It is difficult in such bald mention of names, where so many are alike, to be sure of the correctness of allusion. This is, probably, Hárún-b-al Munajjim, an astrologer, native of Baghdad and an accomplished scholar. His great grandfather was astrologer to the Caliph al-Mansúr and his son Yahya served al Fadhl-b-Sahl in the same capacity, died A. H. 288 (901). Ibn Khall. IV. p. 605.
33. Adwa´r i Kirai´n (Cycles of conjunctions) the name of a Canon whose author I cannot discover.
34. Ya'ku´b-b-Tau´´s.
I may safely hazard the emendation Tárik (<Arabic>) for Ṭáús. This astronomer is mentioned by Albirúni. Ham. Purg. gives his date A. H. 218 (833) and a list of his works apparently copied from the Fihrist, p. 278.
35. Khwa´razmi.
Muḥammad-b-Músa, by command of al Mámún, compiled an abridgment of the Sindhind (Siddhánta); better known as a mathematicism than as astronomer—see Sedillot, I. xvi. He was the author of a Canon according to the Fihrist, p. 274.
36. Yu´sufi. The secretary of Al Mámún, Abu't Tayyib-b-'Abdi'llah is the only name I discover in this relative form. The Fihrist, (p. 123) mentions no astronomical works of his. Perhaps, Yúsuf-b-Ali Thatta (1043) or Ibn Yúsuf al Maṣsiṣi may be meant: the text is too vague to determine accurately.
37. Wa´fi—the work of Ulugh Beg “fi Mawáfi ul áa'mál un Najúmíya, (de transitibus operationum astronomicarum) is the only title approaching that of the text that I discover.
38. Jauzharayn—Jauzhar the Arabic form of Gauzhar, is the head and tail of Draco. The two points in the Ecliptic which mark its intersection by the orbit of a planet in ascent and descent, are called its Nodes or two Jauzhars—(Istiláḥát u'l Funoon, arts. <Arabic> and <Arabic>). There is a Canon called <Arabic> de motu vero capitis et caudœ draconis, by Shaikh Ibn ul Ḳádir al Barallusi—see Haj-Khall p. 561.
39. Sama'a´ni. D'Herbelot mentions under this surname Abu Saa'd Abdú Kárim Muḥammad, the author of a work on Mathematics entitled Adáb fi ist'imál il isáb. A. H. 506–62. The Fihrist p. 244, records another Sama'án as a commentator on the Canon of Ptolemy, and a third Ibn Sama'án, the slave of Abu Ma'shar, and author of an astronomical work.
40. Ibn Sahra.
The variants of this name suggest its doubtful orthography. Ibn Abí Saḥari (<Arabic>) is mentioned by Ham. Purg. as an astrologer of Baghdad whose predictions were fortunate. He lived in the latter half of the century, 132–232, (749– 846) the most brilliant period in the annals of Arab literature.
41. Abu´'l Fadhl Ma´sha'llah, incorrectly Másháḍa in the text.—Born in Al Manṣúr's reign, he lived to that of Al Mámún. His name “What God wills” is simply a rendering of the Hebrew Mischa. The Fihrist calls him Ibn Athra <Arabic> and notes his voluminous writings, copied by Ham. Purg. B. III. 257.
42. 'Aa´simi—untraceable.
43. Kabi´r of Abu´ Ma'shar—a native of Balkh, a contemporary and envious rival of Al Kindi.—At first a traditionist, he did not begin the study of astronomy till after the age of 47. He died at Wásit exceeding the age of 100, A. H. 272, (885)—An astronomer and astrologer of great renown. In the latter capacity, he paid the penalty of success in a prediction by receiving a flogging at the command of Al Musta'in; upon which his epigram is recorded <Arabic>. “I hit and got hit.” Thirty-three of his works are named in the Fihrist, p. 277. He was known in Europe as Albumaser and his works translated into Latin, see Sachau's Albirúni (Chronol.) p. 375,— also Haj. Khal. art. zíj.
44. Sind-b-'Ali. See note p. 3.
45. Ibn Aa´'lam Do. p. 4.
46. Shahrya´ra´n.
This Canon occurs in Albirúni (Chronol.) with the addition of the word Sháh.— Sachau confesses his ignorance of it. Haj. Khal. gives a Canon called Shahryár which is well-known—translated into Arabic by At Tamími from the Persian. Fihrist, 244. v. also Sachau's preface to Albirúni's India, p. xxx.
47. Arkand.—In Albirúni called “the days of Arkand.” The more correct form according to Reinaud, Memoire sur l' Inde., p. 322, would be the Sanskrit Ahargana —See Sachau's note p. 375 of Albirúni's Chronol. from which I quote.
Albirúni made a new edition of the Days of Arkand, putting into clearer words and more idiomatic Arabic, the then existing translation which followed too closely the Sanskrit original.
48. Ibn Su´fi.
Al Shaikh Md. b. Abi'l Fatḥ as Súfi al Miṣri wrote an epitome of the Canon of Ulugh Beg with additional tables and notes. It was with reference to this epitome that the work of Al Barallusi, Bihjat ul Fikr fi Hall is Shams Wál Ḳamr was written, of which the Jauzhar, one of its three parts, is alluded to in 38.
49. Sehela´n Ka´shi.
Sehelán, Sehilán or Ibn Sehilán according to D'Herbelot was the name of the Minister of Sultán ud Daulah of the Buyide family, whose enmity with his brother Mushrafúd Doulah was due to the policy or personal feeling of that statesman. A canon might have been published under his patronage and name.
50. Ahwa´zi. D'Herbelot alludes to several authors under this name; one a commentator on Euclid. The Fihrist names Mḍ-b-Isḥáḳ al Ahwazi, without date. He appears to have written on agriculture and architecture.
51. The 'Uru´s of Abu´ Ja'far Bu´shanji.
Búshanj, according to Yakút (Mu'jam il Buldán) is a small town about 40 miles from Herat, which has given birth to some eminent scholars, but I can find no astronomer among them.
52. Abu´'l Fath—Shaikh Abu'l Fatḥ as Súfi who amended the tables termed Samarcandi. Haji Khal, 566. III.
53. A'kkah Ra´hibi—untraceable.
54. Masa'u´di.—The Canon Masudicus is extant in 4 good copies in European libraries, and waits for the combination of two scholars, an astronomer and an Arabic philogist, for the purpose of an addition and translation, v. Sachau, pref. to Alb. India, p. xvi.
55. Mua'tabar of Sanjari. The surname of Abu'l Fatḥ Abdurraḥman, called the treasurer; he was a slave of Greek origin, in the service of A'li al Kházin al Marwazi and much in his favour. On the completion of his Canon, the Sultán Sanjar sent him a thousand dinars which he returned. Haj. Khal. III. 564.
56. Waji´z-i-Mua'tabar is doubtless, as its name imports, an epitome of the foregoing.
57. Ahmad Abdu'l Jali´l Sanjari, author of two treatises on stellar influences. D'Herbelot mentions him as an astrologer of note, but adds no particulars.
58. Muhammad Ha´sib Tabari.
Untraceable.
| These are names of tables which I do not find men- | ||
| 59. | 'Adani. | tioned. By the term Taylasán is meant a paradigm |
| 60. | Taylasa´ni. | showing astronomical calculations, in the shape of half |
| 61. | Asa´ba'i. | an oblong quadrangular field divided by a diagonal. It |
| 62. | Kirma´ni. | is named after the form of the Scarf (Taylasán) worn |
| by learned men in the East. A model will be found in | ||
| Albirúni's Chronology. (Sachau), p. 133. |