Al-Tafhīm li-awāʾil șināʿat al-tanjīm

work by al-Bīrūnī

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July 20, 2026

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The work Al-Tafhīm li-awāʾil ṣināʿat al-tanjīm, often translated as "Elements of Astrology," was written by the esteemed Muslim scholar al-Bīrūnī. While the title suggests a focus on astrology, al-Bīrūnī's approach was primarily pedagogical. He used the pretext of teaching astrology to impart fundamental knowledge in mathematics, astronomy, geography, and chronology to his patron. The book is a comprehensive treatment of these subjects as understood in his time, with a significant portion dedicated to foundational mathematical and astronomical concepts before delving into astrology itself. Al-Bīrūnī's personal view of astrology was skeptical, yet he recognized its utility as a teaching tool for mathematical sciences.1

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al-Bīrūnī
Works
His Al-Tafhīm li-awāʾil ṣināʿat al-tanjīm (“Elements of Astrology”) is still the most comprehensive treatment of the topic as it was then known. Despite the fact that most people believed that astrology was “the fruit of the mathematical sciences,” as al-Bīrūnī called it, his personal opinion of…
Read More
His Al-Tafhīm li-awāʾil ṣināʿat al-tanjīm (“Elements of Astrology”) is still the most comprehensive treatment of the topic as it was then known. Despite the fact that most people believed that astrology was “the fruit of the mathematical sciences,” as al-Bīrūnī called it, his personal opinion of…
Read More