Book of Instructions in the Elements of the Art of Astrology

Al Biruni, one of the greatest Arab scholars, was born on September 4,973, in what is now Uzbekistan. He showed talent at an early age and by hisearly 20''s had written several acclaimed papers. Political unrest in his 20''sand 30''s found him at one point at Gurgan, on the shores of the CaspianSea. Peace found him in Ghaznah, which is today in Afghanistan.From 1017 to 1030 he travelled extensively in India, becoming fluent inSanskrit. From this he wrote his monumental survey, India, of the history,customs and beliefs of the subcontinent. His other books include The Chronologyof Ancient Nations, the Masudic Cannon, Book of Instructions,and more than 100 others, some of which are lost. He died on December 13,1048, aged 75. He is buried in Ghaznah.The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology waswritten for Lady Rayhanah, to whom it is dedicated. R. Ramsay Wright, thetranslator, said it could be regarded as a primer of 11th century science.Among its highlights are a comprehensive list of more than 150 Lots, variousforms of aspects and planetary relationships, planetary positions relativeto the sun, an excellent text on rulerships as well as comprehensivenotes on weather and meteorological phenomena.This book was unknown to medieval European astrologers. This edition,comprising the astrological part of the original (sections 347-530) has beentaken from Wright''s pioneering 1934 translation, itself taken from Persianand Arabic sources. For this edition, text and tables have been reset, and anew index added.