While much of the Arabian Peninsula is viewed as an arid zone, this is not the case for Yemen on its southwestern corner. Monsoon rainfall in the southern highlands, abundant highland springs and usually reliable coastal wadis have allowed for a rich agricultural tradition. Yemen’s agriculture is well-known in early Arabic geographical texts, where the country is at times called “the verdant Yemen” (al-Yaman al-khaḍrā’). The history of Islamic Yemen is indelibly linked to the geography, which exhibits a wide range of environmental zones and at the same time provided obstacles to a consolidated political rule. Yemen has a rich tradition of agricultural almanacs stemming back to the Rasulid era (13th-15th centuries CE). The first known Rasulid almanac, written in an astronomical text by al-Malik al-Ashraf ‘Umar for AH 670-1/CE 1271, has influenced a wide range of Yemeni agricultural almanacs into the modern period. One of these is an almanac chart according to the Syriac months for AH 1145/CE 1733 in the Kitāb al-Taqwīm of Yūsuf ibn Yūsuf al-Maḥallī from a manuscript located in the Ambrosiana library in Milan [#339 (C83)]. I provide here a brief description of the range of data in al-Maḥallī’s almanac and compare this to those of his Rasulid predecessors, especially a similar almanac chart in the compendium of al-Malik al-Afḍal al-‘Abbās from the late 14th century. Both the Arabic text and an annotated translation follow.

While the Rasulid sultans have long since disappeared, several of their texts have survived over the past seven to eight centuries. Later Yemeni authors at times copied information from these earlier sources, many times without knowing varietal names or placenames that had since disappeared. One example of this is the 1733 CE almanac of Yūsuf al-Maḥallī. This was compiled in Ṣan‘ā’, Yemen during the rule of the Zaydī imam al-Manṣūr bi-Allāh Ḥusayn ibn al-Qāsim. The Zaydī school, a branch of the minority Shī‘a tradition, arrived in northern Yemen at the end of the 9th century CE and formed the major polity north of Ṣan‘ā’ until the republican revolution in 1962. The Qāsimī imams came to power after the expulsion of the Ottoman Turks in 1635 and were characterized by Zaydī activism against the predominantly Shāfi‘ī school in other parts of Yemen. Yūsuf al-Maḥallī had been trained in the Shāfi‘ī method in Egypt, but his writings in Yemen indicate that he adapted to the Shī‘a proclivities of his new patron. During the Rasulid era a number of competent astronomers had taken up residence in Yemen. Although a few good quality astronomical works were produced into the late 17th century, there was little competence (as reflected in the extant sources) by the time of al-Maḥallī. Indeed, his taqwīm analyzed here is concerned more with astrological lore than astronomy.

Author

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The author Yūsuf ibn Yūsuf al-Maḥallī, as noted by historian David King (1983:45) in his survey of Yemeni astronomical treatises, is surrounded by a certain amount of confusion. This scholar’s name is recorded as Yūsuf ibn Yūsuf al-Maḥallī al-Shāfi‘ī al-Ash‘arī in a copy he made in Ṣan‘ā’ of an earlier 13th century zīj by Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr al-Kawāshī. King suggests that our author is identical to the Egyptian astronomer Yūsuf Kalārjī and that the nisba is in reference to al-Maḥalla in the Nile Delta. If so, he was a student of the Egyptian astronomer Riḍwān Efendī and apparently traveled to Crete and Mecca as well. In the absence of any biographical information from Yemeni sources, I agree with King that al-Maḥallī was no doubt an itinerant Egyptian scholar, who probably arrived in Yemen after the year 1133/1721, when there is the last evidence of work he completed in Egypt. His main extant work in Yemen is dated during the period from 1143-1147 AH with a mark of ownership in his name recorded in a manuscript as late as 1157/1744.

In theory it is possible to derive the nisba from a Yemeni origin, although there are no direct references to him in the Yemeni biographical texts. For example, there is a Yemeni village called al-Miḥilla, located about fifteen miles north of the central Yemeni town of Dhamār (Qadi Ismā‘īl al-Akwa‘ 1988:256, note 4). This town receives a mention in Yāqūt’s early 13th century gazetteer and is located near an important center of learning. There is also a village known as al-Maḥalla south of Ibb in Wadi Suḥl (al-Maqḥafī 1985). If our author had been born in Yemen, he may have received his education at the famous Shamsīya madrasa in Dhamār. As Qadi Ismā‘īl al-Akwa‘ (1980:369) laments in his historical treatment of this school, most of the scholars there do not have formal recorded biographies. The evidence suggests, however, that al-Maḥallī was not born and trained in Yemen, but came from Egypt.

Text

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The single known copy of al-Maḥalli’s taqwīm is in the Ambrosiana collection [#339 (C83)]. It was compiled, as the author states, in Shawwāl, 1145 AH/March, 1733 CE. The astronomical calculations are for the city of Ṣan‘ā’, although the compiled almanac data covers other areas of the mountains and some of the main coastal wadis.

Most of the lines in the body of the text are written in poetic form. The introduction is mainly a justification for studying astronomy, including a favorable quote from the Quran and two sayings attributed to Imam ‘Alī, the first that “The knowledge of astronomy is among the sciences of the prophets” (‘ilm al-nujūm min ‘ulūm al-anbiyā’).  In fact the first six pages focus on judicial astrology (aḥkām) with impact for the four seasons, various social categories such as court ministers (wuzarā’), Muslim scholars (‘ulamā’), government officials (e.g. nawwāb), imams, ordinary people (ra‘āyā and ‘awwām), artisans (ahl al-ḥiraf wa-al-ṣinā’i‘) and difficult situations such as wars (ḥurūb), diseases (amrāḍ), death (mawt) fertility and barrenness (khiṣb and jadb). This is followed by a two page chart of what is beneficial in diet and health for each season of the year. This is standard seasonal lore not directly related to Yemen. Next are several page charts, including an illustration of a lunar eclipse forecast for the month of Dhū al-Ḥijja in 1145 A.H., a discussion of the visibility of Sirius (al-shi‘rā) in Yemen and what that portends for the year, lucky and unlucky star positions, and the movement of the sun. The last part of the text (ff. 10b-22b) is an almanac chart, the focus of my discussion below.

The almanac chart is constructed day by day on the basis of the Seleucid Christian solar calendar, starting with the vernal equinox. In two places in the text al-Maḥallī provides the focal point for his calculations across calendars: 6 Shawwāl, 1145 A.H. = 10 Ādhār, 2044 in the Seleucid Christian calendar = 14 Baramhāt, 1449 in the Coptic reckoning = 28 Shahrīwarmāh, 1102 in the Persian calendar.  This is correct in the astronomical system, while in the civil system it would correspond to Sunday, 11 March 1733, 15 Baramhat 1449 and 29 Shahrīwarmāh 1102. The modern Gregorian equivalent of 6 Shawwāl, 1145 would be Sunday, March 22, 1773. It is important to remember that sometimes almanacs provide the correct date for an astronomical event at the time of the writing, while other times an earlier date is simply copied. When an author, like al-Malik al-Ashraf, also publishes a set of tables (zīj), it is best to consult that.

Information in the almanac tables is contained in charts (folios 10b-22b), with each folio spread containing 28 columns.  The contents of these columns, from right to left, are summarized below as given along the top of the first chart:

1.  aḥkām al-mamāzijāt:  this section is written as a single column containing generic predictions about events during the zodiacal month. 

2.  tawqī‘āt:  This section records specific data about the seasons, calendrical correlations, agricultural activities and the like, as edited and translated below.

3.  asāmī ayyām al-usbū‘:  Arabic names of the days of the week

4.  al-‘adad min Shawwāl sannat 1145:  numbers of the days in the Hijri month of Shawwāl in 1145 A.H.

5.  al-‘adad min Baramhāt sannat 1449:  numbers of the days in the month of Baramhāt in 1449 of the Coptic calendar.

6.  al-‘adad min Ādhār Rūmī sannat 2044:  numbers of the days in the month of Ādhār in 2044 of the Seleucid Christian solar calendar.

7.  al-‘adad min Shahrīwarmāh sannat 1102:  numbers of the days in the month of Shahrīwarmāh in 1102 of the Yazdigard reckoning of the Persian calendar.

8-15.  ḥarakāt al-kawākib fī al-burūj:  star movements in the zodiacal houses.

8.  al-shams bi-al-Ḥamal:  the sun is in Aries.

9.  al-qamar bi-al-Jawzā:  the moon is in Gemeni.

10.  Zuḥal bi-al-Ḥamal:  Saturn is in Aries.

11.  al-Mushtarī bi-al-‘Aqrab:  Jupiter is in Scorpio.

12.  al-Mirrīkh bi-al-Thawr:  Mars is in Taurus.

13.  al-Zuhra bi-al-Ḥūt:  Venus is in Pisces.

14.  ‘Uṭārid bi-al-Ḥamal:  Mercury is in Aries.

15.  al-ra’s bi-al-Qaws:  the zenith is in Sagittarius.

16.  ḍill al-zawāl aqdām wa-daqā’iq:  noon shadow length in feet and minutes.

17.  asāmī ayyām al-usbū‘: Arabic names of the days of the week, repeated here because it is the first column of a new page.

18.  al-‘adad min Shawwāl: numbers of the days in the Hijri month of Shawwāl

19.  manāzil al-qamar:  stations of the moon (for each day).

20.  burūj al-qamar:  zodiacal houses of the moon (for each day).

21-26.  ittiṣāl al-qamar bi-al-kawākib:  conjunction of the moon with moving stars or planets.

21.  bi-al-shams:  conjunction of the moon with the sun.

22.  bi-Zuḥal:  conjunction of the moon with Saturn.

23.  bi-al-Mushtarī:  conjunction of the moon with Jupiter.

24.  bi-al-Mirrīkh:  conjunction of the moon with Mars.

25.  bi-al-Zuhra:  conjunction of the moon with Venus.

26.  bi-‘Uṭārid:  conjunction of the moon with Mercury.

27.  al-mumāzzajāt: mixed fortunes

28.  al-ikhtiyārāt al-qamarīya: recommended acts based on the moon.

Although al-Maḥallī does not appear to be a native-born Yemeni, he adapted to the Yemeni context quite well in his almanac.  Some of his information on Yemen would have been known outside the area, such as the fact that in Yemen spring (starting at the vernal equinox) was called ṣayf rather than rabī‘ in a shift forward of each of the terms for the four seasons.  But much of his agricultural and environmental information is clearly derived from the earlier Rasulid sources.  There is an especially strong affinity with the late 13th century almanac of al-Malik al-Ashraf (Varisco 1994).  Several references demonstrate that al-Maḥallī was simply copying information from these sources.  For example, he records the harvest (ṣurāb) of al-sābi‘ī [sorghum] in the coastal town of al-Mahjam at XI:22, but al-Mahjam did not exist as a town by the time of al-Maḥallī.

There is considerable borrowing in the almanac genre.  One can find striking similarities between this almanac of al-Maḥallī and that of Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Laṭīf al-Thābitī, a Syrian scholar who lived in Zabīd in the mid 17th century, as well as the extant almanac of a certain Ibn Jaḥḥāf from around the same time as al-Maḥallī.   These written almanacs, although they clearly reflect actual practice, are scholarly compilations and not ethnographic accounts.  They are useful for giving a sense of the range of agricultural activities and their relative timing.  But in the case of al-Maḥallī’s almanac, some of the information described is merely copied from earlier texts and does not necessarily reflect practices at the time of his writing.  It is important to note that citing a specific day may be somewhat arbitrary for activities that are seasonal and rarely determined for a specific day, unlike a religious holiday.  Also, as the Rasulid sources clearly demonstrate, the timing of activities inevitably varies in different regions (see Varisco 1984).  For comparative purposes I refer to the following Rasulid almanacs:  Al-Malik al-Ashraf (Varisco 1994), Fuṣūl (Varisco 1997, #xv), Abū al-‘Uqūl (unpublished ms.) and Salwa (published in facsimile in Varisco and Smith (1998:97-114), as well as more-or-less contemporary Yemeni almanacs by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.

Arabic Text

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The part of the text edited below is only from the second column of the charts, dealing with agriculture and related activities throughout the year. I reproduce the text as it exists, noting the occasional errors as they occur.  Almanac writing is in shorthand and not formal grammar.  Al-Maḥallī’s text does not generally provide the ḥamza or shadda, and I have chosen not to add these, but I indicate the correct form for terms transliterated in the translation.  The copyist, even if it is by the attributed author, is prone to make mistakes in the process of copying from other manuscripts, especially if he is not familiar with a placename or crop varietal name.  Al-Maḥallī also uses a colloquial for some of the month names, e.g., Tishrīn Awwal for Tishrīn al-Awwal, etc.

اذار

١٠ يوم النيروز السلطاني
١١ ربيع الحكما وصيف العرب
١٢ سقوط الظافر الاول
١٣ مهرماه فارسي
١٤  تجري السفن في البحر
١٥ اول حصاد القياض
١٦  زرع الذرة في الجبال
١٧  يحيج الدم
١٨  يولى البرد يصل الحسوم
١٩  يحيج الطاعون في اماكنه
٢٠  اوان نتاج الخيل
٢١  تهب رياح الشمال
٢٢  اول انفتاح البحر
٢٣  الفجر بالمقدم
٢٤  سقوط الظافر الثاني
٢٥  طلوع الغفر عشا
٢٦  سبعة ايام يطيب فيها العمل
٢٧  برمودة قبطي
٢٨  بشارة مريم بحمل عيسى
٢٩  وفات ابي طالب
٣٠  غزوة احد
٣١  خروج الاغنام بالمشارق

نيسان

١   نيسان رومي
٢   يوجد الجعر ؟ بصنعا
٣   ذو القعدة
٤   الفجر بالموخر
٥   الحصاد بمصر
٦   اول سفر الموسم
٧   العمل طيب ويرجى المطر
٨   يكثر الورد ببلاده
٩   الشمس بالثور
١٠  نزول صحف ابراهيم
١١  نزول الزبور
١٢  ابانماه فارسي
١٣  جمعة الراحب
١٤  سبت النور
١٥  عيد النصارى الكبير
١٦  اول وجود العنب بالمشارق
١٧  الفجر بالرشا
١٨  يغيب الثريا عشا
١٩  طلوع الاكليل عشا
٢٠  تسامت الشمس الراس بصنعا
٢١  قوة الفصل
٢٢  تمد الفراة
٢٣  روز الخضر
٢٤  يغيب الثاني صبحا
٢٥ يخفف اللباس عن البدن
٢٦  بشنس القبطي
٢٧  العشر المختارة لمذارى الذرة
٢٨  يزرع الارز بمصر
٢٩  تستعمل الاشربة فتنفع
٣٠  الفجر بالشرطين

ايار

١   ايار رومي
٢   تقوى شهوة الجماع
٣   ذو الحجة
٤   اول ذي الحجة بالروية
٥   اخر العشر المختارة للذرة
٦  عيد ايوب
٧  يجمع الخشخاش
٨   اول مغيب سهيل باليمن
٩   عيد الورد بمصر
١٠  الشمس بالجوزا
١١  رفع المسيح عليلم يوم عرفة
١٢  مسترقة فارسي
١٣  عيد النحر
١٤  ابتدا الحسوم
١٥  اول وجود العنب
١٦  والفواكه بصنعا
١٧  اذرماه
١٨  العمل طيب سبعة ايام
١٩  نقصان الما في العود
٢٠  امتزاج الفاصلين
٢١  ينقضى وقت الورد
٢٢  يغيب السابع صبحا
٢٣  خروج الذبآب الاحمر
٣٤  نهي بقراط عن العلاج
٢٥  اخر كسر قصب السكر
٢٦  بونه قبطي
٢٧  اول زراعة البر
٢٨  اخر زرایة الذرة بالجبال
٢٩ طلوع النعائم عشا
٣٠  تهب ريح الجنوب
٣١  يظهر الثريا للابصار

حزيران

١   حزيران
٢   محرم سنة ١١٤٦
٣   اول وجود الرطب
٤   اخر وصول الهندي
٥   ليلة نزول النقطة
٦   تتهرك شهوة الجماع
٧   يشتد الحر
٨   الفجر بالدبران
٩   يوكل البطيخ
١٠  غاية طول النهار
١١  الشمس بالسرطان
١٢  تهيج الصفرا
١٣  تتنفس نيل مصر
١٤  مقتل زيد بن علي عليلم
١٥  يكره شم المسك
١٦  ديماه فارسي
١٧  اول استعمال الحوامض
١٨  اجتماع اكثر الفواكه بصنعا
١٩  يوم الجمع بالمقياس
٢٠  اول وجود الجوز
٢١  الفجر بالهقعة
٢٢  اول نهي عن المسهل
٢٣  ابتدا مطر حزيران
٢٤  وقوف الشمس ليشع
٢٥  ابيب قبطي
٢٦  اندفاع ما النيل
٢٧  اخر رياح البوارح
٢٨  وفرة العسل
٢٩  يستحب شرب المبردات
٣٠  يموت الجراد

تموز

١   تموز رومي
٢  صفر عربي
٣   تستوى الاعناب
٤   الفجر بالهنعة
٥   تذهب الطواعين من امكنها
٦   قوة الحسوم
٧   يتحرك وجع العين
٨   اول السموم
٩   حركات في الرياح
١٠   نهاية غزر المياه
١١  جمرة القيظ
١٢  الشمس بالاسد
١٣  يكثر وجود الاعناب
١٤  يتقوى حكم الفصل
١٥  يكثر اليقطين بصنعا
١٦  بهمن ماه
١٧  الفجر بالذراع
١٨  يبرد باطن الارض
١٩  يطيب الخوخ
٢٠  يكثر القمل
٢١  نهاية مد الفرات
٢٢  حسوم شديد
٢٣  وسموم في بلاده
٢٤  اخر مذارى الحنطة
٢٥  مسرى قبطي
٢٦  يدرك نخل الحجاز
٢٧  طلوع سهيل باليمامة
٢٨  طلوع سحيل بالحجاز
٢٩  نهاية غزر الامطار
٣٠  الفجر بالنثرة
٣١  ربيع اول

اب

١ اب رومي
٢   طلوع الاول صبحا
٣  اول سفر الموسم
٤    الهندي من المخا
٥   اول زرارة الخامسي بالتهامة
٦  تسامت الشمس الراس بصنعا
٧   طلوع الثاني صبحا
٨  تقل الاخلاط الصفراوية
٩   يحذر لسع الهوام
١٠  زراعة الارز بسهام
١١  تختلف الرياح
١٢  الفجر بالطرف
١٣  الشمس بالسنبلة
١٤ يهيج النعائم
١٥  اسفندار ماه
١٦  يتوسط الثريا السما صبحا
١٧  فتور الحسوم
١٨  يتحرك النامس
١٩  طلوع سهيل بفارس
٢٠  مجى طيور الباشق
٢١  استكمال الثمار
٢٢  اخر الموسم الهندي
٢٣  طلوی الثالث
٢٤  النسى قبطي
٢٥  الفجر بالجبهة
٢٦  تتولد الاسماك
٢٧  يغيب السماك
٢٨  اخر السنة القبطية
٢٩  توت سنة ١٤٥٠
٣٠  ربيع ثاني
٣١  طلوع الرابع

ايلول

١   ايلول رومي
٢   اول جهيش الذرة
٣   المختار لزراعة الخامسي بزبيد
٤   ابتدا سقوط الندا
٥   اخر سفر الهندي
٦ اول استخراج مال الصيف
٧   الفجر بالخرثان
٨  يحصل الوبا والحميات
٩   اول هبوب العواصف
١٠  طلوع السادس
١١  اول الحصاد بالجبال
١٢  الشمس بالميزان
١٣  خريف الحكما وشتا العرب
١٤  فروردين ماه سنة ١١٠٣
١٥  السادس
١٦  اول حصاد البر
١٧  والشعير بالجبال
١٨  تصفر اوراق الشجر
١٩    يشتدد هبوب العواصف
٢٠  الفجر بالصرفة
٢١  يخاف الضريب
٢٢  يولى الحسوم ويبتدى البرد
٢٣ اول نتاج البهائم
٢٤  السابع وهو
٢٥  سبت السبوت
٢٦  اول سقوط الطلوع في الغيول
٢٧  يغيب الثاني عشا
٢٨  جماد اول  بابه
٢٩  ينقص ما النيل
٣٠  مولد زين العبدين

تشرين اول

١   تشرين اول سنة ٢٠٤٥
٢  ان كان فيه مطر
٣  كانت السنة مطيرة
٤  اول حصاد الذرة
٥  بالجبال
٦  يقطع الخشب فلا
٧   يسوس الى عشرة ايام
٨   يغيب الخامس عشا
٩  يزرع الكتان بمصر
١٠  المختار لمذارى الذرة
١١  يتحرك الزكام
١٢  اول زراعة الارز
١٣  اوان قطع الرمان
١٤  اردبهشت
١٥  اول هبوب الازيب
١٦  يغيب السادس عشا
١٧  اخر حصاد البر بالجبال
١٨  يشتد مرض السودا
١٩  طلوع الثريا عشا
٢٠  يقع الضريب احيانا
٢١  يتساقط ورق الاشجار
٢٢  يختفى الهوام
٢٣  غاية قوة الفصل
٢٤  يطلع السماك صبحا
٢٥ يتكاثف السحاب
٢٦  روز قاسم
٢٧  اول مطر الوسمي
٢٨  جماد ثاني  هتور
٢٩  اول الليالي البلق
٣٠  نوء البطين
٣١  يختفى الهوام

تشرين ثاني

١   تشرين ثاني
٢ اول البرد ومطر
٣  الربيع باليمن
٤   يدخل النمل جوف الارض
٥   صالح لمذاري البر
٦   يشتد غليان البحر الرومي
٧
٨  اول برد المياه
٩   تحدث الغمام بالجبال
١٠  يختفى الهوام
١١  الشمس بالعقرب
١٢  الفجر بالزبانا
١٣  خرداذ ماه
١٤  يرتفع الوبا عن الناس
١٥  نوء التريا
١٦  ابتدا البرد
١٧  هبوب العواصف
١٨  يخاف فيه الدود
١٩  ينغلق البحر فلا تجرى السفن
٢٠  سقوط الدبران صبحا
٢١  وصول مراكب ظفار
٢٢  صراب السابعي بالمهجام
٢٣  اخر هبوب العواصف
٢٤  ابتدا هبوب الشمال
٢٥  الفجر بالاكليل
٢٦  رجب  امتزاج الفصلين
٢٧  كيهك
٢٨  طلوع الهقعة عشا
٢٩  اول مطر الولي باليمن
٣٠  نتاج الضان

كانون اول

١   كانون اول
٢  يخرج البخار من الافو١ه
٣   فيه تهب الصبا
٤   اول جهيش السابعي بزبيد
٥   يغيب سهيل فجرا
٦   اخر الليالي البلق
٧   اول الليالي السود
٨   الفجر بالقلب  سقط ما بقى من ورق الشجر
٩   غاية طول الليل
١٠  الشمس بالجدى
١١  اول شتا الحكما و ربيع العرب
١٢  يكسر قصب السكر
١٣  تير ماه
١٤  وقوف الشمس
١٥  مطر الوقوف
١٦  طلوع الشعرى عشا
١٧  يهيج البلغم
١٨  يسخن بطن الارض
١٩  اول طلوع النخل
٢٠  يكثر السعال وتجمد المياه
٢١  الفجر بالشولة
٢٢  يشتد البرد
٢٣  يحمد اكل الحلوى
٢٤  تقليم الكروم بالمشارق
٢٥  عيد الميلادة  ليلة ميلادة عيسى
٢٦  شعبان
٢٧  طوبه
٢٨  اخر الليالي السود
٢٩  يرتفع الوبا من مصر
٣٠  يرجى مطر الربيع
٣١  يختفى الهوام

كانون ثاني

١   كانون ثاني
٢   يوجد الثلج
٣ الفجر بالنعائم الرابع الاول
٤  اخر الاربعانيات
٥  وجود قصب السكر
٦  ليلة غطاس النصارى
٧  اوان جمع الزعفران
٨ انقضا شدة البرد
٩   الشمس بالدلو
١٠  الرابع الثاني
١١  يرتفع الوخم والوبا
١٢  مردذ ماه
١٣  تورق الاشجار
١٤  يذرا شعير القياض
١٥  تشتد ريح الجنوب
١٦  الفجر بالبلدة
١٧  يرى سهيل
١٨  شدة البرد
١٩  الرابع الثالث
٢٠  يتوسط الثريا عشا
٢١  اول تقليم العنب
٢٢ طلوع النسر الطائر صبها
٢٣  طلوع الثالث عشا
٢٤  رمضان
٢٥  اول وجود الورد
٢٦  امشير
٢٧  يوجد جهيش البر
٢٨  تختلف الرياح
٢٩ الفجر بالنعائم طلوع الرابع عشا
٣٠  يوكل الكراث
٣١  طلوع الزبرة عشا

شباط

١   شباط
٢  يخرج الما من العود
٣   حصاد البر بالجبال
٤  المختار لتقليم الكروم
٥   سقوط الجمرة
٦   صوم الصابيين
٧   يظهر النمل
٨   يكثر ورق الشجر
٩   كتب الرقاع في الهند
١٠ اول مطر الربيع
١١ شهرير ماه
١٢  الفجر ببلع
١٣  فتور البرد
١٤  طلوع السادس عشا
١٥  اخر الصواب
١٦  اخر غرس الاشجار
١٧  ظهور الهوام
١٨  تشتد الرياح اللواقح
١٩  جرى الما في الاشجار
٢٠  غزوة حسين
٢١  اخر تقليم الكروم
٢٢  امتزاج الفصلين
٢٣  شوال
٢٤  عيد الفطر
٢٥  برمهات  الفجر بالسعود
٢٧  اول ليالي العجوز
٢٨  طلوع العوا عشا

اذار
١  اذار رومي
٢   اوان كثرة الورد
٣   اول مولد الذباب
٤   اخر ليالي العجوز
٥   اوان زهر الرمان
٦   تفتح الحيات اعينها
٧   نهاية نقص المياه وتختلف الرياح
٨   اول سفر الهندي
٩   اخر السنة الشمسية

 

Translation of Almanac Lore

[back to top]

[Rather than use footnotes, I will provide commentary on the almanac information in brackets.]

Events (tawqī‘āt)

Ādhār (March)

10 [First] day of the zodiacal year (al-nawrūz al-sulṭānī)
[Nawrūz is borrowed from the Persian term that literally refers to the first day of the year.  The Sulṭānī new year is in reference to the calendar reform of the Seljuk sultan Jalāl al-Dawla Malikshāh ibn Alp Arslan (died 485/1092) in 471/1079 to coincide with the vernal equinox.  It is also known as the Jalālī calendar (Taqizadeh 1965:397-400).]

11 Spring (rabī‘) of the sages, which is ṣayf for the Arabs
[The term rabī‘ is used for spring in the four-season sequence of formal astronomy, starting with the vernal equinox, but in Yemen the term ṣayf was traditionally used for spring (Varisco 1994:84).  The use of the ethnic term Arab here probably stems from the lexical sources, which link this usage of ṣayf to the Bedouin pastoralists of Arabia.]

12 Setting of the first Ẓāfir
[The Rasulid sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf ‘Umar, who places this at 10 Ādhār, notes that the two stars of Ẓāfir, also called Sā’iq, are equivalent to the classical muḥlifān (α β Centauri).  Al-Maḥallī is copying from Rasulid sources; a slightly earlier Yemeni source by ‘Abd al-Qādir al-Hattār refers to the first Ẓāfir as a ten day period starting on 23 Ādhār (Varisco 1993:127).  The almanac poem of Ḥasan ibn Jābir al-‘Affārī, who died in 1122/1710, notes that Yemeni farmers used the stars of Ẓāfir rather than the lunar stations for their local reckoning (Varisco 1997:XI, 11).  In nautical astronomy these two stars are equivalent to ḥimārān.]

13 Persian month of Mihrmāh

14 Ships sail on the sea
[This appears to be in reference to ships sailing from the Western Mediterranean and Italy.  Al-Maqrīzī, who flourished seven centuries before the almanac author, noted this for the Coptic month of Baramhāt, equivalent to March or Ādhār (Pellat 1986:119).]

15 First harvest of winter (qiyāḍ) wheat and barley
[This information is borrowed from the Rasulid almanacs; Fuṣūl reads 15 Ādhār and al-Malik al-Ashraf cites the harvest at 16 Ādhār.  In Yemen this refers to wheat and barley sown in winter after the main sorghum harvest and harvested in about three months.]

16 Planting of sorghum (dhura) in the mountains
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf notes that this day is the first sorghum planting, which lasts until 28 Ayyār.]

17 Blood is active.
[In the humoral system the dominant bodily fluid in spring is blood (dam).]

18 Cold weather passes and the ḥusūm [winds] arrive
[The term ḥusūm as a reference to strong winds, often with storms, is common in the almanacs, but rarely mentioned in the Rasulid texts.  The Rasulid texts for 19 Ādhār indicate that the cold weather passes and the heat advances.  The term ayyām or layālī al-ḥusūm is described in the lexicons as a period when there is nothing good, drawing on the term’s usage in the Quran (69:7) to refer to the wind that blew for seven nights and eight days and utterly destroyed the tribe of ‘Ād.]

19 Pestilential disease (ṭā‘ūn) occurs in its places
[This is also recorded by Abū al-‘Uqūl.  It disappears 5 Tammūz.]

20 Season for horse production
[This is the date in the Rasulid almanac of Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

21 The north wind blows
[This is the same in the almanacs of al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

22 First opening of the sea
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl note that this is in reference to the first sailing of the dīmānī season, based on the southwest monsoon in the Indian Ocean, to India from Aden.]

23 Dawn rising of al-Muqaddam
[Al-Fargh al-Muqaddam (α β Pegasi) is #26 in the formal model of the lunar stations, known both as manāzil al-qamar and anwā’ (see Varisco 1991).  Al-Maḥallī’s designation is based on a standard grid rather than actual observation in a given locale.]

24 Setting of al-Ẓāfir al-Thānī
[The date for this given by al-Malik al-Ashraf is 26 Ādhār and is said to mark the beginning of the dīmānī sailing season.  See 12 Ādhār.]

25 Evening rising of al-Ghafr
[Ghafr (ικλ Virginis) is #15 in the formal model of the lunar stations.] 

26 Seven days in which it is good to work
[This does not appear to be a Rasulid reference.  Al-Hattār notes several seven-day periods in the forty days of early spring (arbā‘īniyāt al-ṣayf).]

27 Coptic month of Barmūda

28 Annunciation to Mary of the conception of Jesus
[Abū al-‘Uqūl places this at 24 Ādhār. This is said to occur on 23 Baramhāt in the Coptic calendar, according to Ibn Mammātī (Pellat 1986:57), and 29 Baramhāt, according to al-Nuwayrī (1923:1:191).  In the Byzantine and Roman Catholic tradition this event was celebrated on 25 Ādhār.  The timing differs from the Nestorian tradition, which celebrated the annunciation the first Sunday in Kānūn al-Awwal (December)]

29 Death of Abī Ṭālib
[The various dates accepted for the assassination of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib include 21 Ramaḍān, 23 Dhū al-Qa‘ida and 19 Shawwāl (al-Bīrūnī 1879:330, 332).  In al-Maḥallī’s almanac this day corresponds to 25 Shawwāl.]

30 Battle of Uḥud
[This corresponds to 26 Shawwāl in al-Maḥallī’s almanac.  Al-Qazwīnī (1849:I, 72) places this important battle at 17 Shawwāl.]

31 Sheep are taken to pasture in the eastern areas
[This would be due to the spring rains.]

Nīsān (April)

1 Nīsān of the Byzantine (Rūmī) reckoning

2 J‘r? is available in Ṣan‘ā’
[The text appears to read j-‘-r, which must be a miscopying.  The similar almanacs of al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf note the presence of apricots and apples for 1 Nīsān:  awwal wujūd al-mishmish wa-al-tuffāḥ.  Abū al-‘Uqūl notes the presence of plums, apples and apricots on this day.]

3 Dhū al-Qa‘da.

4 Dawn [rising] of al-Mu’akhkhar
[Al-Fargh al-Mu’akhkhar (δγ Pegasi)is #27 in the formal model of the lunar stations.] 

5 Harvest in Egypt
[This is 10 Barmūda in the almanac.  Al-Maqrīzī notes a lesser harvest (khitām al-zar‘ al-ṣaghīr) for 11 Barmūda (Pellat 1986:177).  This would refer to winter crops, such as wheat, barley, beans, lentils and flax (see Hassanein 1981:68).  By contrast, the Rasulid almanac Fuṣūl places the first of the harvest in Egypt at 24 Nīsān and al-Malik al-Ashraf notes the picking of flax (kattān) in Egypt at 23 Nīsān.]

6 First of the sailing season (safar al-mawsim)
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, for this date, refer to a sailing to Egypt, noting that on 10 Nīsān the ships from India and Egypt arrive at Aden.  The Rasulid almanac of Fuṣūl records the sailing to Egypt for 15 Nīsān and al-Malik al-Ashraf notes that Egyptian ships arrive to Aden at 15 Nīsān; this is also the time for the tīrmāh or al-mawsim al-kabīr arrival of ships from India to Aden (Varisco 1997:XIV, 206.]

7 Work is good [at this time] and rain is expected

8 Roses are plentiful in their regions
[Fuṣūl places this at 6 Nīsān and Abū al-‘Uqūl at 9 Nīsān, but al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf agree with al-Maḥallī.]

9 The sun is in Taurus (al-Thawr)

10 Descent of the revelation (lit., ṣuḥuf) to Abraham
[This is the equivalent to 8 Dhū al-Qa‘da.  The reference is to aḥadīth in which Muḥammad was asked how many sacred scriptures had been sent down by Allah.  Muḥammad responded that Allah sent a hundred “pages” (ṣaḥīfa, sg.) and four books (kutub).  Abraham was given 10 pages consisting of religious sayings or amthāl (al-Tha‘labī 1981:100).  Al-Qazwīnī (1849:I, 70) places this event at 3 Ramaḍān. According to al-Bīrūnī, Abraham and Ishmael raised the beams of God’s house at Mecca on 5 Dhū al-Qa‘da (al-Bīrūnī 1879:332).]

11 Descent of the Psalms (zabūr)
[In the Islamic calendar this would fall on 9 Dhū al-Qa‘da for the almanac.  This is clarified in an anonymous Yemeni almanac (Tawqī‘āt) for 24 Muḥarram/6 Nīsān as the revelation of the Psalms sent to David.  The term zabūr, as noted in al-Zabīdī’s Taj al-‘Arūs (z-b-r) mainly refers to this revelation, but it can also be expanded to refer to the Torah, Gospel and Quran.  The first revelation to Muḥammad is given as 4 Ramaḍān, the Torah to Moses at 7 Ramaḍān and the Gospel to Jesus at 18 Ramaḍān by al-Qazwīnī (1849:I, 70). There is no reference to this in the Rasulid almanacs.]

12 Persian month of Abānmāh

13 Good Friday (jum‘at al-rāhib)

14 Saturday of light (sabt al-nūr)
[This is named for an alleged miraculous presence of light on this Saturday in the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.]

15 Christian festival of Easter (‘īd al-naṣāra al-kabīr)
[The date for Easter is not fixed.  For the year 1733 Easter would have been celebrated on 25 March according to the Julian reckoning or 5 April by the Gregorian reform.]

16 First presence of grapes in the eastern areas
[The Rasulid almanacs record the first presence of grapes at 23 Ayyār, but the 14th century Salwa almanac of al-Malik al-Afḍal notes that sour grapes (ḥiṣrim) were available at 23 Nīsān.]

17 Dawn rising of al-Rishā’
[Rishā’ (β Andromedae) is #28 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

18 Evening setting of the Pleiades
[At-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf note the disappearance of the Pleiades from the sky for 40 days from 14 Nīsān.  The Rasulid almanacs place this at 6 Nīsān, which copies the early date given in the almanac of Abū Ḥanīfa al-Dīnawarī (Varisco 1994:97). ]

19 Evening rising of al-Iklīl
[Iklīl (β δ π Scorpii) is #17 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

20 The sun is directly overhead in Ṣan‘ā’
[Abū al-‘Uqūl notes that this is the zenith for Ta‘izz, although Fuṣūl places the zenith in Ta‘izz a day earlier.  Al-Thābitī places the zenith at Ṣan‘ā’ on 18 Nīsān, with that of Ta‘izz on 15 Nīsān.]

21 Strength of the season

22 The Euphrates is in flood
[This is slightly earlier than the date recorded in the Rasulid almanacs; al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl note this for 24 Nīsān, which corresponds to the Coptic tradition (Pellat 1986:179); Fuṣūl has 25 Nīsān.  Al-Qazwīnī (1849:77) places this at 27 Nīsān.  The copyist uses a tā’ marbūṭa here, but the usual spelling is with a normal tā’, as at 21 Tammūz.] 

23 Rūz Khiḍr
[In Egypt this is the festival of Khiḍr and Elias on 29 Barmūda or 6 May (Michell 1900:115).  Khiḍr is said to be a pious man and has been associated with several prophets and also Alexander the Great.  This date corresponds to 12 Abānmāh in the Yazdagird reckoning.  Al-Qazwīnī (1849:I, 82) records a festival for 10 Abānmāh.  See 26 Tishrīn al-Awwal.]

24 Second [star of Ursa Major] sets in the morning
[The seven stars of Ursa Major (banāt na‘sh) were important markers of Yemeni agricultural periods, especially for their evening risings in the autumn (see Varisco 1994:98-99).]

25 Lighter clothing should be used on the body

26 Coptic month of Bashans

27 The ten select [days] for sowing sorghum
[This begins 25 or 26 Nīsān in the Rasulid almanacs.  It refers to the middle of the spring sowing season for sorghum in the mountains.]

28 Rice is planted in Egypt 
[This corresponds to the Coptic almanacs, which indicate the planting of rice in late Nīsān and Ayyār (Pellat 1986:65.73).]

29 Use of medicinal drinks is suitable

30 Dawn [rising] of al-Sharaṭayn

[Sharaṭayn ( β γ Arietis) is #1 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

Ayyār (May)

1 Ayyār of the Byzantine reckoning

2 Sexual desire strengthens

[Al-Malik al-Ashraf notes this for 7 Ḥazīrān.  The Rasulid almanac of Mīqāt cautioned against sex in both Ayyār and Ḥazīrān.]

3 Dhū al-Ḥijja

4 First of Dhū al-Ḥijja by observation

5 Last of the ten select [days] for sorghum

6 Festival of Job (Ayyūb)
[This is the dating in the Syriac calendar (al-Bīrūnī 1879:292).  Al-Qazwīnī (1849:I, 78) records a Christian festival for Job on 3 Ayyār.] 

7 Poppy is gathered
[Ibn Mammātī records the picking of poppy in Egypt at 20 Bashans or 15 Ayyār (Pellat 1986:71).]

8 First of the disappearance of Canopus in Yemen
[This is taken directly from the Rasulid sources, e.g. the almanac of al-Malik al-Ashraf.]

9 Festival of the rose in Egypt
[In Egypt this was at 10 Bashans or 5 Ayyār (Pellat 1986:183), but al-Maḥallī cites the same day as does Abū al-‘Uqūl.  The festival of the Roses in the Syriac reckoning was 3 Ayyār, celebrating Mary’s gift of roses to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, but it could be postponed until 15 Ayyār (al-Bīrūnī 1879:292, 295).]

10 The sun is in Gemeni (al-Jawzā’)

11 Resurrection of the Messiah, peace be upon him, and the day of ‘Arafa
[‘Arafa is on 9 Dhū al-Ḥijja. Ibn Mammātī notes the resurrection of Jesus at 10 Ayyar or 15 Bashans (Pellat 1986:71).  The formula ‘alayhi al-salām is abbreviated here as عليلم.]

12 Persian intercalation (mustariqa Fārsī)
[This refers to the last five days of the Persian month Abānmāh.  They are referred to as Farwardajān and constituted an intercalation (see al-Bīrūnī 1879:210)].

13 Festival of the Slaughter (al-Naḥr)
[Al-Qazwīnī (1849:I, 82) and al-Bīrūnī 1879:333) record this for 10 Dhū al-Ḥijja in reference to the day that Abraham’s son was ransomed with a ram.]   

14 Beginning of the ḥusūm [winds]

15 First presence of grapes

16 and fruits in Ṣan‘ā’
[The Rasulid almanacs records dates of 13 and 23 for the first availability of grapes, but not in specific reference to Ṣan‘ā’.]

17 [Persian month of] Adharmāh

18 Work is good for seven days

19 Decreasing sap in wood

20 Mixing of the seasons

21 End of the time for roses
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

22 The seventh [star of Ursa Major] sets in the morning

23 Coming out of the red flies
[This is also mentioned by al-Thabitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.  In Yemen these flies are called mubashshir al-‘inab, because they announce the ripening of grapes.

24 Ban of Hippocrates on medicinal cures
[This is a common reference in almanacs, usually in reference to purgatives (mushil).  Al-Malik al-Ashraf placed this ban from 27 Ḥazīrān until 10 Āb.]

25 Last crushing of sugar cane
[This date is taken from the Rasulid almanacs.]

26 Coptic month of Ba’ūna

27 First planting of wheat (burr)
[This is reported by Abū al-‘Uqūl for 28 Nīsān, but summer wheat varieties were generally sown in Ḥazīrān, according to the Rasulid sources.]

28 Last planting of sorghum in the mountains
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

29 Evening rising of al-Na‘ā’im
[Na‘ā’im (σ φ τ ζ γ δ ε η Sagittari) is #20 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

30 The south wind blows
[Al-Thabitī notes that this is the samūm.  Al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl mention the blowing of the samūm wind a day earlier.  The reference is to a hot summer wind, especially dangerous in Egypt (Varisco 1994:116).]

31 The Pleiades are visible
[This refers to their reappearance in the sky after 40 days.  In the Coptic tradition this is said to last 45 days and the reappearance is 8 Ba’ūna or 2 Ḥazīrān (Pellat 1986:188).]

Ḥazīrān (June)

1 Ḥazīrān [of the Byzantine reckoning]

2 Muḥarram for 1146 A.H.

3 First presence of ripe dates (ruṭab)
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf mentions this for 1 Ḥazīrān.  Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf add that peaches are also available at 1 Ḥazīrān.]

4 Last arrival of the Indian ships
[According to al-Malik al-Ashraf this is the end of the tīrmāh sailing from India to Aden.]

5 Night of descent of the “Drop” (nuqṭa)
[Laylat al-nuqṭa refers to an event in Egypt with the reappearance of the Pleiades (Pellat 1986:189).  This occurs in the Coptic month of Ba’ūna and refers to the night a drop is miraculously said to drop into the Nile.]

6 Sexual desire is stirred up
[Abū al-‘Uqūl notes that on 7 Ḥazīrān female animals desire male animals. Sexual desire is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 7 Ḥazīrān.  In the Coptic tradition both Galen and Hippocrates are quoted as saying this applied to women, who want more sex at this time (Pellat 1986:189).  But in general sex is said to be unhealthy during the summer heat.]

7 The heat intensifies

8 Dawn [rising] of Aldebaran
[Aldebaran (α Tauri) is #4 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

9 Melon (biṭṭīkh) is eaten
[This is later than the timing in the Rasulid sources, which generally indicate the presence of melon in the Tihāma in Nīsān and Ayyār.]

10 Greatest extent of daylight

11 The sun is in Cancer (al-Saraṭān)

12 Yellow bile (ṣafrā’) is active
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf mentions this for 15 Ḥazīrān and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 16 Ḥazīrān.  The reference is to the dominance of yellow bile in the humoral system.]

13 The Nile increases to flood stage in Egypt

14 Murder of Zayd ibn ‘Alī, peace be upon him
[The Zaydī tradition places the murder of Imam Zayd on 25 Muḥarram 122/31 December 739 (Zayd ibn ‘Alī 1966:19).  In the Islamic calendar, this event is usually noted for 1 Ṣafar (al-Bīrūnī 1874:328), but this would occur 2 Tammūz in al-Maḥallī’s almanac.]

15 The scent of musk is disagreeable
[The almanac of Ibn Māsawayh (Sbath 1932-33:253) says that the scent of musk is not suitable in Ḥazīrān.]

16 Persian month of Daymāh

17 First use of ḥawāmiḍ medicines

18 Gathering of most fruits in Ṣan‘ā’

19 Friday [festival] at the Nilometer (miqyās)
[Announcement of the level of the Nile flood occurs at the end of Ba’ūna in Egypt (Pellat 1986:191).]

20 First presence of walnuts (jawz)
[This is reported for 18 Ḥazīrān by al-Malik al-Ashraf.]

21 Dawn [rising] of al-Haq‘a
[Haq‘a (λ φ1 φ2 Orionis) is #5 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

22 First of the ban on purgatives
[This is stated as a ban by Hippocrates in al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 21 Ḥazīrān.  Al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl note this for 27 Ḥazīrān.]

23 Beginning of the Ḥazīrān rain
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf refers to the occurrence of the ramaḍī rain at 25 Ḥazīrān.  This refers to a hot summer rain which damages pasture (Varisco 1994:110).]

24 Halting of the sun for Joshua
[Abū al-‘Uqūl records this for 21 Ḥazīrān.  This is a common citation in the almanacs, including the famous Calendar of Cordoba, in reference to the biblical account in Joshua 10:13 and also to a ḥadīth.  It is also the Christian festival of ‘anṣara, celebrating the summer solstice and the birth of John the Baptist.]

25 Coptic month of Abīb
[This is also noted by Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

26 Flooding of the Nile water

27 Last of the bawāriḥ winds
[The term bawāriḥ refers to hot summer winds and they were equated by al-Malik al-Ashraf with the samūm winds; al-Ashraf dates these winds in Yemen from 19-25 Ayyār.  Al-Maḥallī (or his copyist) mistook the term bawāriḥ for the phrase akhir ayyām al-bāḥūr in al-Malik al-Ashraf’s almanac for 26 Ḥazīrān.  The term bāḥūr (bawāḥīr, plural) is for a week of hot weather in summer and does not appear to be traditional Yemeni usage; the term is discussed at length by al-Bīrūnī, who starts them with the summer rising of Sirius on 18 Tammūz.  Al-Thābitī records ayyām al-baḥūr for this date, indicating he did not know the term either, while Ibn Jaḥḥāf records the term correctly.]

28 Abundance of honey
[The almanac of al-Malik al-Ashraf lists the season for several varieties of honey, based on the main blossoms available to the bees.  The autumn harvest was mainly in Aylūl; there are also several winter varieties and the honey from Acacia asaq was said to be collected at 13 Tammūz in the mountains (Varisco 1994:148-149).]

29 Cold drinks are highly desirable

30 Locusts die
[Al-Thābitī places this at 27 Ḥazīrān, adding that worms (dūd) also perish at this time.]

Tammūz (July)

1 Tammūz of the Byzantine reckoning

2 Arabic [i.e. lunar] month of Ṣafar

3 Grapes ripen
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl, as do al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

4 Dawn [rising] of al-Han‘a
[Han‘a (γ ξ  Geminorum) is #6 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

5 Pestilential diseases depart from their places
[These start III:18 Ādhār.  The Rasulid almanacs record this for 6 or 8 Tammūz.]

6 Strongest of the ḥusūm [winds]

7 Eye diseases are common
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl place this at 11 Tammūz.]

8 First of the samūm [winds]
[For 11 Tammūz both al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf combine the blowing of winds at this time with the rise of the Nile and the arrival of Adeni ships to India.  See 30 Ayyār, 27 Ḥazīrān and 23 Tammūz.]

9 Lots of movement in the winds

10 Last of the abundance in water sources
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf notes that water decreases in springs at this time, while Abū al-‘Uqūl notes this for  12 Tammūz.]

11 The “Hot Coal of Summer” (jamrat al-qayẓ)
[This is a misreading of the term ḥamārrat al-qayẓ in reference to the hottest part of the year.    The Rasulid almanacs place this in June.] 

12 The sun is in Leo (al-Asad)

13 Grapes are plentiful

14 The regime of the season strengthens

15 Gourd (yaqṭīn) is plentiful in Ṣan‘ā’
[Al-Thābitī has the presence of snake cucumber (qiththā’) rather than gourd for this day.  The Rasulid sources indicate a planting of gourd at 2 Ādhār and the harvest starting in forty days.]

16 [The Persian month of] Bahmanmāh

17 Dawn [rising] of al-Dhirā‘
[Dhirā‘ (α β Geminorum ) is #7 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

18 The underground cools
[The Rasulid almanacs places this at 16 Tammūz.]

19 Peaches are ripe
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 18 Tammūz, but al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf cite it for this day.]

20 Fleas (quml) are plentiful
[This is reported in the Rasulid almanacs for 19 or 21 Tammūz.]

21 Last of the flooding (madd) of the Euphrates
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 22 Tammūz.]

22 Intense huṣum [winds]

23 and samūm [winds] in their places

24 Last sowing of wheat (ḥinṭa)
[The usual Yemeni term for wheat is burr, which indicates this may be copied from a non-Yemeni source.]

25 Coptic month of Misra

26 Dates are ripe in the Hejaz
[Dates ripen in stages, but most sources place the ripening in Tammūz around the midsummer rising of Sirius.]

27 Rising of Canopus in al-Yamāma
[The midsummer rising of Canopus was an important marker of late summer rains in Yemen.  The Rasulid almanacs place the rising over Yemen at 25 Tammūz, most probably in reference to Ta‘izz, while al-Thābitī indicates the rising in Yemen at 26 Tammūz. It is not clear where al-Maḥallī is getting his dates for al-Yamāma.]

28 Rising of Canopus in the Hejaz
[The Rasulid almanac Fuṣūl records a date of 7 Āb for the rising in Mecca and al-Malik al-Ashraf cites 9 Āb for the Hejaz, but Salwa notes the rising in Mecca ca. 27 Tammūz (see Varisco 1994:103).  Al-Thābitī records the rising in the Hejaz at 12 Āb, a day after the rising in Iraq.  Note that dates for risings and settings of stars are often merely copied from earlier texts and thus do not represent the actual time at the time the almanac was written.]

29 Last of the abundance of rainfall
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf.]

30 Dawn [rising] of al-Nathra
[Nathra (ε γ δ Cancri) is #8 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

31 Rabī‘ Awwal

Āb (August)

1 Āb of the Byzantine reckoning

2 Morning rising of the first [star of Ursa Major]
[This is the date given by Abū al-‘Uqūl and would not have been accurate in al-Maḥallī’s time.  Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf cite this for 1 Āb.  The Yemeni almanacs rarely indicate where in Yemen the rising is seen.  The risings and settings of the stars of Ursa Major (banat na‘sh) were important seasonal markers in Yemen (Varisco 1993:125, 1994:98-99).]

3 First of the sailing season

4 of Indians from Mocha
[Reference to sailing from the Red Sea port of Mocha is not found in the Rasulid sources.

5 First planting of al-khāmisī [sorghum] in the Tihama
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 4 Āb and by al-Thābitī for 6 Āb, specifying Wadis Zabīd and Sihām.]

6 The sun is directly overhead in Ṣan‘ā’
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, so the date would not be accurate here.  Al-Thābitī indicates the sun’s zenith at al-Janad and al-Manṣūra in Yemen at 12 Tammūz, Najrān at 28 Tammūz, the coastal town of al-Ḥaraḍ on 30 Tammūz, and Ṣa‘da on 1 Āb.]

7 Morning rising of the second [star of Ursa Major]

8 The humor of yellow bile declines

9 Beware the stings of noxious vermin (hawwām)

10 Planting of rice in Sihām
[Rice was rarely grown in Yemen, but it is reported from Wadi Sihām in the Rasulid period.  In his Milḥ al-malāḥa, al-Malik al-Ashraf noted that rice was planted at the end of Nīsān during the ten select days (Varisco 1994:180).]

11 Winds are variable

12 Dawn [rising] of al-ṭarf
[Ṭarf (κ Cancri,  λ Leonis) is #9 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

13 The sun is in Virgo (al-Sunbula)

14 The ostrich is stirred up
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf record that the ostrich lays its eggs at 22 Aylūl.]

15 [Persian month of] Isfandārmāh

16 The Pleiades are at mid-heaven in the morning
[This is copied from the Rasulid almanacs, e.g. Fuṣūl.]

17 Slackening of the ḥusūm [winds]

18 Mosquitos (nāmis) are active

19 Rising of Canopus in Persia

20 Arrival of the bāshiq falcons
[This term was commonly used for the sparrow hawk (Accipiter nisus nisus).  The reference appears to be to Egypt, where they are said to arrive during Āb (Varisco 1994:141).

21 Fruits are fully mature
[Al-Thābitī mentions the cutting of grapes at 19 and 23 Āb, but this reference is apparently copied from the Rasulid sources; Abū al-‘Uqūl records it for 25 Āb and al-Malik al-Ashraf for 26 Āb.]

22 Last of the season for Indian [ships]
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf.  Abū al-‘Uqūl cites it as the big season (al-mawsim al-kabīr) in Aden.]

23 Rising of the third [star of Ursa Major]

24 Coptic intercalation (nasī)

25 Dawn [rising] of al-Jabha
[Jabha (ζ γ η α Leonis) is #10 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

26 Fish reproduce
[The Coptic almanac of al-Mammātī places this at 21 Ādhār (Pellat 1986:57).]

27 Arcturus (al-Simāk) sets

28 End of the Coptic year

29 [Coptic month of] Tūt 1450

30 Rabī‘ Thānī

31 Rising of the fourth [star of Ursa Major]
[Abū al-‘Uqūl records this for 29 Āb.]

Aylūl (September)

1 Aylūl in the Byzantine reckoning

2 First parching (jahīsh) of sorghum
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf note that this is for al-Mahjam in the Tihama and in the mountains at 5 Aylūl. Abū al-‘Uqūl mentions the parching in the mountains at 22 Āb.]

3 The select [time] for planting al-khāmisī [sorghum] in Zabīd
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 2 Aylūl.  The reference is to a planting at the marker of the fifth star of Ursa Major.]

4 Start of the falling of dew
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 3 Aylūl.]

5 Last sailing of the Indian [ships]
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf as the last sailing of Indian ships from Aden and their first sailing from Dhofar.]

6 First tax assessment on spring (ṣayf) crops
[This is a Rasulid tax, mentioned by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 8 Aylūl.]

7 Dawn rising of al-Kharathān
[Kharathān (δ θ Leonis) is #11 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

8 Epidemic (waba’) and fevers occur
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 9 Aylūl.]

9 First blowing of the [violent] ‘awāṣif winds
[Al-Thābitī says these are northern winds, but for this date al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl say it is the blowing of the southern azyab wind.]

10  Rising of the sixth [star of Ursa Major]
[This is reported by Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

11 First of the harvest in the mountains
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf mentions the first harvest of muqādim (early) barley for 12 Aylūl.]

12 The sun is in Libra (al-Mīzān)

13 Autumn (kharīf) of the sages, which is shitā’ for the Arabs

14 [Persian month of] Farwardīnmāh 1103

15 The sixth
[This is apparently a reference to the rising of the sixth star of Ursa Major, which al-Malik al-Ashraf places at 21 Aylūl.]

16 First harvest of wheat (burr)

17 and barley in the mountains
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqul at 17 Aylūl.  Al-Thābiti records it at 16 Aylūl.]

18 Leaves turn yellow
[The Rasulid almanacs record this for 21 Aylūl.]

19 Blowing of the‘awāṣif [winds] intensifies
[Al-Thābitī records this for 17 Aylūl.]

20 Dawn [rising] of al-Ṣarfa
[Ṣarfa (β Leonis ) is #12 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

21 Frost (ḍarīb) is feared
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf also note this.]

22 The ḥusūm [winds] pass and the cold begins

23 First reproduction of domestic animals
[Al-Thābitī adds that this is in the mountains at 24 Aylūl.  Abū al-‘Uqūl notes the production of horses near Ta‘izz for 25 Aylūl.]

24 The seventh [star of Ursa Major], which is

25 sabt al-subūt
[Sabt al-subūt in the Rasulid almancs refers to a period in May when the dates were ripe in Zabīd, but the reference here is to a highland season at the end of the late summer (kharīf) and start of the early autumn (‘allān), which is described in detail by al-‘Ansī (1998:477-484).]

26 First of the decline in spring flow

27 The second [star of Ursa Major] sets in the evening

28 Jumād Awwal

29 The water of the Nile decreases
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf records this for 12 Tishrīn al-Awwal, as does al-Qazwīnī, but also notes that the waters start to recede as early as 2 Tishrīn al-Awwal.]  The Coptic almanacs place the decrease in the month of Babih, which correlates to Tishrīn al-Awwal.]

30 Birth of Zayn al-‘Ābidīn
[This is 3 Jumād Awwal.  Zayn was a son of Ḥusayn and is considered the fourth Shī‘a imam.  The dates associated with his birth are generally 15 Jumad Awwal or 5 Sha‘bān in 38/654.]

Tishrīn Awwal (October)

1 Tishrīn Awwal 2045

2 If there is rain in it

3 it will be a year of rain
[Both al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf record this.]

4 First of the sorghum harvest

5 in the mountains
[Both al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf record this for 4 Tishrīn al-Awwal, but al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl record a sowing of ṣawmī sorghum on 1 Tishrīn al-Awwal and of ‘ishwī sorghum on 7 Tishrīn al-Awwal.]

6 Wood cut will not

7 become wormy for the next ten days
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf record this for 3 Tishrīn al-Awwal.  Al-Qazwīnī records this for 15 Tishrīn al-Awwal.  The Rasulid almanacs note that 3 or 5 Tishrīn al-Awwal is the last of the time for cutting wood.]

8 The fifth [star of Ursa Major] sets in the evening

9 Flax is planted in Egypt
[For 12 Tishrīn al-Awwal al-Malik al-Ashraf notes the time for planting clover (qurṭ) in Egypt.  The almanac of Ibn Mammāti notes that clover is planted on this day in the Coptic tradition (Pellat 1986:15).  Ibn Mammātī records the sowing of flax in the Coptic month of Hatūr, which begins 28 Tishrīn al-Awwal.  While it is possible that al-Maḥallī means flax, I suspect he has miscopied a Rasulid source in reference to clover.]

10 The select [time] for sowing sorghum (sic)
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf notes that 10 Tishrīn al-Awwal is the select time for sowing Quṣaybī wheat in the mountains.  There are also some varieties of winter sorghum which are sown around this time, such as ṣawmī (at 1 Tishrīn al-Awwal) and ‘ishwī (at 7 Tishrīn al-Awwal), but al-Maḥallī (or the source he used) misread the term Quṣaybī for a type of sorghum.  Al-Thābitī  and Ibn Jaḥḥāf specifically mention qayḍī (sic) wheat (burr) on this date.] 

11 Colds (zukām) are common
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf also record this, but these dates differ from the Rasulid sources.]

12 First planting of rice
[Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf record this for 28 Aylūl.  Salwa notes a planting ca. 18 Aylūl. The timing appears off here, because this should be the season of harvesting rice (Pellat 1986:19).  See 28 Nīsān.

13 Season for cutting pomegranate (rummān)
[In the Rasulid almanacs the harvest of pomegranates was around 23 Tishrīn al-Awwal, although they were available earlier.]

14 [Persian month of] Ardibhisht [sic]

15 First blowing of the azyab [wind]
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf and for 14 Aylūl.]

16 The sixth [star of Ursa Major] sets in the evening

17 Last of the wheat harvest in the mountains
[This is taken from the Rasulid sources; after this the sorghum harvest begins in the mountains.]

18 Illnesses connected with black bile (sawdā’) intensify

19 Evening rising of the Pleiades
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.  The Rasulid almanacs place this at 14 Tishrīn al-Awwal.]

20 Frost (ḍarīb) occurs sometimes
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

21 Foliage of trees falls
[This is reported by Abū al-‘Uqūl, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for this day, but al-Malik al-Ashraf cites 22 Aylūl.]

22 Noxious vermin disappear
[Same information as 31 Tishrīn al-Awwal, 10 Tishrīn al-Thānī and  31 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

23 Greatest strength of the season

24 Arcturus (al-Simāk) rises in the morning
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf).

25 Clouds thicken
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. Abū al-‘Uqūl places this at 27 Aylūl.]

26 [The festival of] Rūz Qāsim
[This is a Turkish festival dividing the year in half and beginning the winter months; it begins ca. 8 November today, with the festival of Rūz Khiḍr falling on 6 May.  This is the equivalent of 13 Irdībhisht in the Jalālī Persian calendar.  Al-Qazwīnī (1859:81) mentions a festival of ashtādh rūz for 26 Irdībhisht, as does al-Bīrūnī (1879:204).  Al-Maḥalli seems confused about this festival, as records Rūz Khiḍr at 23 Nīsān.]

27 First of the wasmī rain
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf and also at 1 Tishrīn al-Thānī.  Al-Malik al-Ashraf cites this for 1 Tishrīn al-Thānī, noting that this is called wasmī in Syria but rabī‘ in Yemen.  See 3 Tishrīn al-Thānī.]

28 Jumād Thānī and [Coptic month of] Hatūr

29 First of the “Mixed Nights” (al-layālī al-bulq)
[These end 6 Kānūn al-Awwal.  Al-Malik al-Ashraf began these at 28 Tishrīn al-Awwal and defines them as a period of intense cold.]

30 Naw’ of al-Buṭayn

31 Noxious vermin disappear
[Same information as 22 Tishrīn al-Awwal, 10 Tishrīn al-Thānī and 31 Kānūn al-Awwal. This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

Tishrīn Thānī (November)

1 Tishrīn Thānī

2 First of the cold

3 and rabī’ rain in Yemen

4 The ant (naml) burrows underground
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

5 Suitable for sowing wheat 
[This is reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 4 Tishrīn al-Thānī.]

6 Turmoil of the Mediterranean Sea (al-bahr al-Rūmī) intensifies
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

7 [blank]

8 First cooling of water sources
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

9 Mists (ghamām) occur in the mountains
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

10 Noxious vermin disappear
[Same information as 22, 31 Tishrīn al-Awwal and 31 Kānūn al-Awwal]

11 The sun is in Scorpio (al-‘Aqrab)

12 Dawn [rising] of Zubānān
[Zubānān (α β Librae) is #16 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

13 [Persian month of] Khurdadhmāh

14 Epidemic is lifted from people
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but al-Malik al-Ashraf places it at 13 Tishrīn al-Thānī.]

15 Naw’ of the Pleiades
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

16 Beginning of the cold
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf notes the first appearance of frost (ḍarīb) at this time, as do al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

17 Blowing of the [violent] ‘awāṣif [winds]
[This is reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 18 Tishrīn al-Thānī.]

18 Worms (dūd) are to be feared
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

19 The sea is closed and ships do not sail on it
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, Abū al-‘Uqūl, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

20 Setting of Aldebaran in the morning

21 Arrival of the Dhofar ships
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī, who miscopies Dhofar as Ṣan‘ā, and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. Al-Malik al-Ashraf cites it for 20 Tishrīn al-Thānī.]

22 Harvest (ṣurāb) of al-sābi‘ī [sorghum] in al-Mahjam
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. Abū al-‘Uqūl notes that this day is for the presence of parched sorghum in Wadi Zabīd. The harvest of sābi‘ī sorghum is at 22 Kānūn al-Awwal in the Rasulid almanac Ma‘rifa.  This is probably a misreading from the Rasulid sources, since the town of al-Mahjam was no longer in existence by the time of al-Maḥallī.] 

23 Last blowing of [violent] ‘awāṣif [winds]
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

24 Beginning of blowing of the north [wind]

25 Dawn [rising] of al-Iklīl
[Iklīl (β δ π Scorpii) is #17 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

26 Rajab, mixing of the seasons

27 [Coptic month of] Kiyahk
[This is also reported by Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

28 Evening rising of al-Haq‘a
[Haq‘a (λ φ1 φ2 Orionis) is #5 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

29 First of the walī rain in Yemen
[The copyist miscopied walī as wabā. This information is recorded for this day by al-Malik al-Ashraf, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

30 Production of sheep (ḍa’n)

Kānūn Awwal  (December)

1 Kānūn Awwal [of the Byzantine reckoning]

2 Vapors come out of mouths [from the cold]
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 4 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

3 The east wind (al-ṣabā) blows in this
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

4 First parching of al-sābi‘ī [sorghum] at Zabid
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 8 Kānūn al-Awwal.  Abū al-‘Uqūl placed the parching of this variety from 21 Tishrīn al-Thānī until 8 Kānūn al-Awwal in Zabīd.]

5 Dawn setting of Canopus
[This is reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 6 Kānūn al-Awwal and by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 8 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

6 Last of the “Mixed Nights”
[These started 29 Tishrīn al-Awwal.]

7 First of the “Black Nights” (al-layālī al-sūd)
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. These end 28 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

8 Dawn [rising] of al-Qalb, falling of the remaining foliage of trees
[Qalb (α Scorpii) is #18 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

9 Greatest length of night time

10 The sun is in Capricorn (al-Jadī)

11 First of winter (shitā’) of the sages, which is rabī‘ of the Arabs

12 Sugar cane is crushed
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 16 Kānūn al-Awwal and by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 18 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

13 [Persian month of] Tīrmāh

14 Winter solstice (wuqūf al-shams)
[This is reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 12 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

15 Rain of the solstice (wuqūf)

16 Evening rising of Sirius (al-shi‘rā)
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 15 Kānūn al-Awwal, adding that this star is called ‘alib in Yemen.]

17 Phlegm (balgham) is active
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 16 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

18 The underground is warmed

19 First inflorescence of dates
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 18 Kānūn al-Awwal.  Al-Maḥallī uses the term ṭulū‘ for inflorescence, but the correct term is ṭal‘.]

20 Coughs increase and water freezes
[Coughs are reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 21 Kānūn al-Awwal. Freezing of water on this day is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

21 Dawn [rising] of al-Shawla
[Shawla (λ ν Scorpii) is #19 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

22 The cold intensifies

23 Eating sweets is favorable

24 Grapevines are pruned in the eastern areas
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

25 Christmas (‘īd al-mīlād) and night of the birth of Jesus
[The text reads ‘īd al-mīlāda.]

26 Sha‘bān

27 [Coptic month of] Ṭūba

28 Last of the “Black Nights”
[These began 7 Kānūn al-Awwal. Abū al-‘Uqūl places the end at 26 Kānūn al-Awwal.]

29 Epidemic is lifted from Egypt

30 Expect the rabī‘ rain
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

31 Noxious vermin disappear
[Same information as 22, 31 Tishrīn al-Awwal and 10 Tishrīn al-Awwal.

Kānūn Thānī (January)

1 Kānūn Thānī

2 Snow or ice (thalaj) occurs
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf].

3 The first “Fourth”

4 Last of the “Forty Days” (arba‘īniyāt)

5 Sugar cane is present
[This is reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 6 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

6 Night of Epiphany (ghiṭās) of the Christians
[This is the festival celebrating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, described in detail by al-Bīrūnī (1879:288-289).  It occurs 6 Ṭūba in the Coptic calendar of al-Mammātī (Pellat 1986:39).]

7 Season for gathering saffron
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

8 End of the intense cold
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.  Abū al-‘Uqūl places it at 7 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

9 The sun is in Aquarius (al-Dalw)

10 The second “fourth”
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

11 Unhealthy air (wakham) and epidemic are lifted
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

12 [Persian month of] Murdādhmāh

13 Foliage appears on trees
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. Abū al-‘Uqūl notes that trees are planted at this day.]

14 Winter barley is sown
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

15 The south wind intensifies
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

16 Dawn [rising] of Balda
[Balda is not represented by any specific stars but is #21 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

17 Canopus is seen
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.  Abū al-‘Uqūl notes that Canopus is seen in the Maghrib at 23 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

18 Intensity of the cold

19 The third “Fourth”
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf a day earlier.]

20 The Pleiades is at mid-heaven in the evening
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 19 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

21 First pruning of grapes
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but Abū al-‘Uqūl places it at 25 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

22 Morning rising of Altair
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 21 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

23 Evening rising of the third [star of Ursa Major]
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

24 Ramaḍān

25 First presence of roses
[This is reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 23 Kānūn al-Thānī.]

26 [Coptic month of] Amshīr

27 Parched wheat is available
 [This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 26 Kānūn al-Thānī, who adds this is from Quṣaybī wheat.]

28 Winds are variable
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

29 Evening rising of the fourth [star of Ursa Major]
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

30 Egyptian leek (kurrāth) is eaten
[In Egypt, and presumably in Yemen, this is in reference to Allium ampeloprasum var. kurrat.]

31 Evening rising of al-Zubra
[Zubra (δ θ Leonis) is #11 in the formal model of the lunar stations.  Earlier at 7 Aylūl the author used an alternate name for this asterism.]

Shubāṭ  (February)

1 Shubāṭ [of the Byzantine reckoning]

2 Sap flows in wood
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī, Ibn Jaḥḥāf and al-Malik al-Ashraf.]

3 Harvest of wheat in the mountains
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf a day later. Al-Malik al-Ashraf notes the harvest of Quṣaybī wheat on 5 Shubāṭ and Abū al-‘Uqūl at 4 Shubāṭ.]

4 The select [time] for pruning grapevines
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf. This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 3 Shubāṭ in the mountains.]

5 Falling of the “Coal” (jamra)
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf a day later and by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 7 Shubāṭ.]

6 Fast of the Sabians
[Al-Malik al-Ashraf mentions a Christian fast at this time.]

7 Ants appear
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

8 Foliage is plentiful on trees
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 6 Shubāṭ and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 7 Shubāṭ]

9 Writing of messages (riqā‘) in India

10 First of the rabī‘ rain
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

11 [Persian month of] Shahriyarmāh, Night of the new moon (badr)

12 Dawn [rising] of Bula‘
[Sa‘d Bula‘ (μ ε Aquarii) is #23 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

13 Slackening of the cold
[This is reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 18 Shubāṭ and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 17 Shubāṭ]

14 Evening rising of the sixth [star of Ursa Major]

15 Last of Pegasus (al-Ṣawāb)
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf.  Al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf cite it a day later.]

16 Last planting of trees
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf a day later.]

17 Appearance of noxious vermin

18 The “Pollenating Winds” (al-lawāqiḥ) intensify
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 16 Shubāṭ and the last of these winds at 23 Shubāṭ by Abū al-‘Uqūl.]

19 Sap flows in trees
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf for 21 Shubāṭ.]

20 The rebellion of Ḥusayn

21 Last pruning of grapevines

22 Mixing of the seasons

23 Shawwāl

24 Easter (‘īd al-fiṭr)

25 [Coptic month of] Baramhāt, dawn [rising] of al-Su‘ūd

26 First of the “Nights of the Old Woman” (layālī al-‘ajūz)
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, Abū al-‘Uqūl, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.  For more information, see Varisco (1994:124-126).  These end 4 Ādhār.]

27 Evening rising of al-‘Awwā
[‘Awwā (β η γ δ ε Virginis) is #13 in the formal model of the lunar stations.]

28 Gourds are planted
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 2 Ādhār.]

Ādhār  (March)

1 Ādhār of the Byzantine reckoning

2 Seasons for the abundance of roses
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl for 1 Ādhār.]

3 First generation of flies (dhubāb)

4 Last of the “Nights of the Old Woman”
[These started 26 Shubāṭ.]

5 Season for blossoming of pomegranates
[This is also reported by al-Malik al-Ashraf, Abū al-‘Uqūl, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

6 Snakes open their eyes
[This is also reported by Abū al-‘Uqūl, al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf, but by al-Malik al-Ashraf for 8 Ādhār.]

7 End of the decline in water sources and winds are variable
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.]

8 First of the sailing of Indian [ships]
[This is also reported by al-Thābitī and Ibn Jaḥḥāf.  Al-Malik al-Ashraf and Abū al-‘Uqūl indicate that this time is the last sailing of ships from India to Aden.]

9 Last of the zodiacal year (al-sanna al-shamsīya)

Bibliography

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[Note: This translation was first prepared for a lecture at The Medieval Institute, University of Notre Dame on November 9, 2006. I wish to thank Prof. Li Guo for his invitation and comments on the text, Dr. David King for assistance in interpreting the astronomical data, and Dr. Benno van Dalen for interpretation of the Persian calendar.]

Copyright © 2011 D.M. Varisco

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