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**Article Six**
Regarding the nature of the Saturnine star, its characteristics, its distance from the center of the world, and its volume.
O esteemed one! It is known that astronomers have said: The nature of the Saturnine star is exceedingly cold and dry, and it is counted among the males during the day and considered the greatest ill omen. Therefore, gazing upon the Saturnine star brings sorrow and grief to a person. Similarly, gazing upon the Venusine star, with its flower-like face, is known as a source of joy and delight.
To the Saturnine star are attributed qualities such as foolishness, ignorance, miserliness, envy, falsehood, slander, melancholy, laziness, lack of understanding, and mischief. [42/b] If this star were to fall upon wombs bearing children, its nature and characteristics would permeate the child being born, by Allah’s permission. This has been confirmed through experience with these qualities manifesting in newborn children. It has been observed that Saturn governs Wednesday night and Saturday day. Therefore, the early hours of Wednesday night and the early hours of Saturday day are attributed to this star.
Observers, astronomers, and mathematicians agree: The surface of the Saturnine sphere is rounded. Its distance from the center of the world is approximately thirty-three thousand times one thousand and 510,450 furlongs. The distance of its concave surface is approximately twenty-two thousand times one thousand and 992,487 furlongs. And the thickness of this grand sphere is estimated to be ten thousand times one thousand and 517,963 furlongs.
As for the body of Saturn, it has been proven through various geometric proofs and mathematical calculations that it is the size of the Earth’s globe.
Our purpose in briefly presenting here the celestial vault and the conditions of the stars is to behold the world filled with wonders, to observe Allah's creation brimming with wisdom, to marvel at His unique power of artistry, and to recognize the true Master of art. To turn towards His supreme existence, setting aside everything else. The intention behind writing about the bodies of these stars in this book is that they are their actual bodies, which, from the very beginning, are bodies capable of being measured and weighed. Therefore, what we have conveyed here is not merely a matter of astronomical calculations and conjunctions of spheres. They are not arbitrary bodies estimated according to the star’s distance and proximity for the purpose of observing and calculating its approach to and disappearance from the sun and determining those times. Rather, these are definitive pieces of knowledge.
[484] . The phrase “Subhâne’l-Hâliki’l-musavvir” is not found in the printed text but exists in some manuscript versions.
[485] . This sentence does not appear in the printed version.
[486] . The Pentad of Imagination: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
[487] . *Matâli‘u’l-burûc*: The determination of the equatorial transit across the sky of a specific geographic region with a given ecliptic arc simultaneously. It is generally measured from the eastern horizon. There are two kinds of risings: 1-Vertical rising or rising in a spherical globe. Vertical rising is when the arcs of the ecliptic rise above the horizon of a region located at zero latitude (i.e., on the equator). This vertical rising is a transit from the beginning of Aries, which is measured from the point where the equator intersects the horizon circle. Such a rising is called “risings from the beginning of Aries” (*matâlî‘ min evvel al-Hamel*). If it is measured from the beginning of Capricorn, it is called "risings from the beginning of Capricorn" (*matâlî‘ min evvel al-Cedi*). Inclined sphere rising (*al-metâlî‘ fi’l-felek el-mâil*) refers to a specific latitude. It is when an arc of the ecliptic rises above the horizon of a particular latitude with the same transit as an equatorial arc.
[488] . Zenith of the Meridian: This is the apex of dimensions, the strengthened one. Latin: Apogaeum medium. In Ptolemy’s astronomy, the apogee detected on the epicycle due to Ay's second inequality.
Episycle (felek-i tedvîr): A small sphere orbiting in parallel with the Earth's orbit within Saturn's sphere, carrying the star itself and placed in the orbit of the second sphere that is external to its center. The episycle (*felek-i tedvîr*) is a spherical body enclosed by a single surface, which, according to the inclination of the carrier sphere it is located in, revolves within its own space from west to east, along the order of the signs, and rotates together with Saturn (Zühal) fixed between two poles on one side. The aforementioned episycle (*felek-i tedvîr*) moves this star, with a movement of approximately one degree every day and night from three hundred sixty degrees of its circumference (mıntıka), in a manner suitable for the sun's middle point, thus completing its revolution once per year, and this is what they call the variable motion of the star (*hareket-i ihtilâf-ı kevkeb*).
The explanation for how the movements of the "Five Perplexities" occur in this way is as follows: When one of these planets comes upon the carrier sphere, the planet’s own movement appears to be moving rapidly (serîu’l-hareke) as its center of movement coincides with the center of the episycle's movement, which is on the transit of the signs (tevâlî-i burûc; *Matâli‘u’l-burûc*). When the star inclines a little further with the episycle, its movement becomes straight. If it descends to the foot of the episycle (*esfel*), then the planet's movement is invisible because its own center is at the descent.
"It is known that astronomers say: Of the seven planets, all except the Sun and the Moon—that is, the three high ones and the two low ones—are called ‘the five bewildered’ [hamse-i mütehayyire] because they sometimes move correctly, sometimes slowly, sometimes stop, sometimes turn back, sometimes falter and move slowly, and sometimes proceed straight and swiftly.
Allah, exalted be He, who fashions these things perfectly and shapes them with artistry, is clear of all imperfection.
The duration between each approach [ihtirāk] of the planet Saturn is one year and thirteen days. For it comes to its place in the zodiacal circle every three hundred seventy-eight days, becoming invisible with it. Because of its proximity to the earth, this condition is called a conjunction [kırān] and an approach [ihtirāk]. The carrying sphere of the planet Saturn is inclined two and a half degrees south and north from the direction of the zodiacal belt [mıntıkatü’l-burûc], while at the same time the episycle also has a declination of four and a half degrees towards the south and sometimes towards the north; therefore, there is a change in latitude [ihtilâf-ı arazî] in this star's orbit, causing it to appear bewildered, hence its mention among ‘the five bewildered.’"
“May He be glorified, the Creator, the Fashioner.”
“This sentence does not exist in the printed edition.”
Hamse-i mütehayyire: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
Metâli‘u’l-burûc: The determination of a specific geographical region's horizon by an ecliptic arc and an equatorial arc that pass simultaneously from it. It is generally measured from the eastern horizon. There are two kinds of risings: 1- A direct rising or a rising in a tilted sphere. A direct rising is the elevation of arcs of the ecliptic over the horizon of a region located on the equator (i.e., on the Equator). Such a rising is called "risings from the beginning of Aries" (metâlî‘ min evvel el-Hamel) because it is measured from the first point of the sign of Aries, i.e., the vernal equinox. If the direct rising is measured from the sign of Capricorn, it is called "risings from the beginning of Capricorn" (metâlî‘ min evvel el-Cedi). A rising in a tilted sphere (el-metâlî‘ fi’l-felek el-mâil) relates to a specific latitude. It is the elevation of an arc of the ecliptic over the horizon of a particular latitude with an equatorial arc.
Zirve-i mer’î: Bu’du’l-eb’âd el-mukavvem. The apparent apogee. Latin: Apogaeum medium. In Ptolemy's astronomy, the apogee determined on the epicycle due to the second inequality of the Moon.