The sky a map of Arabia in the desert
Introduction:
The sky a map of Arabia in the desert: The vast expanse of the desert has always held a certain mystique, captivating the imagination of travelers and explorers throughout history.
But did you know that the sky above the Arabian desert holds its own map, guiding nomads and astronomers alike?
In this blog, we will explore the fascinating connection between the sky and the Arabian desert, delving into the celestial wonders that have shaped the culture and navigation of this ancient land.
1. The Celestial Navigation of the Bedouins:
For centuries, the Bedouin tribes of Arabia have relied on the stars as their compass in the vast desert. With no landmarks to guide them, they turned to the night sky, mapping their routes based on the positions of constellations and the movement of celestial bodies.
This intricate knowledge of the stars allowed them to navigate the desert with remarkable precision, ensuring their survival in this harsh environment.
2. The Arabian Nights: Tales of the Cosmos:
Arabian folklore and literature are replete with references to the celestial realm. The famous collection of stories known as “One Thousand and One Nights” features tales of star-crossed lovers, celestial beings, and magical journeys through the heavens.
These stories not only entertained generations but also reflected the deep connection between the people of Arabia and the celestial wonders above.
3. Arab Contributions to Astronomy:
Arab astronomers made significant contributions to the field of astronomy, leaving an indelible mark on our understanding of the cosmos.
During the Islamic Golden Age, scholars like Al-Battani, Al-Farghani, and Al-Zarqali made groundbreaking discoveries in celestial observations, mathematical calculations, and astronomical instruments.
Their work not only advanced the field of astronomy but also influenced future generations of astronomers around the world.
4. The Arabian Sky: A Stargazer’s Paradise:
The Arabian desert offers a unique opportunity for stargazing, with its vast open spaces and minimal light pollution. From the dunes of Rub’ al Khali to the rocky landscapes of Wadi Rum, the night sky in Arabia unveils a breathtaking tapestry of stars, planets, and celestial phenomena.
Whether it’s witnessing meteor showers, tracking the movement of the Milky Way, or observing the constellations, the Arabian sky offers a celestial spectacle like no other.
5. Preserving the Arabian Sky:
In recent years, efforts have been made to preserve the pristine night sky of Arabia. Light pollution regulations and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of dark skies have been implemented to protect the natural beauty and cultural significance of the Arabian sky.
These efforts not only benefit astronomers but also contribute to the overall well-being of the environment and the preservation of cultural heritage.
Fuad Sezgin
The famous author and researcher Fuad Sezgin tells a story that happened to him during his childhood, which prompted him to re-question and research many of the common assumptions and ideas about the history of science and the origin of the modern renaissance.
He says: “I heard from my teacher in the first weeks of entering primary school, her saying: The Arabs were… They believe that the earth is carried on the horns of a bull forever.
In the same school books, the definition of the modern European Renaissance was defined as a continuation of Greek sciences, without reference to any role for Arabs and Muslims in the history of human heritage, except that they were forced from time to time to mediate by translating Greek books into Arabic, including into Latin.
The sky a map of Arabia in the desert
Sezgin explains that he grew up in an environment dominated by these two things: looking down upon the scientific heritage of the Arabs, and considering the modern renaissance as a purely European product.
Sezgin says: “I was very surprised and felt bewildered and confused. On the way home and in bed, this talk preoccupied and worried me, and what I was raised on in schools during my upbringing, so I spent the night without sleep. I was waiting for the morning to return to my teacher to ask him and ask him.”
From that moment on, Sezgin took it upon himself to confront these common, misleading ideas about the history of science in human civilization.
He became one of the leading scholars specialized in studying the history of Arab and Islamic sciences, and founded scientific centers specialized in this field, in Germany and other European and Arab capitals.
Although this incident occurred many decades ago, this distorted view of the history of the Arabs and their scientific and cultural heritage continues to this day, not only in European societies, but even among the Arabs themselves, and perhaps the biggest reason for this is ignorance of this heritage.
Arab scientific achievements
And staying away from it, and the large number of mediators and preachers who employed talking about Arab scientific achievements in a preaching and preaching style used for the sake of glorifying and stoking emotions, and promoting stories of scientific miracles in the context of confrontation with the West, which made talking about such topics lose its sobriety and the status it should have, and it is a field The history of science and civilizations, in order to have a deeper understanding of our heritage and history, because it is part of us, and we are part of it.
We belong to the space of human civilization, we influence and are affected, and we lay the building blocks in the history of science and the path of civilization, and the first path to advancement is to know ourselves and ourselves, and our position in history and the present.
The distorted view of the history of the Arabs and their scientific and cultural heritage continues to this day, not only in European societies, but even among the Arabs themselves.
Injustice and marginalization
The broad Arab heritage in the world of astronomy, stars, and planets has been subjected to much confusion, neglect, and marginalization, to the point that it has become thought that most of the Arabs’ knowledge about these worlds is based on myths and legends, and tales of old women and sorcerers.
These fatwas or opinions have helped to spread such ideas, and the audacity of those who convey them. Contemporary jurisprudence, which takes precedence over such issues, makes matters worse, and the picture becomes more inaccurate and misleading.
Talking about refuting these common ideas is very long, but it is enough to know the depth of the Arabs’ relationship with the stars, and this is also a long and rich topic rich in poetry, art, wisdom and proverbs.
According to a census
According to a census conducted by a researcher in the history of stars on many modern star programs, maps and atlases, it appeared that the number of stars with Arabic names exceeds 260 stars, constituting four-fifths of the stars with names in the sky.
200 stars that have Arabic names
In another count, out of more than 300 stars that have official traditional names until 2016 (in contrast to the millions of stars that are now given precise scientific names, not traditional ones), you will find that there are more than 200 stars that have Arabic names written in Latin letters (with their Arabic pronunciation), and are famous for their names.
These names are in science history books and astronomy books and atlases alike, and among the most famous are: Suhail, Capricorn, Aldebaran, Al-Tair, Scorpio, Virgo, Ra’s Al-Ghul, Al-Ghammasa, Cygnus’s Tail, and the Vulture star, which is known in Latin as the star “Vega”. It is a name taken from the German pronunciation of the word “reality” and many other stars.
It is enough to know the depth of the Arabs’ relationship with the stars, and this is also a long and rich topic rich in poetry, art, wisdom, and proverbs. There is no evidence of this than that the majority of the names of the traditional stars today are of Arab origin.
Sky map
This is not strange, as the Arab’s relationship with the stars is very deep. They are his map by which he is guided and knows his way. He is deeply attached to them.
From these stars is his salvation, and they are his way to reach his destination. The Arabs used to travel their caravans in the desert, in those prairies that were similar to them in appearance.
Directions and Paths.
At night, the sky with its stars and planets became the guiding guide for knowing directions and paths. Therefore, they delved into its depths in contemplation, research, and study, until it became an integral part of the traditions of their culture and literature, and they reached a great extent in knowing the positions of the stars, the moon, and the stars, surpassing many previous nations and civilizations.
Investigator Azza Hassan
In this regard, investigator Azza Hassan says in the introduction to his investigation of the book “Times and Circumstances” by Abu Ishaq Ibrahim bin Ismail, known as Ibn al-Ajdabi (d. 470 AH), that the Arabs in ancient times, in their spacious valleys, had a great need to know the fixed planets, and the locations of their rising and setting, because the nature of life In the desert environment, they were forced to constantly move from place to place in search of water and pasture.
The bright, blazing desert sun often forced them to go into captivity, which is to leave at night, in order to escape from its flames during the day. They would cross the desolate countryside and the distant past, in the darkness of the nights, guided by the shining stars in the dome of the sky.
Were it not for these stars that take care of them and guide them to the intended path, their caravans would have gone astray, and their wealth of camels and other things would have perished, among the sand dunes that are similar and successive, like sea waves spreading as far as the eye can see.
And to this great truth the noble verse refers: (And it is He who has appointed for you the stars that you may be guided by them in the darkness of land and sea. R ).
Nature of their lives in the desert
Likewise, “the Arabs were in dire need of knowledge of the air conditions, the positions of the sun and the moon, the change of the seasons of the year, and the events that occur in the atmosphere during these seasons, such as the emergence of clouds, the fall of rain, the blowing of the winds, the intensification of the cold, the onset of heat, and other symptoms of nature.” Which occur at specific times of the year.
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This is because the nature of their lives in the desert environment was such that the basis of their lives was closely linked to these events as well. They lived and were happy with rain and pasture in the fertile times of time. And their livelihood was made difficult and difficult by the withholding of rain and the absence of pasture in the barren times of time.
The Arabs used to drive their caravans in the desert, in those prairies that seemed similar to them at night, and the sky with its stars and planets became the guide to knowing directions and roads, so they dived into its depths in contemplation, research, and study.
The seasons and seasons of the Arabs
Ibn Qutaybah al-Dinouri (d. 276 AH) reveals to us in his precious book “Al-Anwa fi Mawasim al-Arab” an aspect of the pre-Islamic knowledge of the Arabs about the stars and celestial bodies, and their care for the constellations and the phases of the moon, as he says in his introduction:
“This is a book in which I am informed of the Arabs’ doctrines of astrology: their ascension.” And its locations, its attributes, its forms, the names of the moon’s stations, its nights, the difference between its right and left sides, the times and its seasons, the rains and their times, the differences in their names in the seasons, the times of manifestation for tracking the fall of rain and the arrival of pastures and the times for the presence of water, and what the Arabs deposited their saddlebags at the rise of every star.
This ancient Arab method of using the stars, celestial bodies, and heavenly bodies to determine roads and directions is similar to our advanced technical devices today, such as navigation devices and direction-finding programs. It is based on the same philosophy and the same logic.
The ancient Arab method of using the stars, celestial bodies, and heavenly bodies to determine roads and directions is similar today to our advanced technical devices, such as navigation devices and direction finding programs.
Stars in Arab memory
In addition to the ancient Arabs’ care for the stars, they collected the spheres and planets into stories and legends, expressing the story of each star and its connection to the other stars, in a wonderful scene that links the image of space with people’s stories, including the story of the “Star of Suhail” among the Arabs, that famous star in Arab memory, present in its proverbs and poems, and the story begins from the Arabian Peninsula, about Suhail, that young Yemeni who killed a person called “coffin.”
His seven daughters carried him in the coffin and walked around with it, and swore to take revenge, but Suhail tried to convince them that the one who killed their father was another person, and he The grandfather then ran away.
ShutterstockAfter that, Suhail married a girl named Gemini, but he had an argument with her and he beat her, then he fled to the far south. He had two sisters, the Sha’aryan, and each of them followed him, but there was a river on their way, and one of them crossed it (so it was called crossing), and the other could not.
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From the crossing, she was sad and cried until her eyes closed (and she was called Al-Ghamisa), and all of these are names of the stars, gathered in the Arab legend, which has become a deep part of Arab poetry, and about that Al-Zeer Salem, the sleazy bin Rabi’a Al-Taghlabi, says in his eulogy for his brother Kulaib:
The story of the Arabs with the sky and the stars is a deep story that manifests itself in various wonderful images. That relationship began with need and necessity, then was linked to poetry, literature, imagination, and myth, then turned into a space for the development of science and knowledge, and the launch of renaissance and civilization.
Conclusion:
FAQS
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”What constellations can you see from Saudi Arabia?” answer-0=”They also have seasonal variations and are known as seasonal constellations. You may see the Little Bear, Gemini, Pisces, and Sagittarius all year long in the area around us [in Riyadh]. ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”What is the name of the sky map?” answer-1=”A star chart is a celestial map of the night sky that is organized into grids to show the positions of astronomical objects. The constellations, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and planets may all be found and located using them. They have been utilized for human navigation for ages. ” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”What are sky maps called?” answer-2=”A sky map is a diagram of the night sky that pinpoints the positions of the planets, stars, and other celestial bodies. Star charts and star maps are other names for sky maps. ” image-2=”” count=”3″ html=”true” css_class=””]
I’m Hassan Saeed, a Clinical Psychology graduate deeply engaged in the realms of WordPress, blogging, and technology. I enjoy merging my psychological background with the digital landscape. Let’s connect and explore these exciting intersections!
