331:
Each painting told the story of an event, although there was no narrative for the book as a whole; the order of paintings was random. They were consulted to divine the prospects for a major decision (such as a business venture, marriage, or house move) or to divine the condition of absent relatives or friends. To answer a question, readers would perform ablutions, recite prayers from the Quran and then open the book at a random page. The text explained whether the prediction was favourable, unfavourable, or middling. For example, a painting of the Sun would suggest a favourable outcome while a villain usually meant a disastrous outcome. To avoid the worst outcomes, the text recommended pious acts such as prayer, pilgrimage, or kindness to others.
276:
330:
Falnama manuscripts were unusually large books; the surviving examples range from 40 centimetres (16 in) to more than 66 centimetres (26 in) high. The paintings combined secular and religious imagery and their depiction of religious and mythical figures was very influential on other works.
327:, opened a random page in the book and interpreted their fortune in light of the painting and its accompanying text. Only a few illustrated Falnamas now survive; these were commissioned by rich patrons and are unusually large books for the time, with bold, finely executed paintings.
254:
Another variant requires the selection of a random book from a library before selecting the random passage from that book. This also holds if a book has fallen down from a shelf on its own. English poet
323:
at the end specifically for divination, from at least the late 14th century to the 19th. In the 16th century, Falnama manuscripts were introduced that used a different system; individuals performed
267:, but on randomly opening it his eyes fell on the following sentence: "if we love in the other world as we do in this, I shall love thee to eternity" (which was a translation exercise).
26:. The use of sacred books (especially specific words and verses) for "magical medicine", for removing negative entities, or for divination is widespread in many religions of the world.
319:. Quranic Falnamas were sections at the end of Quran manuscripts used for fortune-telling based on a grid. It was common for Quran manuscripts produced in India and Iran to have
647:
459:
recounts that his late father used to practice bibliomancy with the writings of Walter Scott: "Once, when he was suffering severely from
Constipation, he opened
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839:
541:
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768:
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260:
248:
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668:(Revised and expanded ed.). Abu Dhabi: Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). pp. 275–9.
36:
956:
1410:
1378:
1163:
307:
or
Falnamah ("Book of omens" or "Book of divinations") covers two forms of bibliomancy used historically in
99:"poem", "song", "ode") "divination by reading a random passage from a poem". A historical precedent was the
295:
Bibliomancy has a long history in
Islamic culture, using both secular and religious books, especially the
226:
225:
is the most popular for this kind of divination, but by no means the only kind. The Quran, as well as the
1462:
1220:
972:
104:
221:
52:"divination by means of") "divination by books, or by verses of the Bible" was first recorded in 1753 (
465:
at random and read out "Mr Owen entered. So regular were the motions and habits of this worthy man". (
66:"row, line, verse") "divination by lines of verse in books taken at hazard", which was first recorded
1504:
549:
455:
385:
79:
1489:
949:
610:
Coffey, Heather (2019). "Diminutive
Divination and the Implications of Scale: A Miniature Qur'anic
1403:
1349:
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1061:
716:
641:
190:
119:
1457:
1270:
910:
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847:
814:
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669:
629:
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324:
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used this method to ask about the fate of his attraction to
Elizabeth Barrett (later known as
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1051:
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200:
166:
125:
113:
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tells the story of Niall
Lenihan, a student who falls in with a 'cult' whose members use
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1089:
401:
284:
796:
1483:
1293:
1255:
1084:
1056:
998:
484:
450:, bibliomancy (referred to as "Bible-dipping") is used by one of the main characters.
410:, the narrator Gabriel Betteredge routinely practices bibliomancy using the pages of
406:
100:
91:
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1333:
1308:
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764:
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517:
411:
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244:
350:, Feofar Khan judged Michael Strogoff to blindness after pointing randomly in the
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809:
769:"Art review: Blake Gopnik on 'Falnama: The Book of Omens' at the Sackler Gallery"
689:"Manuscripts in Bihari Calligraphy: Preliminary Remarks on a Little-Known Corpus"
1313:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1079:
993:
373:
347:
291:). Opening the book to this painting was interpreted as a favourable prediction.
236:
There is a prevalent practice among certain, particularly messianic, members of
175:
704:
614:
of the
Safavid Period". In Myrvold, Kristina; Miller Parmenter, Dorina (eds.).
1452:
1415:
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1247:
1158:
1140:
1130:
1120:
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1013:
975:
914:
842:. In Exum, J. Cheryl; Clines, David J. A.; Apostolos-Cappadona, Diana (eds.).
633:
479:
108:
23:
818:
712:
673:
1425:
1383:
1373:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1168:
1153:
1125:
1115:
434:
365:, the sociopathic protagonist Dell uses the dictionary to guide his actions.
1265:
1447:
1420:
1398:
1359:
1303:
1277:
1023:
1008:
424:, since Crusoe himself uses bibliomancy in his journey toward redemption.
288:
240:
941:
720:
688:
666:
The arts of Islam : treasures from the Nasser D. Khalili collection
1437:
1173:
1094:
1071:
1046:
304:
280:
212:
616:
Miniature books : the format and function of tiny religious texts
1442:
1365:
1214:
1178:
1003:
429:
312:
184:
179:
134:
1354:
899:. London: The Nour Foundation in association with Azimuth Editions.
233:
may also be used. Fāl-e Ḥafez may be used for one or more persons.
1193:
377:
354:
at the phrase: "And he will no more see the things of this earth."
351:
316:
296:
274:
206:
171:
161:
130:
1432:
308:
247:, a thirty-volume collection of letters written by their leader
230:
945:
840:"Images of the first woman: Eve in Islamic Fāl-nāma paintings"
741:"Falnama's Book of Omens: The Future Will Be Bright and Sunny"
376:, bibliomancy is used to produce a warning message from the
797:"Review of "Falnama: The Book of Omens" by Massumeh Farhad"
542:""Igrot Kodesh" ("Holy Letters") of the Lubavitcher Rebbe"
111:, divination by drawing lots") which specialized into
151:
It is balanced on its spine and allowed to fall open.
571:
The
Letters of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett
1342:
1286:
1246:
1139:
1108:
1070:
1032:
986:
263:). He was at first disappointed to choose the book
58:). Sometimes this term is used synonymously with
148:A book is picked that is believed to hold truth.
957:
8:
983:
964:
950:
942:
646:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
154:A passage is picked, with the eyes closed.
808:
496:
287:from the Khalili Falnama (17th century
878:
866:
739:Py-Lieberman, Beth (22 October 2009).
734:
732:
730:
639:
594:
582:
188:was common in Europe and known as the
790:
788:
7:
687:De La Perrière, Eloïse Brac (2016).
605:
603:
14:
846:. London: Bloomsbury. p. 9.
838:Hadromi-Allouche, Zohar (2018).
453:The narrator of Graham Greene's
170:), and in Islamic cultures the
795:Natif, Mika (6 October 2010).
194:. In the classical world the
164:is most commonly used (in the
1:
618:. Sheffield. pp. 85–87.
439:The Black Book of Bibliomancy
67:
44:(etymologically from βιβλίον
932:from the Jewish Encyclopedia
810:10.3202/caa.reviews.2010.110
441:, a fake book, is mentioned.
420:. This is a good example of
844:Biblical Women and the Arts
803:. College Art Association.
219:In Iran, bibliomancy using
1521:
705:10.1163/22118993_03301P005
261:Elizabeth Barrett Browning
249:Menachem Mendel Schneerson
16:Use of books in divination
982:
504:Oxford English Dictionary
279:Animals gathering before
265:Cerutti's Italian Grammar
37:Oxford English Dictionary
1164:Cowrie-shell divination
895:Parikh, Rachel (2022).
444:In Augusten Burroughs'
22:is the use of books in
1500:Language and mysticism
292:
160:Among Christians, the
447:Running with Scissors
359:The Book of Webster's
278:
129:, using the texts of
897:The Khalili Fālnāmah
745:Smithsonian Magazine
522:Encyclopedia Iranica
516:Omidsalar, Mahmoud.
506:, 2nd edition, 1989.
467:Travels With My Aunt
456:Travels With My Aunt
368:In the short story "
325:purification rituals
243:movement to use the
55:Chambers' Cyclopædia
767:(25 October 2009).
48:"book" and μαντεία
1233:Tarot card reading
937:Bibliomancy Oracle
293:
222:The Divān of Hafez
196:sortes Virgilianae
191:sortes Virgilianae
120:sortes Virgilianae
1477:
1476:
1473:
1472:
1271:Spirit possession
625:978-1-78179-860-7
546:www.ravaviner.com
137:, and the Bible.
34:According to the
1512:
1227:Sortes Sanctorum
984:
966:
959:
952:
943:
918:
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574:
573:, Vol, 1, p. 470
568:
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561:
559:
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548:. Archived from
538:
532:
531:
529:
528:
513:
507:
501:
363:J. N. Williamson
343:Michael Strogoff
238:Chabad-Lubavitch
201:sortes Homericae
167:Sortes Sanctorum
126:sortes Sanctorum
114:sortes Homericae
72:
69:
1520:
1519:
1515:
1514:
1513:
1511:
1510:
1509:
1480:
1479:
1478:
1469:
1394:Fortune-telling
1338:
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1135:
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1066:
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978:
970:
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907:
894:
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773:Washington Post
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552:on 4 April 2010
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476:
422:intertextuality
417:Robinson Crusoe
386:The First Verse
337:
273:
257:Robert Browning
143:
70:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1299:Cephalonomancy
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1240:
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1206:
1201:
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1191:
1189:Obi divination
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1149:Astragalomancy
1145:
1143:
1137:
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1134:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1112:
1110:
1106:
1105:
1103:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1090:Crystal gazing
1087:
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923:External links
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451:
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402:Wilkie Collins
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397:to guide them.
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251:for guidance.
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89:compares with
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1297:
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1294:Anthropomancy
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1086:
1085:Catoptromancy
1083:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1069:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1057:Rhapsodomancy
1055:
1053:
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1031:
1025:
1022:
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1007:
1005:
1002:
1000:
999:Alectryomancy
997:
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992:
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989:
985:
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906:9781874780946
902:
898:
893:
892:
888:
881:, p. 17.
880:
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853:9780567685162
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766:
765:Gopnik, Blake
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663:
662:Rogers, J. M.
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627:
621:
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613:
606:
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597:, p. 16.
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551:
547:
543:
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512:
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485:Rhapsodomancy
483:
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449:
448:
443:
440:
436:
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409:
408:
407:The Moonstone
404:' 1868 novel
403:
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217:
216:) were used.
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102:
101:ancient Roman
98:
94:
93:
92:rhapsodomancy
88:
84:
82:
81:
76:
65:
62:(from στίχος
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
43:
39:
38:
29:
27:
25:
21:
1411:Mesopotamian
1404:
1389:Cledonomancy
1364:
1334:Scapulimancy
1309:Omphalomancy
1238:Tasseography
1225:
1213:
1184:Molybdomancy
1033:
1019:Ornithomancy
929:
896:
874:
869:, p. 9.
862:
843:
833:
822:. Retrieved
800:
776:. Retrieved
772:
759:
748:. Retrieved
744:
696:
692:
682:
665:
656:
615:
611:
590:
578:
570:
566:
554:. Retrieved
550:the original
545:
536:
525:. Retrieved
521:
518:"Divination"
511:
503:
499:
466:
460:
454:
445:
438:
428:
415:
412:Daniel Defoe
405:
394:
391:Barry McCrea
384:
370:The Ash-tree
358:
341:
329:
294:
285:Queen Bilqis
281:King Solomon
264:
253:
245:Igrot Kodesh
235:
220:
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103:practice of
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90:
86:
85:
78:
63:
59:
53:
49:
45:
41:
35:
33:
19:
18:
1505:Bibliomancy
1314:Oracle bone
1287:Somatomancy
1256:Gastromancy
1209:Runic magic
1204:Rhabdomancy
1080:Aspidomancy
1034:Bibliomancy
994:Ailuromancy
987:Theriomancy
930:Bibliomancy
879:Parikh 2022
867:Parikh 2022
801:CAA Reviews
595:Parikh 2022
583:Parikh 2022
556:22 November
374:M. R. James
348:Jules Verne
204:(using the
178:the use of
176:Middle Ages
87:Bibliomancy
71: 1693
60:stichomancy
42:bibliomancy
40:, the word
30:Terminology
20:Bibliomancy
1490:Divination
1484:Categories
1453:Revelation
1416:Numerology
1379:Apparition
1261:Mediumship
1248:Necromancy
1159:Cartomancy
1141:Cleromancy
1131:Hydromancy
1121:Capnomancy
1100:Oculomancy
1014:Myrmomancy
976:divination
973:Methods of
915:1340908405
824:2023-09-25
778:2021-11-11
750:2021-11-11
634:1082402029
527:2009-04-05
491:References
480:Bible code
383:The novel
361:(1993) by
346:(1876) by
335:In fiction
24:divination
1426:Isopsephy
1384:Astrology
1374:Apophenia
1329:Rumpology
1324:Podomancy
1319:Palmistry
1169:Favomancy
1154:Belomancy
1126:Aeromancy
1116:Pyromancy
1109:Elemental
819:1543-950X
713:0732-2992
699:: 63–90.
674:455121277
642:cite book
469:, Ch.16.)
435:Garth Nix
174:. In the
109:sortilege
1448:Prophecy
1421:Gematria
1399:Geomancy
1304:Haruspex
1278:Taghairm
1199:Opon Ifá
1009:Myomancy
721:26551682
693:Muqarnas
664:(2008).
474:See also
289:Golconda
271:In Islam
241:Chasidic
227:Mathnawī
97:rhapsode
80:Rabelais
75:Urquhart
64:stichos-
50:-manteía
46:biblion-
1458:Ecstasy
1438:Onmyodo
1405:I Ching
1350:African
1174:Kumalak
1095:Dowsing
1072:Scrying
1047:Falnama
889:Sources
612:Falnama
462:Rob Roy
305:Falnama
301:Persian
213:Odyssey
1463:Vision
1443:Oracle
1366:Sikidy
1266:Séance
1221:Sortes
1215:Sikidy
1179:Mengdu
1062:Virgil
1004:Augury
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430:Lirael
395:sortes
321:folios
315:, and
313:Turkey
299:. The
185:Aeneid
180:Virgil
141:Method
135:Virgil
123:, and
105:sortes
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1495:Bible
1360:Nggàm
1343:Other
1194:Opele
1052:Homer
1042:Bible
1024:Nggàm
717:JSTOR
433:, by
378:Bible
372:" by
352:Koran
317:India
303:word
297:Quran
207:Iliad
172:Quran
162:Bible
131:Homer
1433:Omen
911:OCLC
901:ISBN
848:ISBN
815:ISSN
709:ISSN
670:OCLC
648:link
630:OCLC
620:ISBN
558:2017
309:Iran
283:and
231:Rumi
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198:and
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389:by
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