaine& a e*ret 6rom
o*iety &ue to it %etero&o7 nature:
For e7am#le8 on t%e u$Ce*t o6 reurre*tion8 t%ey
e7#laine& t%at t%e (or& reurre*tion (Eiyama%! i
&eri'e& 6rom u$iten*e (Eiyam ! an& (%en t%e oul
lea'e t%e $o&y it u$it $y it een*e 8 an& it i t%i
(%i*% reurre*tion a*tually *onit:
T%e Bret%ren o6 0urity %a& in ea*% lo*ality a meetin"
#la*e (%ere non-mem$er (ere e7*lu&e&8 an& (%ere
t%ey *oul& &i*u t%eir e*ret to"et%er: T%ey (oul&
mutually %el# ea*% ot%er )li5e t%e %an& an& 6oot (or5
to"et%er 6or t%e $o&y:)
T%ere (ere 'ariou &e"ree in t%e or&er; mater o6
*ra6t8 "o'ernor or #ator o6 t%e $rot%er8 t%e &e"ree
o6 ultan (%i*% re#reente& le"ilati'e #o(er8 an&
Anally t%e u#reme &e"ree8 name& t%e royal &e"ree
(%i*% *on6erre& a tate o6 'iion or re'elation li5e t%e
one attaine& at &eat%:
T%e e*ret #art o6 t%e tea*%in" (a on t%e u$Ce*t o6
t%eur"y; t%e &i'ine an& an"eli* name8 *onCuration8
t%e Ma$$ala%8 e7or*im et*:::
+>
T%e Bret%ren o6 0urity &iKere& 6rom t%e SuA $ut t%ey
(ere unite& in many #oint o6 &o*trine: T%ey (ere $ot%
myti*al or&er &eri'in" 6rom Morani* t%eolo"y: T%e
&o"ma i u##lante& $y 6ait% in t%e Di'ine Reality
+-
:
- 3 -
/ 0AGE + 2 0AGE 1 4
T%e SuA e'i&ently &itin"ui%e& t%emel'e 6rom
Bret%ren o6 0urity8 an& i6 t%eir &o*trine %a& ome
#oint in *ommon (it% nearly all t%e SuA e*t8 it i
ne*eary to *ertainly e7*e#t t%at (%i*% a&mitte&
metem#y*%oi: Follo(in" t%e tea*%in" o6 t%e Ara$
neo-#latoni* #%iloo#%er an& De(i% 5a$$alit (%o
o6ten inGuen*e& t%e myti*8 t%ey *alle& 6or t%e i&ea o6
metem#y*%oi8 in or&er to re#reent t%e
*%atiement o6 t%e im#ure oul lea'in" t%e $o&y
+?
:
T%eir tea*%in" #reente& enou"% C%ritian *ro
6ertili.ation t%at it attra*te& t%e attention o6 t%e
C%ritian initiate C:Roen5reut.: T%eir &o*trine o6 t%e
Lo"o &eri'in" 6rom t%e Go#el e'i&ently &iKere& 6rom
t%e C%ritian i&ea8 $ut t%ere (a amon" t%em a
yn*retim (%i*% one &i*o'er in t%e Roi*ru*ian
ritual: In t%e a*enion o6 t%e oul to(ar& Go&8 t%e
Illumination o6 t%e Name i "i'en $y t%e Bi$le8 t%e
Illumination o6 t%e attri$ute $y t%e Go#el8 an& t%e
Illumination o6 t%e Een*e $y t%e Moran: Deu an&
Mo%amme& %a& re'eale& t%e myterie o6 t%e In'ii$le:
+9
T%i i (ell enou"% t%e *%ara*ter o6 t%i yn*retim:
It i to $e note& t%at Bret%ren o6 0urity &i& not (ear any
#e*ial *lot%in"
+@
Q it i a 5no(n 6a*t t%at t%e initiator
alo aure& t%emel'e t%at one #eron (%o *oul&
u**ee& t%em8 an& t%at t%ey #ra*ti*e& a$tinen*e8
(%i*% t%e aut%or o6 t%e Fama tranlate& $y an Ara$
ima"e ) t%ey (ere en"a"e& to 'ir"inity )
+,
8 t%ey %eale&
t%e i*5 : I (ill a$tain 6rom *itin" t%e name o6 t%e
"reat Ara$i* &o*tor (%o are o (ell 5no(n:
T%e Roi*ru*ian &o*trine o6 Creation (%i*% (e %a'e
re*ently #u$li%e&
1F
8 i 6oun& a"ain in it entirety in t%e
#%iloo#%y o6 I$n Sina: Go& &oe not *reate t%e (orl&
&ire*tly $ut t%e ne*eary Bein" emanate a #ure
intelli"en*e (%i*% i t%e Firt Caue: T%i Firt Caue
5no( t%e Creator a ne*eary an& itel6 a #oi$le:
From t%i time multi#li*ity intro&u*e itel6 into t%e
Or&er o6 *reation: T%i intelli"en*e i t%e a*ti'e
intelle*t8 t%e illuminator o6 oul: From #%ere to #%ere
(t%rou"% t%e ten #%ere! t%e ra&ian*e #erue itel6
to(ar& t%e #ure intelli"en*e a 6ar a t%e le'el o6
matter:
Go& i un&ertoo& t%ere6ore a t%e omni#otent an&
*reati'e Firt Caue: He *annot %a'e $een a$tainin"
6rom all time an& %a'e *ommen*e& t%at (%i*% im#lie
in %im a *%an"e o t%at t%e *reation i eternal:
T%e Creator &oe not &ire*tly *reate matter8 $ut it i
t%rou"% t%e role o6 t%e interme&iarie8 t%e an"el (%o
i&enti6y t%emel'e (it% t%e Art #rin*i#le
1+
:
It i #oi$le t%at C%r: Roen5reut. *oul& %a'e 5no(n
t%e tea*%in" o6 I$n Sina or A$&uPl-Marim al-Dili
11
8 (%o
&e'elo#e& an analo"ou t%eory; ) T%e (orl& i *o-
eternal (it% Go&8 $ut in t%e lo"i*al or&er8 t%e
Cu&"ement t%at Go& e7it in Himel6 i anterior to t%e
Cu&"ement t%at t%in" e7it in %i 5no(le&"e: He 5no(
t%em a He 5no( Himel6 $ut t%ey are not eternal an&
He i eternal:
13
)
Mo%yi-e&-Din tau"%t t%at t%e oul are #re-e7itent to
t%e $o&y8 t%at t%ey are o6 &iKerent &e"ree o6
#er6e*tion an& t%at t%ey uneEually $rea5 t%rou"% t%e
%a&o( o6 t%e $o&y: T%e a*t o6 learnin" 6or t%em8
t%ere6ore i not%in" more t%an a remem$erin"8 a return
a*enion to(ar& t%e #la*e 6rom (%i*% t%ey %a& Art
&e#arte&:
I$n-Ara$i (%o (rote a $oo5 on )T%e Hun&re& Name o6
Go&) ue& *ir*le to e7#oun& %i ytem 8 (%i*% i
in"ularly *loe to t%at o6 )Di"nitate Di'inae) $y
Raymon& Lully8 (%o i *oni&ere& a an initiate an&
#re*uror to t%e Roe-Croi7:
Roi*ru*ian t%eur"y %ar&ly &iKer 6rom t%at o6 t%e SuA
alt%ou"% t%e SuA &eri'e a 'ery ri*% an"elolo"y 6rom
t%e Moran: At t%e i&e o6 t%e C%eru$im i a more
ele'ate& an"el name& al-Nun (%o ym$oli.e Di'ine
Mno(le&"e: He i #la*e& in 6ront o6 t%e *eletial Ta$letQ
un&er t%e T%rone are #la*e& t%e an"el name& al
Ralam ( t%e #en!Q t%e an"el al-Mu&a$$ir Q t%e an"el
name& al-Mu6ail are #la*e& $e6ore t%e ImamuPl
Mu$in8 (Firt Intelli"en*e!Q t%e Ru% are t%e o$Ce*t o6
Di'ine Mno(le&"e:::::: T%e SuA myti* (%en %e rea*%e
t%e &e"ree o6 #er6e*tion i in *onta*t (it% t%e an"el: I6
$y t%em %e attain t%e 5no(le&"e o6 t%e (orl& 'ii$le
an& in'ii$le8 it i $y t%em alo t%at %e e7er*ie a
u#er%uman #o(er o'er t%in"8 o'er %umanity an&
o'er e'ent8 in*e t%e e'o5e& an"el %ere are no
lon"er t%e im#le meen"er o6 Go& $ut t%e t%ou"%t
itel6 o6 Go&8 in o 6ar a it emanate 6rom t%e Di'ine
Een*e t%rou"% t%e Firt Create& to(ar& t%e
meta#%yi*al reality o6 t%in":
It i in t%i t%at t%e Hi"% Ma"i* al i%ruPl ali rei&e : In
)T%e 0at% o6 Di'ine Lnity)8 t%e myti* Dili e7#lain %o(
$y t%e ue o6 a 6ormula t%e myti* o$tain 6rom Go&
t%at (%i*% %e &eire
1>
:
- NOTES -
+ T%e Fren*% tranlation $y E: Coro (E&: R%ea8 0ari
+,1+ ! *om#rie ?3 #a"e : It i u$title& )T%e Tra'el
o6 C%ritian Ro.en5reut.:) T%e Fama i attri$ute& to
Do%n Salentin An&rea: - return to t%e te7t
1 C: Roen5reut. i *oni&ere& $y many %itorian a a
myt%i* #erona"e: Ho(e'er Laroue "i'e a %i &ate
+39@-+>@>: - return to t%e te7t
3 Fama8+,1+8 #1+-19: - return to t%e te7t
> T:Mann8 Der Ilam8 # ++? - return to t%e te7t
- 0: MELLER8 La Euetion ara$e8 #+9 - return to t%e te7t
? A:M GOICHON8 La #%iloo#%ie &PA'i*enne et on
inGuen*e en Euro#e mT&iT'ale8 +,>>8 #+F- - return to
t%e te7t
9 Mua(ir A tari5 LI$nUni8 #1@: - return to t%e te7t
@ Fama8 #33->9: Doe Dam*ar u""et a ma&raat
( Lni'erity ! (%oe name %a $een *orru#te& 8
#er%a# Me&ina 8 (%ere t%e o**ult *ien*e (ere %el&
in %onour: - return to t%e te7t
, Fama8 # 1> - return to t%e te7t
+F Fama8 # 1> - return to t%e te7t
++ Fama8 # 1? - return to t%e te7t
+1 C:BROCMELMANN8 Gee$:&er ara$i*%en Literatur8 t
II - return to t%e te7t
+3 CARA DE SALX8 Le #eneur &e lPIlam8 t IS 8 # +F9:
- return to t%e te7t
+> CARA DE SALX8 o# *it: # ++3 - return to t%e te7t
+- R:A: NICHOLSON8 Stu&ie in Ilami* Myti*im8 +,1+8
# 9,: - return to t%e te7t
+? G:SADDER8 Intro&u*tion V la #enee Cui'e au moyen-
a"e8 +,>98 #,9: - return to t%e te7t
+9 NICHOLSON8 o# *it 8 # +3@ - return to t%e te7t
+@ BOLCHET8 LPTotTrime muulman 8 (Mueen +,+F!
- return to t%e te7t
+, Fama 8 # 3@ - return to t%e te7t
1F La #enee et lPoeu're &e 0Tla&an 8 La #%iloo#%ie
Roi*ru*ienne8 +,>9 : - return to t%e te7t
1+ GOICHON8 Intro&u*tion V A'i*enna 8 # 31 - return to
t%e te7t
11 He i t%e aut%or o6 )al Inanu Mamil:::: ( T%e 0er6e*t
Man in t%e 5no(le&"e o6 Ori"in! a uA (or5: - return to
t%e te7t
13 NICHOLSON8 o# *it 8 # +F3 - return to t%e te7t
1> NICHOLSON8 o# *it 8 # +3, - return to t%e te7t