Fragment of an astrological text

Content

Fragment from the beginning of an anonymous astrological text. This text is on ff. 70v-71v of the Coptic foliation.

Contents:

• Method for deriving a person's ascendant through a numerological analysis of the querent's name and that of his or her mother (f. 1v [70v Coptic foliation]);
• The numerical values of the abjad (f. 1v [70v Coptic foliation]);
• The names of the twelve signs of the zodiac (بروج) and their houses (بيوت, f. 2r [71r Coptic foliation]);
• List of the tropical (منقلب), fixed (ثابت) and bicorporeal (ذو جسدين) signs (ff. 2r-2v [71r-71v Coptic foliation]);
• List of the fiery (ناري), earthy (ترابي), airy (رياحي) and watery (مائي) signs (f. 2v [71v Coptic foliation]);
• Knowing the exaltation and fall of the Planets (معرفة شرف الكواكب وهبوطها, f. 2v [71v Coptic foliation], defective at end).

Begins (f. 1v, lines 9-14 [70v Coptic foliation]):

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

إذا أردت أن تعرف نجم الإنسان وطالعه

ذكر كان أو أنثى فخذ اسمه واسم أمه

فما اجتمع معك فالقيه اثنا عشر اثنا

عشر فما بقي معك دون الاثنا عشر فهو

حساب نجم الذي حسبت له ...

Ends (f. 2v, lines 14-17 [71v Coptic foliation], defective at end):

... القمر يشرف في ثلثة درجات في الثور

ويهبط في ثلثة درجات في العقرب زحل

يشرف في أحد وعشرين درجة في الميزان

ويهبط في أحد وعشرين درجة في الحمل

Extent and format

Ff. 1v-2v

It is part of

Fragment of a Christian Arabic Miscellany

78 images

Ref: Or 8857

Written in

Arabic in Arabic script

Type

Manuscript item

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: Oriental Manuscripts

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

Or 8857, ff 1v-2v

History of this record

Date(s)

ca 1000

Related material

Select Bibliography

Catalogue record for other fragment of manuscript:

• Löfgren, Oscar and Renato Traini, Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, 3 vols (Vicenza: Neri Pozza Editore, 1975–95), vol. 1, item XXXIII, pp. 33-35

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Cite this record in your research

Fragment of an astrological text, British Library: Oriental Manuscripts, Or 8857, ff 1v-2v, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/node/9569> [accessed 1 October 2024]

Link to this record

https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100098365805.0x000001

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