Abd Allah ibn Amajur al-Turki
Astronomer of the 9th–10th centuries linked to Fergana, who observed the Sun, Moon and planets for decades in Baghdad and Shiraz and compiled several zijes, or astronomical tables.
- Occupation:
- Scientist, Astronomer
- Real name:
- Abu al-Qasim Abd Allah ibn Amajur al-Turki al-Harawi
- Birthplace:
- Fergana
Biography
Abu al-Qasim Abd Allah ibn Amajur al-Turki al-Harawi was an astronomer who lived in the 9th–10th centuries. The years of his birth and death are not recorded; only the period of his activity is known. Medieval authors Ibn al-Nadim (“al-Fihrist”) and Ibn al-Qifti connect him with Fergana; the nisba “al-Harawi” points to a link with Herat and “al-Turki” to Turkic origin.
The Amajur family carried out astronomical observations from 885 to 933. Most of them were made in Baghdad and fewer in Shiraz, covering the Sun, the Moon, the stars and the planets. The work was done by Abd Allah himself, his son Abu al-Hasan Ali and an assistant, Muflih ibn Yusuf.
Abd Allah is named as the author of several zijes, collections of astronomical tables. Their titles are given as the Flawless Zij, the Zij of Linking, the Wondrous Zij, the Zij of Past Times, the Sindhind Zij, the Zij of the Slave and the Zij of Mars by the Persian era; a “Book Useful to the Traveller” is also attributed to him. Most of these works have not survived.
The Amajurs’ observations were later cited by the Egyptian astronomer Ibn Yunus al-Sadafi (950–1009), who relied on their records of lunar and solar eclipses and planetary positions. There is no reliable information about Abd Allah’s private life, education or death.
Works
- “The Flawless Zij” (“Kitab al-zij al-ma'ruf bi'l-khalis”)Zij (astronomical tables)
A zij named as free of errors; it has not survived.
- “The Zij of Linking” (“Kitab al-zij al-ma'ruf bi'l-muzannir”)Zij (astronomical tables)
One of the zijes attributed to Abd Allah.
- “The Wondrous Zij” (“al-Zij al-badi'i”)Zij (astronomical tables)
One of the zijes attributed to Abd Allah.
- “The Zij of Past Times” (“Zij al-mamarrat”)Zij (astronomical tables)
One of the zijes attributed to Abd Allah.
- “The Sindhind Zij” (“Zij al-Sindhind”)Zij (astronomical tables)
A zij that draws on the Indian sindhind tables.
- “The Zij of the Slave” (“Zij al-qini”)Zij (astronomical tables)
One of the zijes attributed to Abd Allah.
- “The Zij of Mars by the Persian Era” (“Kitab zij al-Mirrikh ala al-tarikh al-farisi”)Zij (astronomical tables)
Tables on the motion of Mars, based on the Persian calendar era.
- “The Traveller’s Provision” (“Kitab zad al-musafir”)Astronomical work
Listed among Abd Allah’s writings in the sources.
Life path
- 9th–10th centuriesLifetime
Astronomer linked to Fergana; the years of his birth and death are not given in the sources.
- 885Start of observations
According to Ibn Yunus, the Amajur family’s regular astronomical observations began this year.
- 885–933Observations in Baghdad and Shiraz
With his son Abu al-Hasan Ali and assistant Muflih ibn Yusuf he observed the Sun, Moon, stars and planets.
- 9th–10th centuriesCompilation of zijes
Gathered the results of the observations into several zijes, or astronomical tables.
- 933Last year of observations
The end of the observation period reported by Ibn Yunus.
- 10th–11th centuriesUse of his results
The Egyptian astronomer Ibn Yunus (950–1009) cited the Amajurs’ observations of eclipses and planets in his works.
Legacy
The Amajur family’s half-century of observations became an important source of data for Baghdad astronomy: later astronomers such as Ibn Yunus cited their records of eclipses and planets, and the material fed into medieval astronomical tables. Most of Abd Allah’s own zijes are lost.
Era: Abbasid Caliphate, 9th–10th centuries- Regular observations by the Amajur family begin (885)