Untitled

AL-BIRUNI'S PROGNOSTICATION J
, 65
When he reached the gate of 'file house, he saw standing
there many handsomely-caparisoned hdrses -belonging to descendants
of thfe Prophet 1 and other eminent and notable persons
of Baghdad. Having mAde enquiries, he went, in, entered tt*e
circle in front of Ya'qub, greeted him, and said, " I desire to
study somewhat of the ^Scie^ce of the jStars
with our Master."
"
" Thou hast come from the East to 'slay me, not to study
Astrology," replied Ya'qub, " but thou wilt repent of thine
intention, study the Stars, attain perfection in that science, and
become one of the greatest Astrologers amongst the People of
Muhammad (on whom be God's Blessing and Peace)." All the
great Aien there assembled, were astonished at these words; and
Abu Ma'shai* confessed and produced the knife from the middle
of the book, broke it, and ca$t it away. Then he bent his knees
and studied for fifteen years, until he attained^
in Astrology
that eminence which was his. (Y) ,
. ANECDOTE
XXIII.
It is related that once when Yaminud-Dawla Sultan Mahmud
ibn Nasiru'd-Din 3 was sitting on the roof of a four-doored
summer-house in Ghazna, in the Garden of a Thousand Trees,
he turned his face to Abu Rayhan 4 and said, "By which of these
four doors shall I go out ? "
(for all four were practicable). " Decide
and write the decision on a piece of paper, and put it under
my quilt." Abu Rayhan called for an astrolabe, took the altitude,
deterrnined the Ascendant, reflected for a while, and then wrote
down his decision on a piece of paper, and placed it under the
quilt. "Hast thou decided?" asked Mahmud. He answered,,
"
I have."
Then Mahmud bade them bring a navvy with pick-axe and
spade, and in the wall which was on the eastern side they dug
out a fifth door, through which he went out. Then he bade them
bring the paper. 'So, they brought it, and on it Abu Rayhan had*
written, " He will go out through none of these four doors, but
they will dig a fifth door in the eastern wall, by which door he
will go Forth." Mahmud, on reading this, was furious, and bade
them cast "Abu Rayhan down in the midst of the palace, and so
they did. Now there was stretched a net from the middle floor,
and on it Abu Rayhan fell. The net tore, and he subsided gently
to the Aground, so that he received no injury. "Bring him in,"
said M*ahmud. So they brought him in, and Mahmud said, " O
Abu Rayhan, at all events thou didst not know about this event! "
1
t Literally, " of the Band Hashim."
2
See n. 3 gn 9. 63 supra and Note XXIII at the end.
8 I.e. the great Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna (reigned A.H. 388-421, A.D. 998-1030).
4 Al-Biruni. See n. i on p. 62 supra, and Note XXIII at the end.
B. '
5