A practitioner sits on the floor between two texts. To the left, the Ars Goetia open to the seal of Valefor, a duke who appears as a lion with a man’s head. To the right, a worn copy of al-Būnī’s Shams al-Ma‘ārif, where the Ifrit is named among the jinn al-nār — the fire spirits that predate Islam. The choice between them is not a duel; it is a question of what kind of work you mean to do. Valefor is a goetic demon of thresholds and theft, while the Ifrit is a pre-Islamic fire spirit of vengeance and raw power. Each belongs to a different cosmology, and each demands a different kind of respect.
The Two Traditions, Defined
Valefor (also called Malefar or Valefar) appears in the Lemegeton (The Lesser Key of Solomon), compiled in the 17th century from earlier grimoire traditions. He is the sixth spirit listed in the Ars Goetia, described as a duke who “appeared at first in the shape of a lion with an ass’s head, but afterwards put on the shape of a man.” His office is to tempt men to theft and to “make them good thieves.” He commands ten legions of spirits. For a full list of the 72 spirits and their seals, see our guide to the Ars Goetia.
The Ifrit (Arabic: ‘ifrīt, plural ‘afārīt) is a class of jinn, not a single named demon. The term appears in the Quran (Surah 27:39) where an ifrit offers to bring the throne of the Queen of Sheba before King Solomon “before you rise from your place.” In pre-Islamic Arabian mythology, the ‘afārīt are the most powerful and rebellious among the jinn, associated with fire, smoke, and the desert. They are not inherently evil but are notorious for their malice and strength. Learn more about the broader category of these beings in our glossary entry on jinn.
Both figures are spirits of power, but they inhabit different worlds. Valefor operates within the Christian demonological hierarchy of the grimoires; the Ifrit belongs to the older, more fluid cosmology of the jinn — creatures of smokeless fire created before Adam.
Where They Come From: History and Origins
The first known mention of Valefor is in the Lemegeton manuscripts of the 1600s, but his name may derive from earlier sources. Some scholars link him to the Semitic deity Ba’al (a title meaning “lord”) filtered through medieval Hebrew and Christian demonology. The Goetia itself claims to be derived from the wisdom of King Solomon, a myth that gave the text authority among Renaissance magicians. This tradition of Solomonic magic, which relies on divine names and seals to command spirits, is explained in depth in our guide to Solomonic magic. The human consequence: a practitioner in the 17th century who called Valefor believed they were drawing on a lineage that promised control over spirits through divine names and seals.
The Ifrit’s origins are far older, traceable to pre-Islamic Arabia where the jinn were worshiped as nature spirits. The Quranic account (c. 610–632 CE) codified the Ifrit as a specific type of jinn, rebellious, powerful, and bound to the fire element. The Islamic scholar al-Jāḥiẓ (9th century) wrote about ‘afārīt in his Book of Animals, describing them as beings that could possess humans and cause madness. The consequence for the people who lived with that belief: they built protective rituals around the home, recited verses of the Quran to ward off the ‘afārīt, and buried offerings of salt and iron at doorways.
Symbolism and Meaning: What Each Represents
Valefor embodies the threshold between order and transgression. He is a tempter, not a destroyer. Theft is his domain, but not petty theft, the kind of theft that rearranges boundaries. In the grimoires, Valefor is said to “make men good thieves,” which is to say he grants the cunning to take what is not given. The lion’s head and ass’s head are not random: the lion symbolizes royalty and power, the ass stubbornness and the material world. Together they suggest a spirit that straddles the noble and the base.
The Ifrit, by contrast, represents raw, untamed power. Fire is his element, and not the gentle hearth fire, the nār as-sa‘īr (the blazing fire) of the Quran. The Ifrit is a being of vengeance, pride, and overwhelming force. In folk tales, an Ifrit will grant a wish only if the wisher is clever enough to trick it, because the Ifrit cannot be trusted. The smoke rising from a desert campfire at night, the sandstorm that swallows a caravan, the venomous snake that strikes from a shadow, these are the Ifrit’s manifestations.
How You Work with Each
The practical difference between Valefor and the Ifrit is not a matter of which is stronger. It is a matter of which method you can sustain.
To work with Valefor, a practitioner follows the method of the Ars Goetia: draw his seal on virgin parchment, recite the conjurations from the Lemegeton (including the invocation of Solomon’s divine names), and offer him wine or bread. The Goetia specifies that the spirit must be “civil” and “gentle,” and that the magician must command, not plead. The human consequence: the practitioner must be willing to stand in a circle of power and speak with authority. Valefor’s loyalty is to the seals, not to the person. He will serve, but he will also test.
To work with an Ifrit, the approach is entirely different. Islamic magic, particularly the Rasā’il of the Ikhwān al-Ṣafā’ (10th century) and the grimoires of al-Būnī (13th century), describes the summoning of ‘afārīt through the use of the asma’ allāh al-ḥusnā (the beautiful names of God), specific Quranic verses, and the burning of lubān (frankincense) or kundur (olibanum). The Ifrit is never commanded; it is negotiated with. The practitioner must be morally pure, often fasting and wearing a ḥijāb (protective amulet) inscribed with verses. The Ifrit can be bound to a ring or a sword, but only if the summoner has the spiritual authority to do so. We light our incense in a small clay bowl, not a metal one, because iron is said to repel jinn, and we do not want to create a barrier where we seek a channel.
Key Differences: A Side-by-Side Look
A comparison table is not necessary, but the contrasts are sharp enough to list:
- Origin: Valefor comes from the Solomonic grimoire tradition (17th century CE). The Ifrit comes from pre-Islamic Arabian mythology and the Quran (7th century CE).
- Element: Valefor is not associated with a classical element; he is a chthonic spirit of the air or earth depending on the grimoire. The Ifrit is explicitly a fire spirit (nār).
- Rank: Valefor is a duke under the demonic hierarchy of the Goetia, commanding ten legions. The Ifrit is a type of jinn, not a rank, some Ifrit are greater than others.
- Temperament: Valefor is a tempter; he offers cunning and skill. The Ifrit is a destroyer; it offers power but demands submission.
- Morality: Valefor is evil in the Christian sense, but his services are transactional. The Ifrit is amoral; it will harm or help depending on the situation and the summoner’s strength.
- Ritual requirement: Working with Valefor requires a circle and a seal. Working with an Ifrit requires purity, knowledge of divine names, and often a protective talisman.
Common Misconceptions
Misconception 1: Valefor is a “demon of theft” in the petty sense. This mistakes the nature of the temptation. Valefor’s gift is the cunning to take, whether that is a physical object, a secret, or an opportunity. He is a spirit of strategy, not of pocket-picking.
Misconception 2: All Ifrit are evil. The Quran does not present the Ifrit as inherently evil; it is a powerful jinn that can be either Muslim or non-Muslim. The ‘afārīt who serve Solomon are not demons but subjects. The popular image of the Ifrit as a malevolent fire demon comes from later folklore and the Arabian Nights.
Misconception 3: The Ifrit is the same as a demon. This is a category error. In Islamic theology, jinn are a separate creation from angels and humans. They have free will, they eat, they marry, and they die. A demon in the Christian sense is a fallen angel; an Ifrit is not fallen, it is simply a different kind of being.
Misconception 4: Valefor is more powerful than an Ifrit. Power is not a universal metric. In the context of the Goetia, Valefor’s authority is defined by his rank and seal. In the context of Islamic magic, the Ifrit’s power is limited only by the will of God and the summoner’s spiritual armor. The two are not comparable, and any attempt to rank them is a misunderstanding of their respective traditions.
FAQ
Can Valefor and an Ifrit be summoned in the same ritual?
No, because each belongs to a different ceremonial framework. Mixing the Ars Goetia with Islamic jinn magic would create a dangerous confusion of authority and protective methods.
Which is more dangerous to summon?
The Ifrit, because it is not bound by the Solomonic seals. The Goetia’s structure provides a clear system of control; the Ifrit’s summoning relies on the practitioner’s spiritual purity and knowledge of divine names, which are harder to maintain.
Do Valefor and Ifrit have any common ground?
Both are associated with King Solomon. The Goetia frames Solomon as the master of demons, and the Quranic Ifrit is one of his subjects. Both are also spirits of the threshold, Valefor tempts at the boundary of property, the Ifrit guards the boundary between the human world and the unseen.
The choice between Valefor and the Ifrit is not a choice between two items on a shelf. It is a choice between two worlds: one of grimoires and seals, the other of desert fire and divine names. Each demands a different kind of courage. If you are drawn to the Solomonic path, we recommend reading the guide to the Ars Goetia first. If the Ifrit calls to you, begin with the glossary entry on jinn and the history of Islamic magic. Both paths are old, and both are dangerous. But as the old mages said, the fire is not decoration. It is the altar.