Book Reviews

The Judgments of Nativities by Abu 'Ali Al-Khayyat

This slim volume, just 104 pages cover to cover including the introduction and appendices, has more astrological wisdom than many a shelf of astrology books. For students of traditional astrology it is a must read. For modern astrologers curious about how traditional works, it is an excellent place to start. I'm not alone in this opinion - at the end of both the Real Astrology and The Real Astrology Applied, John Frawley suggests three - yes, just three - works to be the foundation of the discipline. His choices are William Lilly's Christian Astrology, Titus Burckhardt's Mystical Astrology According to Ibn Arabi (review coming soon) and The Judgments of Nativities by Abu Ali Al-Khayyat.

There are many reasons to read this but I'll make it easy for you. It's short. It's translated into modern English. It touches on most of what people ask about. Here's the layout: parents, quality of mind, overall prosperity and adversity, each of the 12 houses, then comments on planets in signs. Even if you just read the last section it would be worth it.

Abu Ali Al-Khayyat wrote this work in Baghdad in the 9th century. His teacher Massa'allah was one of the two astrologers who selected the time for the founding of the city. While this is an excellent introduction to Arabic astrology, when we have historical context we realize that this work is quite similar in methodology to Greek astrology of Dorotheus,

Writers before the age of the printing press did not mince words. Each short chapter, indeed each line, warrants reflection. I have made it personal goal to read this book once a year. Get your copy here.