The Book of the Law

The Book of the Law, also known as Liber AL vel Legis, is the text central to philosophical / religious practice called Thelema founded by Aleister Crowley.

Crowley claimed to have received the book in Cairo in three sessions between 12 noon and 1 pm on April 8, 9 and 10, 1904 Gregorian, and his Thelemic calendar starts from this year. He reports writing the book by dictation from a voice that seemed to come from over his shoulder and called itself Aiwass (or Aiwaz). He also reports having the impression or picture of a speaker in the corner behind him, looking "transparent as a veil of gauze," but otherwise like a tall, dark man with his eyes veiled (so as not to destroy what he looked upon). At the time, he says, he considered the figure "an 'angel' such as I had often seen in visions, a being purely astral. He was later to change this view substantially.

Crowley and his students sometimes appear to neglect this advice when it comes to the Book of the Law. Additionally, the most usual name for the experience that happened to Crowley in April, 1904 -- and that is regarded as a grade of initiation in the systems which Crowley inspired -- suggests a warning against theory or philosophical explanations: In Magick in Theory and Practice Crowley writes that he chose the name "Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel" because he thought no-one of any intelligence would waste time on the theory behind the name.

Regardless, many who use Crowley's methods report similar experiences, and find them useful in their ritual practices.

The Comment of Ankh F N Khonsu was written at a later time, and prohibits study of this work.