The Simon Necronomicon is a book of spells credited to "Simon," a name believed to be a made-up name for writer Peter Levenda. The book includes ideas from ancient Middle Eastern traditions, references to the works of H. P. Lovecraft and Aleister Crowley, and tells a story about a man called the "Mad Arab."

The book was first published in 1977 by Schlangekraft, Inc. as a special hardcover edition. Later, it was released in paperback by Avon Books, and then again in paperback by Bantam Books.

Simon's introduction

The introduction to the book (which makes up about 80 pages out of a total of 263) is the only section that Simon says he wrote. It describes how Simon and his friends or colleagues were introduced to a Greek version of the Necronomicon by a mysterious monk. Simon states that after testing the text, they confirmed it is a real collection of magical rituals that was created before many religions existed, and he warns that using the Necronomicon might "unleash dangerous forces." The introduction tries to connect H. P. Lovecraft, Aleister Crowley, and ancient myths (such as those from Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Chaldean cultures) to other religions (like Christianity, Wicca, Satanism, and Hebrew mythology). Some of these ideas are based on an alleged link between Crowley and Lovecraft first suggested by Kenneth Grant.

"The Testimony of the Mad Arab"

The book includes an introduction and a story within the story called "The Testimony of the Mad Arab." This "Testimony" has two parts: one appears before the main story, and the other comes after. The author calls himself the "Mad Arab."

In the first part, the Arab explains how he discovered dark secrets. He accidentally saw a mysterious ceremony performed by a group that worships Tiamat. During the ceremony, two demons named Kutulu and Humwawa were summoned.

In the second part, the Mad Arab is troubled by visions of his painful death. He understands that the terrible forces from the Necronomicon are angry and want revenge for him sharing their secrets. The text includes unrelated thoughts and magical words, showing his unstable mind and his attempt to protect himself from danger. He does not sign his work, so his name is never revealed.

Magic

The book contains many magical rituals and spells. It describes various incantations and symbols used for protection or to call upon powerful ancient gods. Some spells are meant to harm enemies. The spells are written in a mix of English and older languages, and some words may be spelled incorrectly when translated into the Roman alphabet. Some words in the text do not match any known language.

The book includes magical symbols linked to specific gods and demons. These symbols are used when summoning or calling upon these beings. Some parts explain how to draw the symbols and amulets, including the materials needed and the best time of day to create them. Other sections only show the symbols without instructions.

Some rituals require sacrifices. One ritual specifically mentions a human sacrifice involving 11 men, which is needed to enchant a knife that can summon a creature named Tiamat (pages 160–161).

The introduction and marketing of the book make bold claims about its power. The back cover describes it as "the most powerful and possibly the most dangerous Black Book known in the Western World," claiming its rituals can bring "creatures and monsters" into the physical world. The introduction warns that the book's magic can be life-threatening and that good mental health is necessary to use it safely. It also states that a curse affected those who helped publish the book. It adds that traditional Golden Dawn methods for banishing magic will not work on the entities described in the book.

Textual authenticity

According to the book The Necronomicon Files, some parts of the Necronomicon are very similar to other books listed in its bibliography, such as R. C. Thompson’s The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia and James B. Pritchard’s Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. These similarities are so strong that it seems unlikely that different translations could have produced the same results. Additionally, two members of the Magickal Childe scene, Khem Caigan (the Necronomicon’s illustrator) and Alan Cabal, an American occultist, said that the book was widely known as a hoax in the local occult community and that Peter Levenda was credited as its author.

Owen Davies refers to Simon Necronomicon as "a well-constructed hoax." However, he notes that creating a grimoire by combining material from earlier sources is a common practice in grimoire history, and that "it is their falsity that makes them genuine." Dan Clore also points out that fake Necronomicon books are just as "authentic" as other well-known grimoires, such as the Lesser Key of Solomon or the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses.

Accusations of black magic and connections to murder

The book was used as evidence in the murder trial of Rod Ferrell. Some people believe it was involved in Satanic rituals that included human sacrifices. It is said that Ferrell used the book during these rituals.

Dead Names

In 2006, Avon published a book titled Simon's Dead Names: The Dark History of the Necronomicon (ISBN 0-06-078704-X). The book explains the history of the Necronomicon and responds to people who say the book is not real. Some critics believe the book's conclusions are not reliable.