The Islamic Astrology                 

The Golden Islamic Period (8th century – 14th century):

After the Greeks, it was the Arabs who took astrology to the next level. They began to lay attacks and bring other parts of the world under their rule. Almost the same as what Alexander did over 900 before their rise, they began to add collective knowledge of the outer world to their own. Sahl Ibn Bishr is thought to be the first Arab translator. Along with many other pieces of age old information, astrology was shared to the Islamic world through translators like Sahl himself.

Medieval Islamic astrology and astronomy continued Hellenistic (period between 323 BC and 31 BC) and Roman era traditions based on Amalgest. The underlying principles of their astrology were a combination and change of Babylonian, Arabian and Indian traditions. Knowledge on the field of astronomy blew up more and more during their age.

An instrument called 'Astrolable' was invented by Al Fazari. The word Astrolable means, "The one that catches the sky". With its help, one could identify stars or planets, determine out the latitude if time is known, survey, or triangulate. It was during this period that medicine and astrology were linked by associating the properties of herbs with star signs and planets.

MASHA’ALLAH (740 AD – 815 AD):

The second Abbasid important Muslim religious leader Al-Mansur is credited to have founded the great city of Baghdad. The Arabs were already blessed with city planning and astronomy but before the construction works were put into action, the important Muslim religious leaderate approached Masha'allah Ibn Athari to fix the date and time for the beginning of the works of the then future great city. Masha'allah was a court astrologer for the Abbasid important Muslim religious leaderate. He has written some works on astrology in Arabic, some of which have only survived through Latin translations. The first written work on Astrolable was drafted by him.

Being a part of a group of astrologers headed by Nobakht Ahvazi, he was of great help in picking a lucky electoral chart for the founding of the (Round) city of Baghdad. As per their advice, the important Muslim religious leader Al-Mansur commissioned its construction on July 30, 762 AD. The city hosted a major observatory which is considered as the first astronomical center. It also showed off a library (House of Wisdom) that acted as a public academy and intellectual center. Along with these, centers of learning in medicine, astronomy and astrology were set up in the city.

His book "On Conjunctions, Religions, and People" discusses the comparison between the important world events and the role of Jupiter-Saturn conjunction. The two planets fall in line with Earth once every twenty years. It was seen that huge changes in the history of people happened during this point of time. The birth and death of great emperors and religious leaders, fall of dynasties, earthquakes, natural disasters, and birth of deadly epidemics like plague are a few examples of the huge changes that happen during the lining up of the two huge gas giants.

If the conjunction happens at a particular star sign, twenty years from now, it will happen at the star located 120a° from it (Aries>Cancer>Libra>Capricorn and so on. This phenomenon is called “Triplicity”. Each triplicity is ruled by four elements that is, Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth. The effects of this visible sign will depend on the element that strongly expresses rule over where the conjunction falls.

If it falls over the Water domain, the planet will witness floods, tsunamis or other water related disasters. If it falls under Fire's domain, there will be earthquakes, volcanoes, and heavy thunders. Wind's sector will dispense epidemics, rebellions and distresses whereas Earth would send drought, widespread death from starving, dictators.

The Jupiter-Saturn cycle takes 360 years to complete. It means that a star will have one conjunction every 360 years. This is called as “Maximal Conjunction”. It is at this time that events that change the course of history happen. The birth of Islam is a good example of maximal conjunction. Though the book did not survive unharmed and in one piece, its explanations and findings are accepted everywhere even today.