History is littered with individuals and sacred texts that make the momentous claim of being able to see into the future. In this series of articles, we are going to examine the prophetic credentials of those in whom millions of people have put their trust. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and we will utilise a number of different tools in order to put the most popular of those in history to the test. Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley (12 October, 1875 – 1 December, 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician and poet. He is one of the most notorious individuals of the 20th century, being dubbed “The Wickedest Man in the World” by the British media because of his libertine views on sex and drugs as well as his blasphemous writings against traditional religions such as Christianity. By the time of his death in 1947, he was the world’s leading occultist. A prolific writer, he published numerous works on the theory and practice of magic over the course of his life. He is most famous for the text known as The Book of the Law. Although it was Crowley’s own hand that penned the work, he never claimed to be its author. Crowley claimed that during his travels to Egypt in 1904, a supernatural entity that called itself Aiwass made contact with him. Aiwass, described by Crowley to be a being of intelligence far beyond that of human beings, proceeded to dictate The Book of the Law directly to him over the course of three days. After this experience, Crowley identified himself as a prophet and claimed that he had been entrusted by the gods to guide humanity into a new spiritual age. He went on to found the religion of Thelema, which he based on the principles of The Book of the Law. Today, followers of Aleister Crowley and his religion Thelema call themselves Thelemites. Crowley considered the content of The Book of the Law to be evidence of its supernatural origin: He [Aiwass] showed his KNOWLEDGE chiefly by the use of cipher or cryptogram in certain passages to set forth recondite facts, including some events which had yet to take place, such that no human being could possibly be aware of them; thus, the proof of his claim exists in the manuscript itself. [1] Here we can see that according to Crowley, one of the proofs for the supernatural origin of the book is its accurate predictions of future events. What follows is the most famous example of a prophecy that is associated with The Book of the Law: I am the warrior Lord of the Forties: the Eighties cower before me, & are abased. I will bring you to victory & joy: I will be at your arms in battle & ye shall delight to slay. Success is your proof; courage is your armour; go on, go on, in my strength; & ye shall turn not back for any! [2] Followers of Crowley put this forward as evidence of the book’s higher authorship as they say it’s an accurate prophecy about World War II in the 1940s. Let’s analyse this claim to see if it really is a validation of the book’s prophetic power. One issue is that like with many of the verses of The Book of the Law, the meaning is ambiguous. In his own commentary on this verse, Crowley did not treat the mention of “Forties” and “Eighties” as dates: Forty is Mem, Water, the Hanged Man; and Eighty is Pe, Mars, the blasted Tower. These Trumps refer respectively to the “Destruction of the World by Water” and “by Fire”… Its general purport is that He is master of both types of Force. [3] Here the “Hanged Man” and “blasted Tower” are references to tarot cards which he used to try and understand the mention of “Forties” and “Eighties”. Using this method, we can see that Crowley came up with the meaning of “Destruction of the World by Water and by Fire”. It’s true that this could be a reference to war, but it could also be a reference to natural disasters such as floods, it’s not entirely clear. Crowley’s use of tarot cards to interpret meaning demonstrates a big problem with the book. Just how should it be interpreted, literally, figuratively, or by other means? Depending on which method one chooses to employ, one may arrive at very different meanings. Despite Crowley’s best efforts to understand this verse, he said that there are still certain parts which he was unsure how to interpret. In fact, in Crowley’s own commentary on this verse, he was uncertain as to its overall meaning: I am inclined to opine that there is a simpler and deeper sense in the text than I have so far disclosed. [4] So here we have an example of his followers reading prophecies into the text which the prophet himself did not identify. Now, for the sake of argument, even if we grant that this is a prediction about war, it’s in no way remarkable. The early twentieth century, when The Book of the Law was written, was the age of empires. Nations were expanding their territories and fighting one another for dominance all the time. In fact, there have been wars going on constantly throughout much the twentieth century, such as World War I from 1914 – 1919, World War II from 1939 – 1945, and the Cold War from 1947 to 1989. So almost any decade could fit this prophecy! From this perspective, it would have been far more remarkable to prophesy a decade of peace, since fighting and conflict has been the norm. Another example of a prophecy that is associated with The Book of the Law is the following: Sacrifice cattle, little and big: after a child. But not now. Ye shall see that hour, o blessed Beast, and thou the Scarlet Concubine of his desire! Ye shall be sad thereof. [5] Crowley identified these verses as a prophecy that was fulfilled by the tragic death of his firstborn child in 1906, two years after The Book of the Law was written. Did it really foretell the death of his child? One problem with identifying these verses as a prophecy is that Crowley himself failed to make this connection. He only declared it to be a prophecy after his child died. Crowley wrote in his commentary on these verses: This, ill-understood at the time, is now too terribly clear. The 15th verse, apparently an impossible sequel, has justified itself. This, read in connexion with verse 43, was then fulfilled May 1, 1906… The tragedy was also part of mine initiation, as described in The Temple of Solomon the King. It is yet so bitter that I care not to write of it. [6] One reason for his failure to identify it as a prophecy might be its ambiguity. Looking at the structure and the style of language used, the meaning is not entirely clear. The statement “Sacrifice cattle, little and big: after a child” could mean different things. For example: It could be a command to sacrifice a child after having sacrificed animals It could be informing him that a child will be born after he completes animal sacrifices. It could be a command to sacrifice animals after a child is born. Another ambiguous part of this prophecy is the statement “Ye shall be sad thereof”. It’s clearly saying that Crowley will be sad, but what is not clear is the reason as to why he will be sad. This statement is made after the mention of animal sacrifices, a child and the Scarlet Concubine; so any of these three things, or even all of them, could be the source of his sadness, it does not necessarily apply to just the child. Now, if this book really was inspired by a supernatural being that could see into the future, and if this prophecy really was intended to inform Crowley about the death of his child, then it could easily have been worded more clearly such as follows: “Perform animal sacrifices. A child will be born and then die and this will be a source of sadness for you”. As the prophecy stands, it seems like it has been kept intentionally ambiguous so as to be applicable to as many events as possible in the future. Another example of a popular prophecy is the following: But your holy place shall be untouched throughout the centuries: though with fire and sword it be burnt down & shattered, yet an invisible house there standeth, and shall stand until the fall of the Great Equinox… [7] Crowley identified the “holy place” as Boleskine House [8], a manor on the south-east side of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. Crowley purchased this property in 1899 because he believed its architecture and secluded location were ideal for the performance of magic rituals. Crowley later sold the house in 1913, and since then it has had numerous owners. On the night of the 22nd December 2015, Boleskine House was badly damaged in a fire in mysterious circumstances, thus fulfilling the prophecy according to his followers. Upon reflection, this is an unremarkable prediction for a number of reasons. Firstly, it could be self-fulfilling, as it’s possible that a follower of Crowley intentionally set the house on fire in order to make the prophecy come true. Secondly, even if the fire was just an accident, houses burn down all the time, so such an event is commonplace. Thirdly, one could argue that its destruction was inevitable. The house has a dark history, it has long been feared by the Scottish locals who had a motive to rid their community of what many perceived to be a place of great evil and bad luck. In our analysis of The Book of the Law so far, we’ve seen that it is often ambiguous. Crowley wrote several commentaries on the book during his life, some of them interpreting its verses in very different ways compared to one another. In fact, The Book of the Law is so ambiguous that according to Crowley himself, it took over seventeen years to make sense of some parts of it [9]. Crowley fully acknowledges the ambiguity of the book, and offers the following justification: The God wisely refrains from clear expression, so that the event, as it occurs, may justify His word. This progressive illumination of that word has served to keep it alive as no single revelation could have done. Every time that I have dulled to Liber Legis [The Book of the Law] something has happened to rekindle it in my heart [10] Here Crowley is saying that the book is ambiguous by design and that this is a good thing because it keeps him engaged in its study. In fictional books, it is sometimes good to have ambiguity as it invites discussion as to the intended meaning. However, religious books like The Book of the Law are looked to as a source of guidance by their followers, so the meaning needs to be clear. Moreover, the whole point of a prophecy is to bring your attention to specific events ahead of time. If the prophecy is so ambiguous that it can mean many different things then it has little predictive power, which defeats the entire purpose of prophecy. Another major issue with The Book of the Law which calls into question its supernatural authorship is the presence of failed prophecies. For example: I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory, and stir the hearts of men with drunkenness. To worship me take wine and strange drugs whereof I will tell my prophet, & be drunk thereof! They shall not harm ye at all. It is a lie, this folly against self… [11] Here the book informed Crowley that he could indulge in intoxicants such as alcohol and drugs (“take wine and strange drugs”) and it would not harm him in the least (“They shall not harm ye at all”). Crowley seems to have taken this to heart, experimenting with many different drugs throughout his life and incorporating them into his magic rituals. Our understanding of the long-term impact of alcohol and drug abuse on the human body has come a long way in the more than one hundred years since The Book of the Law was written. Numerous studies have shown that addiction, mental illness and diseases such as cancer are just some of the negative effects of such intoxicants [12]. Crowley’s personal struggle with drug addiction is well documented [13]. His health gradually declined after he reached the age of fifty. He passed away in Hastings, England, on December 1, 1947. According to his death certificate, he died from myocardial degeneration and chronic bronchitis, exasperated by chronic heroin use [14]. Contrary to this prophecy, the use of drugs most certainly did harm him. One final point about Crowley’s lifelong drug habit is that his use of mind-altering substances casts doubt on his credibility as a prophet. His mystical encounter with the being he called Aiwass could just be a delusion caused by his drug-fuelled rituals, rather than a genuine supernatural experience. Another example of a failed prophecy is the following: There cometh a rich man from the West who shall pour his gold upon thee. [15] Here the book predicted that Crowley would one day have riches bestowed upon him by a wealthy man from the West. A study of Crowley’s life as a magician shows that this prediction never came to pass. Before getting involved in magic, Crowley started off in life very wealthy, inheriting his father’s fortune at a young age. This was a substantial sum of money, in modern terms he would have been a multi-millionaire. During adulthood he lived a lavish lifestyle, with his magical pursuits being funded by his own considerable wealth. By the mid-1930s he was in serious financial difficulty, his heavy drug addiction only exacerbating the situation. He was even declared bankrupt when he was unable to pay his numerous creditors [16]. Near the end of his life he was reduced to living in a small room in a boarding house, surviving off the small royalties from his published works. Contrary to the prophecy, no one rescued Crowley from financial ruin by showering him in gold. He spent his final years in relative obscurity, reviled for his outrageous activities and impoverished by the financial extravagances of his youth. Another point about this failed prophecy is that Crowley was a Westerner, and being wealthy at one point himself he would have moved in wealthy social circles and therefore had contacts with Western people who were wealthy. So this is a prophecy that was very like to come true, it would not have been unusual for one of his wealthy friends or acquaintances to rescue him from ruin by showering him in gold, but it still did not happen. Yet another example of a failed prophecy is the following: Let the Scarlet Woman beware! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart; if she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses; then shall my vengeance be known. I will slay me her child: I will alienate her heart: I will cast her out from men: as a shrinking and despised harlot shall she crawl through dusk wet streets, and die cold and an-hungered. [17] Here, The Book of the Law issues a chilling warning to Crowley’s ‘Scarlet Women’, the name that Crowley used for his female sex magic practitioners. If they abandoned this religion, then they and their children would suffer a horrible fate. It’s clear that Crowley understood this prophecy not to be a warning to one particular individual but rather to be a general warning to all of his Scarlet women, as he wrote: “Let the next upon whom the cloak may fall beware!” [18]. Crowley’s first Scarlet Woman was his wife Rose Kelly who he married in 1903. He divorced Rose in 1909, and in 1911 he had her committed to a mental asylum for alcohol dementia. She died in 1932. During their marriage, Rose bore Crowley two children. Their first child, Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hecate Sappho Jezebel Lilith, died in infancy in 1906 whilst they were still married. Does the horrible fate of his wife and child make this a remarkable prediction? Remember that Crowley interpreted this prophecy to be a general warning to all his Scarlet Women, so if there is substance to the prophecy then we would expect to see similar fates for all others who abandoned his religion. Yet what we find is that this is not the case, as Crowley had numerous Scarlet Women during his life, many of whom left him and returned to their former lives. Contrary to the prophecy, they went on to live perfectly normal lives. They worked, got married, had families and lived to see old age. For example, Leah Hirsig, the most famous of Crowley’s Scarlet Women, was abandoned by him in the bitterest of circumstances. She later returned to her former career as a teacher, remarried and even rejected Crowley’s status as a prophet [19]. All of these actions on her part are violations which fall foul of the prophecy, and yet she died in 1975, having lived to the old age of 91. In this section we have analysed a number of the prophecies of The Book of the Law. The general ambiguity of the book, together with its failed prophecies, means that it is far more likely to be the product of Crowley’s own imagination rather than any supernatural intelligence. These are the findings of Professor Joshua Gunn who argued that the stylistic similarities between The Book of the Law and Crowley’s own poetic writings were too great for it to be anything other than Crowley’s work: Although Crowley sincerely believed that The Book of the Law was inspired by superhuman intelligences, its clichéd imagery, overwrought style, and overdone ecophonetic displays are too similar to Crowley’s other poetic writings to be the product of something supernatural [20] Muhammad ﷺ A Genuinely Inspired Prophet The purpose of spending some time looking at examples of false prophets and false systems of prophesy was to establish a benchmark to help us distinguish truth from falsehood. One can only make accurate predictions about the future and get it right every time when one is inspired by God, Who has perfect knowledge of the future. Muhammad ﷺ demonstrated this unique quality of possessing an insight into the unseen throughout his Prophethood. He not only made numerous detailed predictions about the future which came true, as shown in this article here, but he also rejected the baseless superstitious beliefs and practices of his day, as shown in this article here. These facts should leave us in no doubt that he was inspired by God Almighty. References 1 – Alesietr Crowley, Introduction to The Book of the Law. 2 – Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law, III.46. 3 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verse III.46. 4 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verse III.46. 5 – Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law, III.12-15. 6 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verses III.12-15. 7 – Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law, III.34. 8 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verse III.34. 9 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verse III.19. 10 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verse III.16. 11 – Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law, II.22. 12 – John Brick, Handbook of the Medical Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. 13 – Kenneth Grant, Remembering Aleister Crowley, p. 18. 14 – Gary Lachman, Aleister Crowley: Magick, Rock and Roll, and the Wickedest Man in the World. 15 – Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law, III.31. 16 – Marco Pasi, Aleister Crowley and the Temptation of Politics, p. 20. 17 – Aleister Crowley, The Book of the Law, III.43. 18 – Aleister Crowley, The Law is for All, see commentary on verse III.43. 19 – Lawrence Sutin, Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley, p. 330. 20 – Joshua Gunn, Modern occult rhetoric: mass media and the drama of secrecy in the twentieth century, pp. 91–92.