Lunar mansion

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A lunar mansion is a segment of the ecliptic (often called a station, or house) through which the moon moves in its orbit around the earth, often used by ancient cultures as part of their calendar system. In general, though not always, the zodiac is divided into 27 or 28 segments relative to fixed stars - one for each day of the lunar month, which is 27.3 days long - and the position of the moon is charted with respect to those fixed segments. Since the position of the moon at given stage will vary according to the position of the earth in its own orbit, the mansions of the moon are an effective system for keeping track of the passage of seasons.

Various cultures have used sets of lunar mansions astrologically; for example the Jyotisha astrological Nakshatras of Hindu culture, the Arabic manzils (manazil al-qamar), the twenty-eight mansions of Chinese astronomy, and the 36 decans of Egyptian astronomy. western astrology doesn't use mansions but each zodiac sign covers 2-3 mansions. The Chinese system groups mansions into four groups related to the seasons.

The concept of the lunar mansions are considered to be Babylonian in origin.[1] Jim Tester, in his History of Western Astrology explains that they appear in Hellenistic astrology as the second century list of fixed stars of Maximus of Tyre, the Arabic lists of Alchandri and Haly Abenragel, a similar Coptic list with Greek names, and that though they were known in Vedic India, all lists "seem to betray" transmission through Greek sources. Though pointing out that the Babylonians had well established lunar groupings by the sixth century B.C., he also notes "the twenty-eight mansion scheme was derived via Egyptian magic by the linking of the lists of lucky and unlucky days of the lunar month with the hemerologies and with the zodiac".[2]

Chinese mansions[edit]

Main article: Twenty-Eight Mansions

The 28 Lunar Mansions (Chinese: 二十宿, Èrshí-Bā Xiù) are the Chinese and East Asian form of the lunar mansions. They can be considered as the equivalent to the Western zodiac, although the 28 Mansions reflect the movement of the Moon through a sidereal month rather than the Sun in a solar year. In their final form, they embodied the astral forms of the Four Symbols: two real and two legendary animals important in traditional Chinese culture such as fengshui.

Indian mansions[edit]

Main article: Nakshatra

The Nakshatras or Nákṣatras (lit. "stars") are the Indian form of the lunar mansions. They usually number 27 but sometimes 28 and their names are related to the most prominent constellations in each sector. They start from a point on the ecliptic precisely opposite the star Spica (Sanskrit: Chitrā) and develop eastwards. In classical Hindu mythology, the creation of the nakshatras is attributed to Daksha. They were wives of Chandra, the moon god. The nakshatras of traditional bhartiya astronomy are based on a list of 28 asterisms found in the Atharvaveda (AVŚ 19.7) and also in the Shatapatha Brahmana. The first astronomical text that lists them is the Vedanga Jyotisha. The mansions are important parts of Indian astrology.

Arabic mansions[edit]

In the traditional Arabic astrological system, the moon was seen to move through 28 distinct manazil (singular: manzil = house) during the normal solar year, each manzil lasting, therefore, for about 13 days. One or more manazil were then grouped into a nawaa (pluaral anwaa) which were tied to a given weather pattern. In other words, the yearly pattern was divided in the following manner:[3] A year was divided into anwaa, each of which was made up of one more manazil, which were associated with a dominant star or constellation. These stars and constellations were sometimes, but not always, connected in some way to constellations in the Zodiac. Moreover, as the anwaa' repeat on a regular, solar cycle, they can be correlated to fixed points on the Gregorian calendar.

The following table is a breakdown of the anwaa and their position on the Gregorian calendar.

Manzil Associated Nawaa Significant Stars/Constellations Zodiac Constellations Begins on
Sheratan Al Thuraya Sheratan in Aries -- 17 May
Pleione Al Thuraya Pleione in the Pleiades -- 31 May
Albatain Al Thuraya Albatain in the Pleiades -- 13 June
Al Tuwaibe' Al Tuwaibe' Aldebaran -- 26 June
Heka Al Jawzaa/Gemini Heka in Orion Gemini 9 July
Alhena Al Jawzaa/Gemini Alhena in Gemini Gemini 22 July
Murzim Murzim Canis Major -- 4 August
An Nathra Kulaibain An Nathra -- 17 August
Alterf Suhail Alterf in Leo Leo 30 August
Dschuba Suhail Dschuba Scorpio 12 September
Azzubra Suhail 25 September
Assarfa Suhail 8 October
Auva Al Wasm Auva Virgo 21 October
Simak Al Wasm Spica -- 3 November
Syrma Al Wasm -- 16 November
Az Zubana Al Wasm Acuben Cancer 29 November
Akleel "The Crown" Murabaania Corona Borealis -- 12 December
Qalb al Akraab Murabaania Antares Scorpio 25 December
Shaula Murabaania Shaula Scorpio 3 January
Al Naam Ash Shabt Ascella and Nunki Sagittarius 16 January
Al Baldaah Ash Shabt 29 January
Saad Al Thabib The Three Saads Saad Al Thabih -- 11 February
Saad Balaa The Three Saads Saad Balaa -- 26 February
Saad Al Saud The Three Saads Saadalsud Aquarius 11 March
Saad Al Akhbia Hameemain Sadachbia -- 24 March
Almuqaddam Hameemain Almuqaddam -- 6 April
Al Muakhar Al Tharaeen Pollux Gemini and Aquarius (in the Arab system) 19 April
Alrescha Al Tharaeen Alrescha Gemini and Aquarius (in the Arab system) 2 May

The dates above are approximate; notice that there are 2 days missing from a solar year in the table above.

Lunar Mansion - [Manazilu ʾl-Qamar منازل القمر] according to Islamic astronomical system (Arab sources)
Mansion Period

(approx. by Arab sources)

Starting Degree of

Zodiac Sign

(Sidereal Zodiac)

Constellation

[ʾal-burūj ﭐلْبُرُوْج]

‘Amal عمل (lit. "doer"/ "doer of the deed")

(The Angel ruling the Manazil and ḥurūf)

Lunar Mansion

[Manazilu ʾl-Qamar منازل القمر]

Arabic alphabet [ḥurūf حروف] - Abjadī Order Position

[ʾadad أعداد]

Transliteration Letter Name Letter Name in

Arabic script

Letter Value

(Abjad numerals)

Letter

(Isolated Form)

1st 5 April 0° 0' Aries Burju ʾl-Ḥamal

بُرْجُ ﭐلْحَمَل

ʾIsrāfīl

إِسْرَافِيْل

ʾAsh-Sharaṭayn / ʾAn-Naṭḥ

أَلْشَّرَطَيْن \ أَلْنّطح

ā / ’ (also ʾ ) alif ألف 1 أ 1

١

2nd 18 April 12° 51' Aries Burju ʾl-Ḥamal

بُرْجُ ﭐلْحَمَل

Jibrāʾīl

جِبْرَائِيل

ʾAl-Buṭayn

أَلْبُطَيْن

b bā’ باء 2 ب 2

۲

3rd 1 May 25° 43' Aries Burju ʾl-Ḥamal

بُرْجُ ﭐلْحَمَل

Kalkāʾīl*

كلكائيل

ʾAth-Thurayyā

أَلْثُّرَيَّا

j (also ǧ, g) jīm جيم 3 ج 3

۳

4th 14 May 8° 34' Taurus Burju ʾth-Thūr

بُرْجُ ﭐلْثُّور

Dardāʾīl*

دردَائِيل

ʾAd-Dabarān

أَلْدَّبَرَان

d dāl دال 4 د 4

۴

5th 27 May 21° 26' Taurus Burju ʾth-Thūr

بُرْجُ ﭐلْثُّور

Dūryāʾīl*''

دوريَائِيل

ʾAl-Haq‘ah

أَلْهَقْعَة

h hā’ هاء 5 ه 5

۵

6th 9 June 4° 17' Gemini Burju ʾl-Jawzāʾ

بُرْجُ ﭐلْجَوْزَاء

Fatmāʾīl*

فتمَائِيل

ʾAl-Han‘ah

أَلْهَنْعَة

w / ū wāw واو 6 و 6

۶

7th 22 June 17° 9'Gemini Burju ʾl-Jawzāʾ

بُرْجُ ﭐلْجَوْزَاء

Sharfāʾīl*

شرفَائِيل

ʾAdh-Dhirā‘

أَلْذِّرَاعْ

z zayn / zāy زاي 7 ز 7

۷

8th 5 July 0° 0' Cancer Burju ʾs-Sarṭan

بُرْجُ ﭐلْسَّرْطَان

Tankafīl*

تنكفيل

ʾAn-Nathrah

أَلْنَّثْرَة

ḥā’ حاء 8 ح 8

۸

9th 18 July 12° 51' Cancer Burju ʾs-Sarṭan

بُرْجُ ﭐلْسَّرْطَان

ʾIsmā‘īl*

إِسْمَاعِيْل

ʾAṭ-Ṭarf / ʾAṭ-Ṭarfah

أَلْطَّرْف \ أَلْطَّرْفَة

ṭā’ طاء 9 ط 9

۹

10th 31 July 25° 43' Cancer Burju ʾs-Sarṭan

بُرْجُ ﭐلْسَّرْطَان

Kīṭāʾīl*

كيطَائِيل

ʾAl-Jab'hah

أَلْجَبْهَة

y , ī / ā , ỳ' yā’ / alif maqṣūrah ياء \ ألف مقصورة 10 ي \ ى 10

۱۰

11th 14 Aug 8° 34' Leo Burju ʾl-ʾAsad

بُرْجُ ﭐلْأَسَد

Ḥarūzāʾīl*

حروزَائِيل

ʾAz-Zubrah / ʾAl-Kharātān

أَلْزُّبْرَة \ أَلْخرَاتَان

k kāf كاف 20 ك 11

۱۱

12th 27 Aug 21° 26' Leo Burju ʾl-ʾAsad

بُرْجُ ﭐلْأَسَد

Ṭāṭāʾīl*

طَاطَائِيل

ʾAṣ-Ṣarfah

أَلْصَّرْفَة

l lām لام 30 ل 12

۱۲

13th 9 September 4° 17' Virgo Burju ʾs-Sanabilah / Burju ʾs-Sunbulah

بُرْجُ ﭐلْسَّنَبِلَة \ بُرْجُ ﭐلْسُّنْبُلَة

Rūmāʾīl*

رومَائِيل

ʾAl-‘Awwāʾ

أَلْعَوَّاء

m mīm ميم 40 م 13

۱۳

14th 22 September 17° 9' Virgo Burju ʾs-Sanabilah / Burju ʾs-Sunbulah

بُرْجُ ﭐلْسَّنَبِلَة \ بُرْجُ ﭐلْسُّنْبُلَة

Ḥūlāʾīl*

حولَائِيل

ʾAs-Simāk / ʾAs-Simāku ʾl-A‘zil

أَلْسِّمَاك \ أَلْسِّمَاكُ ﭐلأَعْزِل

n nūn نون 50 ن 14

۱۴

15th 5 October 0° 0' Libra Burju ʾl-Mīzān

بُرْجُ ﭐلْمِيْزَان

Hamrākīl*

همرَاكيل

ʾAl-Ghafr

أَلْغَفْر

s sīn سين 60 س 15

۱۵

16th 18 October 12° 51' Libra Burju ʾl-Mīzān

بُرْجُ ﭐلْمِيْزَان

Lūmāʾīl*

لومَائِيل

ʾAz-Zubānā

أَلْزُّبَانَى

‘ (also ʿ ) ayn عين 70 ع 16

۱۶

17th 31 October 25° 43' Libra Burju ʾl-Mīzān

بُرْجُ ﭐلْمِيْزَان

Sarhamākīl*

سرهمَاكيل

ʾAl-Iklīl / ʾAl-Iklīlu ʾl-Jab'hah

أَلْإِكْلِيْل \ أَلْإِكْلِيْلُ ﭐلْجَبْهَة

f فاء 80 ف 17

۱۷

18th 13 November 8° 34' Scorpio Burju ʾl-‘Aqrab

بُرْجُ ﭐلْعَقْرَب

ʾAhjamāʾīl* / ʾUhjamāʾīl*

اهجمَائِيل

ʾAl-Qalb

أَلْقَلْب

ṣād صاد 90 ص 18

۱۸

19th 26 November 21° 26' Scorpio Burju ʾl-‘Aqrab

بُرْجُ ﭐلْعَقْرَب

‘Aṭrāʾīl* / ‘Uṭrāʾīl*

عطرَائِيل

ʾAsh-Shawlah

أَلْشَّوْلَة

q qāf قاف 100 ق 19

۱۹

20th 9 December 4° 17' Sagittarius Burju ʾl-Qaws

بُرْجُ ﭐلْقَوْس

ʾAmwākīl* / ʾUmwākīl*

امواكيل

ʾAn-Na‘āʾam

أَلْنَّعَائَم

r rā’ راء 200 ر 20

۲۰

21th 22 December 17° 9' Sagittarius Burju ʾl-Qaws

بُرْجُ ﭐلْقَوْس

Hamrāʾīl*

همرَائِيل

ʾAl-Baldah

أَلْبَلْدَة

sh (also š) shīn شين 300 ش 21

۲۱

22th 4 January 0° 0' Capricorn Burju ʾl-Jiddỳ' / Burju ʾl-Jiddī

بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّی \ بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّي

‘Azrāʾīl

عَزْرَائِيل

Sa‘du ʾdh-Dhābiḥ / ʾAdh-Dhābiḥ

سَعْدُ ﭐلْذَّابِح \ أَلْذَّابِح

t tā’ تاء 400 ت 22

۲۲

23th 17 January 12° 51'Capricorn Burju ʾl-Jiddỳ' / Burju ʾl-Jiddī

بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّی \ بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّي

Mīkāʾīl

مِيْكَائِيل

Sa‘du ʾl-Bul‘a / ʾAl-Bul‘a

سَعْدُ ﭐلْبُلْعَ \ أَلْبُلْعَ

th (also ) thā’ ثاء 500 ث 23

۲۳

24th 30 January 25° 43' Capricorn Burju ʾl-Jiddỳ' / Burju ʾl-Jiddī

بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّی \ بُرْجُ ﭐلْجِدِّي

Mahkāʾīl*

مهكَائِيل

Sa‘du ʾs-Su‘ud / ʾAs-Su‘ud

سَعْدُ ﭐلْسُّعُود \ أَلْسُّعُود

kh (also ḫ, ḵ) khā’ خاء 600 خ 24

۲۴

25th 12 February 8° 34' Aquarius Burju ʾd-Dalū

بُرْجُ ﭐلْدَّلُو

ʾAhrāfīl* / ʾUhrāfīl*

اهرَافِيل

Sa‘du ʾl-ʾAkhbiyyah / ʾAl-ʾAkhbiyyah

سَعْدُ ﭐلْأَخْبِيَّه \ أَلْأَخْبِيَّه

dh (also ) dhāl ذال 700 ذ 25

۲۵

26th 25 February 21° 26' Aquarius Burju ʾd-Dalū

بُرْجُ ﭐلْدَّلُو

‘Aṭkāʾīl* / ‘Uṭkāʾīl*

عطكَائِيل

Farghu ʾd-Dalū ʾl-Muqdim / ʾAl-Muqdim

فَرْغُ ﭐلْدَّلُو ﭐلْمُقْدِم \ أَلْمُقْدِم

ḍād ضاد 800 ض 26

۲۶

27th 10 March 4° 17' Pisces Burju ʾl-Ḥūt

بُرْجُ ﭐلْحُوْت

Tūrāʾīl*

تورَائِيل

Farghu ʾd-Dalū ʾl-Muʾkhar / ʾAl-Muʾkhar

فَرْغُ ﭐلْدَّلُو ﭐلْمُؤْخَر \ أَلْمُؤْخَر

ẓā’ ظاء 900 ظ 27

۲۷

28th 23 March 17° 9' Pisces Burju ʾl-Ḥūt

بُرْجُ ﭐلْحُوْت

Lūkhāʾīl*

لوخَائِيل

ʾAr-Rashāʾ / Buṭnu ʾl-Ḥūt

أَلْرَّشَاء \ بَطْنُ ﭐلْحُوت

gh (also ġ, ḡ) ghayn غين 100 غ 28

۲۸

Also, the following letters has no alphabetical value in numerology of the Abjad system known as "Ilm ul-ʾAdad".

Arabic alphabet [ḥurūf حروف] - Abjadī Order
Transliteration Letter Name Letter Name in

Arabic script

Letter Value

(Abjad numerals)

Letter

(Isolated Form)

’ (also ʾ / ʔ) hamzah همزة 0 ء
ah or at / ah / a tāʼ marbūṭah تاء مربوطة 0 ة

Notes of the table above in accordance to strict traditional Arab Islamic astronomy and theology:

1) the Arabic alphabet resonates the alphabetical value in numerology of the Abjad system known as "Ilm ul-ʾAdad".

2) the ‘Amal (Islamic view of angels - equivalent to rank of the "Watcher" or "Guardian Angel") is the Angel that rules the corresponding Arabic alphabet (rhythm of the alphabet in numerology of the Abjad system), manazilu ʾl-Qamar (lunar mansion) and constellation (i.e. zodiac sign). Generally speaking, the four Archangels in Islam is Jibrāʾīl, Mīkāʾīl, ʾIsrāfīl and Malaku ʾl-Maut (‘Azrāʾīl).

3) the alphabetical orders follows the sequence of the original abjadī order (أَبْجَدِي), used for lettering, derives from the order of the Phoenician alphabet, and is therefore similar to the order of other Phoenician-derived alphabets, such as the Hebrew alphabet. In this order, letters are also used as numbers, Abjad numerals, and possess the same alphanumeric code/cipher as Hebrew gematria and Greek isopsephy.

4) those angel name with an "asterisk" needs source citation upon Arabic transliteration but the given is the closest pronunciation based upon uttering the consonants.

A few of the numerical values are different in the alternative Abjad order. For four Persian letters these values are used:[citation needed]

Transliteration Letter Name Letter Name in Persian

(Farsi فارسی)

Letter Value Letter

(Isolation Form)

p pe [Voiceless bilabial stop p] پِ 2 پ
č / ch če / che [Voiceless palato-alveolar affricate t͡ʃ] چِ 3 چ
ž / zh že / zhe [Voiced palato-alveolar sibilant ʒ] ژِ 7 ژ
g gāf [Voiced velar stop ɡ] گاف 20 گ

References[edit]

  1. ^ S. Weinstock, 'Lunar Mansions and Early Calendars', Journal of Hellenic Studies, LXIX (1949); cf. also CCAG IX.1 138ff; Philip Yampolsky, 'The origin of the Twenty-eight Lunar Mansions', Osiris, IX (1950), pp.62-83; I.E. Svenberg, 'Lunaria et Zodiologia Latina', Studia Graeca et Latina Gothoburgensia (Goteburg, 1963).
  2. ^ Jim Tester, A History of Western Astrology, Boydell and Brewer, 1987, p.82.
  3. ^ Hassan, Izzat (2006). Al Azmana wa al Anwaa. Morocco: Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Printing Press. ISBN 9954-0-5074-4. 

External links[edit]