[Pericles]

Hey all,
This perhaps should go in the character creation and critique board; I'm not sure. 

I'm making an Islamic alchemist, as in solely an alchemist, and am having trouble coming up with ideas for objects that might be suitable for reagents and foci.  I'm starting with an alchemical focus, and the only idea I've had is to use my prayer rug. It's a little big for a focus, perhaps, but I will have it with me at virtually  all times, since if an area is not clean I cannot kneel there to pray. 

I've done a fair bit of research on Islam, but I'm not seeing everyday, smallish objects which would be suitable as reagents and foci.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

[ShadowcatX]

I don't know much about Islam myself so take this with a grain of salt.

What about written prayers / verses for reagents? Bones of saints / martyrs / whatever?

For a foci maybe something from Mecca?

[Marcus]

For weapon foci https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulfiqar
"There is no hero like Ali; There is no sword like Dhu-l-Fiqar"
Variants on that, should work for that. Take a look at the Occultation of the 12th Imam there is plenty of interesting threads to follow.


As to reagents I'm really not sure, I'd probably keep in to natural reagents ie Orriculcum, or other natural radicals .
You have to be a little careful when you ask questions about this, even in engineer school with everyone being highly educated folks, discussion of the occult in relation to Islam never got me any sort abstract answers. I only ever got Literal responses Magic is Haram, dangers of the evil eye etc, I'm not try imply anything bad by saying that, but despite my class being a very large percentage of Arabic my classmates all took anything along those line very literally.  So it's a topic i would explore via the internet, and research.

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Islam's strong prohibition against idolatry makes the go-to ideas for Catholic "magic" inappropriate.  Anything involving Relics or other representations of martyrs or saints should be out.

Islamic art puts a heavy emphasis on mathematics and geometry- perhaps fetishes/reagents could be highly abstract tokens/jewelry.

Then there's the usual tropes you could go with like drams of water or soil from holy places.  Astronomy was also important in Islamic alchemy/science, so maybe "using reagents" could be represented in the form of creating elaborate charts for plotting planetary alignments relevant to the enchanting being done, or etc.

[Pericles]

Thanks all, for the answers!

For weapon foci https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zulfiqar

You have to be a little careful when you ask questions about this, even in engineer school with everyone being highly educated folks, discussion of the occult in relation to Islam never got me any sort abstract answers. I only ever got Literal responses Magic is Haram, dangers of the evil eye etc, I'm not try imply anything bad by saying that, but despite my class being a very large percentage of Arabic my classmates all took anything along those line very literally.  So it's a topic i would explore via the internet, and research.

Yeah, I agree, and I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm being disrespectful to their religion.  My character will actually view most of magic as not in line with Islam. He won't be summoning spirits, casting spells, etc.. Just doing alchemical preparations, artificing, banishing, and counterspelling. 

[FST_Gemstar]

Islam has been around a long time with heavy influence in large geographic/cultural areas influenced by interaction with other religious/philosophical traditions. 

There is a lot to investigate and draw from.

Things that came to mind for handheld Islamic material culture: 

Coins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_dinar 
Carved Ivory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_carving#Islamic_ivory
Caligraphy Tools: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calligraphy 
Prayer rug: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_rug 
Khamsa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamsa

[Pericles]

FST, that's really useful stuff!  I think I may lean towards calligraphy.  I really appreciate it.