Abu al-Uqul (1300AD) Rasulid Almanac (Aden)
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Abu al‐Uqul Muḥammad ibn Ahmad al‐Tabari (Yemen 14th century) astronomer in Ta'izz. Of Iranian origin, he is known for compiling the largest single corpus of tables for astronomical timekeeping, with over 100,000 entries. Works: 1 Al‐Zij al‐mukhtar min al‐azyaj. 2 Mir’at al‐zaman (Mirror of the Time), tables for astronomical timekeeping computed for Ta'izz. 3 An almanac linking agricultural features to astronomical events. He gives some nice anecdotes for the history of East Africa.
Taken from : R.B. Serjeant, The Ports of Aden and Shihr in : Les grandes escales: (1)
Full name: Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Tabari
Copies exist in London, Milaan, Rome and Sana
Note: The names of the months used are the Rumi or Byzantium sun-calender.
This almanac is part of the: Jadwal al-yawaqit fi ma'rifat al-mawaqit: The stream of precious stones in knowing the appointed times, written c.1300 by Muhammad al-Tabari, also known as Abu al-Uqul, court astronomer of Al-Malik al-Mu'ayyad.
Arrival and departure dates of Vessels at Aden.
Tishrin al Awwal (October),
10 The Mogadishan reaches Aden
19 The first journey of the people of Zaila from Aden with Azyab (1) monsoon to al-Magharah (11).
They return in the Shimal monsoon. (=Northern monsoon).
26 The Zafari reaches Aden (i.e. from Zafar, east of Shihr).
Tishrin al Thani (November)
19 The sea is closed, no ships run. (The British Museum Ms calls it the Salt Sea, probably
the Red Sea, and the Vatican Ms, for the previous day, states that ships
are raised on shore.)
21 Arrival of the Zafar ships at Aden (Brit. Mus. Ms makes this the 20th)
23 The Mogadishan reaches Aden.
Kanun al Awwal (December)
17 Journey of the Mogadishan from Aden (Brit. Mus. Ms only).
27 The Zafari reaches Aden.
31 The Mogadishan reaches Aden.
Kanun al-Thani (January)
1 The Mogadishan reaches Aden (Vatican Ms only)
Adhar (March)
8 Last of the travels of India to Aden (Milan Ms corrected by the Brit. Mus. Ms.)
13 Ships run at sea.
21 First journey of the Daimani (2) from Aden (Milan corrected by the Brit. Mus. Ms., which dates this as the
22nd.)
Nisan (April)
6 First journey of the Egyptian to Egypt (Perhaps one ought to substitute from for of).
10 The Egyptian and Indian reach Aden (Milan). Last of the journey of the reaching to Egypt. (Brit. Mus.)
Ayyar (May)
6 First journey of the Indian from Aden.
24 Last journey of the Qaisi (3) from Aden.
Haziran (June)
3 The last of the journey of the Qaisi (3) and Hurmuzi (4) from Aden (Brit. Mus.)
4 The end of the arrival of the Indian from Aden (Milan).
First of the journey of the Mogadishan from Aden.
6 Journey of the Mogadishan from Aden.
26 Launching of Indian ships.
29 First of the coming forth of B. kariyah (5) from Egypt.
30 Coming forth of the Makarim (5) from Egypt to Aden (Brit. Mus)
Tammuz (July)
11 Indian ships set out from Aden.
13 First arrival of the Makarim (5) at Aden.
27 Arrival of the Egyptian at Aden.
Ab (August)
4 The Mogadishan sets out from Aden.
18 The last journey of the Indian from Aden.
20 Ceylonese and Somali journey from Aden.
24 First of the journey of the Daimani (2), the great journey.
Aylul (September)
1 First of the journey of al-Karim from Aden and Mocha. (6)
18 The last journey of the Indian from Aden.
20 Ceylonese and Somali journey from Aden.
24 First of the journey of the Daimani (2) (wind), the great journey.
Ailul 1 First of the journey of al-Karim (5) from Aden and Mocha. (6)
3 Last journey of the Zafari and Hadrami from Aden.
6 Last of the journey of the Indian from Aden.
13 The coming forth of the Hurmuzi (4), Barbari (7), and Qalhati (8) from Aden (Brit. Mus. only).
26 The Mogadishan comes forth from his land to Aden.
28 The first Shihr (9) ships reach Aden (This notice is only found in the Vatican Ms which adds that this date is known as
Nairuz (10).
(1) Azyab monsoon: northeast monsoon during October to December .
(2) Daimani: R.B. Serjeant adds: The daimani wind comes from the south-west I was told in Zanzibar, where the Daimani season seems to be September, October and November.
(3) Qaisi: Qish: Kish island is located in the Persian Gulf, 19 km from mainland Iran, and has an area of approximately 91 km2. It was very important in early Abbasid times.
(4) Hurmuzi: Hormuz is a city on the island of Hormuz off the coast of Iran; important in former times as trade center.
(5) Makarim from Egypt; Egyptian Karim: it was in the period of the Mamluks when they developed commercially under the Mamluk sultans of Egypt. Karimi merchants grew rich in the 13th and 14th centuries and spread their commercial activities from the Middle East to Far East countries like India, China and Western Europe.
(6) Mocha: port city in Yemen on the Red Sea.
(7) Barbari: in North Somalia or also the Berbera coast north of Mogadishu.
(8) Qalhati: The ancient port-city of Qalhat in northeastern Oman.
(9) Shihr: coastal town in Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen.
(10) Nairuz; Nawruz; Nouruz: is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year.
(11) Al Mahrah, or simply Mahra, is a governorate of Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Situated in the area of the former Mahra Sultanate. It starts 700km east of Aden and borders the coast for 300km.