by analysing Islamic talismanic recipes and texts written in Arabic and coming from West Africa, it is necessary to distinguish between two types of formulation, each of which makes it possible, theoretically, to obtain advantages of all kinds, including meeting individual needs. The first wording can be related to a type of ritualised prayer (duck’/application), the most prominent model of which in Islamic culture appears in al-Ghazâlă’s work (death in 1111). The second formulation is from a magic perspective operating within Islam and inspired by the model of al-Bûnă’s work (death in 1225).