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Post by sin on Feb 5, 2009 8:49:06 GMT -6
I was hoping we could clear something up. It is my understanding that the author of the Necronomicon is simply referred to as 'The Mad Arab'. Now I realize that HPL created Abdul Al Hazred and is in use in several stories; however I have not read a single shred that validates that the 'Mad Arab' and Al Hazred are one in the same. Wiki had this to say: "Abdul Alhazred is a fictional character created by American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. He is the so-called "Mad Arab" credited with authoring the imaginary book Kitab al-Azif (the Necronomicon), and as such an integral part of Cthulhu Mythos lore." This by no means validates the claim, at least not in my own mind. Isn't it an assumption that the two are synonymous? Wiki cites these references: * August Derleth (2000) [1951]. "The Keeper of the Key". Quest for Cthulhu. New York, NY: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0752-6. * Harms, Daniel (1998). The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana (2nd ed. ed.). Oakland, CA: Chaosium. ISBN 1-56882-119-0. * Lovecraft, Howard P. History of The Necronomicon. West Warwick, RI: Necronomicon Press. ISBN 0-318-04715-2. www.necfiles.org/nechisto.htm. * Pearsall, Anthony B. (2005). The Lovecraft Lexicon (1st ed. ed.). Tempe, AZ: New Falcon. ISBN 1-56184-129-3. Based on this list, again - I believe it's an assumption. Am I wrong here? If so, can you please point me to any HPL text which makes the claim the two are one and the same?
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Post by sin on Feb 5, 2009 8:55:08 GMT -6
www.necfiles.org/nechisto.htm"(The original essay by Lovecraft, circulated among his friends for years and not published until after his death. An annotated version will be published in The Necronomicon Files, but in the meantime you can check out my comments.)" "Composed by Abdul Alhazred, a mad poet of Sana�, in Yemen, who is said to have flourished during the period of the Ommiade caliphs, circa 700 A. D. He visited the ruins of Babylon & the subterranean secret of Memphis & spent ten years alone in the great southern desert of Arabia - the Roba El Khaliyeh or "Empty Space" of the ancients - & "Dahna" or "Crimson" desert of the modern Arabs, which is held to be inhabited by protective evil spirits & monsters of death. Of this desert many strange & unbelievable marvels are told by those who pretend to have penetrated it. In his last years Alhazred dwelt in Damascus, where the Necronomicon (Al Azif) was written, & of his final death or disappearance (738 A. D.) Many terrible & conflicting things are told. He is said by Ebn Khallikan (12th cent. biographer) to have been seized by an invisible monster in broad daylight & devoured horribly before a large number of fright-frozen witnesses. Of his madness many things are told. He claimed to have been the fabulous Irem, or City of Pillars, & to have found beneath the ruins of a certain nameless desert town the shocking annals & secrets of a race older than mankind. He was only an indifferent Moslem, worshipping unknown entities whom he called Yog-Sothoth & Cthulhu." If this wasn't published until 1970, and after his death - how can we be certain it's accurate? Are there any other accounts where he mentions the Arab by name, and with specific reference to authoring the Necronomicon?
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Post by sin on Feb 5, 2009 8:56:25 GMT -6
"Who was Abdul Alhazred? Little is known. What we do know about him is largely derived from the small amount of biographical information in the Necronomicon itself" Source: www.digital-brilliance.com/necron/necron.htm#WhoWhich Necronomicon? The Simon?
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Post by sin on Feb 5, 2009 8:58:16 GMT -6
(1) "The Mad Arab" Necronomicon: "Original title Al Azif being the word used by the Arabs to designate that nocturnal sound (made by insects) supposed to be the howling of demons." "Composed by Abdul Alhazred, a mad poet of Sanaa, in Yemen, who is said to have flourished in the time of the Ommiade Caliphs, circa A.D. 700." - H. P. Lovecraft, "The History and Chronology of the Necronomicon" Source: www.mystae.com/restricted/streams/scripts/necronomicon.html
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Post by sin on Feb 5, 2009 9:01:16 GMT -6
"He [Alhazred] visited the ruins of Babylon and the subterranean secrets of Memphis and spent ten years alone in the great southern desert of Arabia-the Roba el Khaliye or 'Empty Space' of the ancients and 'Dahna' or 'Crimson Desert' of the modern Arabs, which is held to be inhabited by protective evil spirits and monsters of death. Of this desert many strange and unbelievable marvels are told by those who pretend to have penetrated it. In his last years Alhazred dwelt in Damascus, where the Necronomicon (Al Azif) was written and of his final death or disappearance (738 A.D.) many terrible and conflicting things are told. He is said by Ebn Khallikan (12th century biographer) to have been seized by an invisible monster in broad daylight and devoured horribly before a large number of fright-frozen witnesses. Of his madness many things are told. He claimed to have seen the fabulous Irem or city of Pillars, and to have found beneath the ruins of a certain nameless desert town the shocking annals and secrets of a race older than mankind. He was only an indifferent Moslem, worshipping unknown deities whom he called Yog-Sothoth and Cthulhu." - H. P. Lovecraft, "The History and Chronology of the Necronomicon" www.sonic.net/~yronwode/arcane-archive.org/occultism/magic/books/necronomicon/cthulu-1.phpI would like to obtain a copy of the exact text. The brackets around the name are suspicious to me.
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Post by sin on Feb 5, 2009 9:09:17 GMT -6
"though the deathless Chinamen said that there were double meanings in the Necronomicon of the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred which the initiated might read as they chose, especially the much-discussed couplet: That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die. " www.eponymous.org/lovecraft/thecallofcthulhu.htmThis was the only reference to him, in 'The Call of Cthulhu' by HPL 1926, published on the link I provided.
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Post by 10kdays on Sept 8, 2009 0:32:43 GMT -6
"Abdul Alhazred" is actually improper in Arabic vocab. it's similar to someone saying "don't got no (insert noun/pronoun)"
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Post by sin on Sept 8, 2009 6:53:03 GMT -6
So, what do you think? In possession of, or written by?
Perhaps HPL used it as word play, similar to 'Miskatonic' (Cathonic), and other terms he uses to 'hide' ideas (hence it's occult allure).
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Post by I AM the Way on Sept 8, 2009 10:24:10 GMT -6
i believe that Abdul Alhazred started out as Lovecraft's secret Arab name for himself when he was a child. after reading 1,001 Arabian Nights, HPL became rather obsessed with that stuff.
also, HPL never let the laws of nature or language get in the way of a ripping yarn.
VS
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Post by sin on Sept 8, 2009 11:01:32 GMT -6
I tend to agree with you VS, I have a copy of this book on my website for download if anyone is interested. I myself included it, to compliment my Tantra collection, to aid with the 'Arabian' aesthetic.
This could be the very reason why I'm not convinced he intended to convey that the Arab wrote the book, more so took possession of it. If HPL is the Arab, this character would be in possession of it's madness, but not the author of it. HPL would be acting through the Arab in written form, but maintains authorship.
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Post by LostSoul on Sept 10, 2009 9:14:24 GMT -6
You seem to have given this concept a great deal of psychic energy, Cora...
So, it is yours(and Venger's) intention that Lovecraft's alter ego WAS the Mad Arab?
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Post by sin on Sept 10, 2009 10:29:31 GMT -6
I tend to believe that yes, and Lovecraft maintains authorship of the Necronomicon the Arab simply possesses it, and allows it to drive him mad. I'd imagine that these stories and ideas would weigh on HPL's mind, and in his dreams. Perhaps the Arab was an outlet from some of that residual 'funk'.
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Post by jasmine on Sept 14, 2009 14:27:06 GMT -6
I have newbies come into the shop at least once a week. Asking for a copy of the "true" Necronomicon. I laugh and laugh. I still cannot believe that anyone of intelligence and true study can even think that there was such a thing as the Necronomicon. Its is a huge joke....centuries old. Designed to waste the young adepts time and prevent him from surpassing his master.
So the real joke is on anyone who actually believes that its true. Or even exists.
Ia Ia!!! The truth will out.
Jaz.
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Post by sin on Sept 15, 2009 7:10:13 GMT -6
Well Jaz,
Technically, if one creates their very own Necronomicon, it exists and is quite real. I've seen some pretty creative renditions made by enthusiasts. Working on one myself ;-)
But as far as *the* Necronomicon, yah I'm with ya. It chaps my ass when people believe the SIMON *is* the book. [head desk].
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