1313 - Hisham ibn 'Ammar narrated to us, saying: 'Uthman ibn 'Allaq narrated to us, saying: al-Rabi' ibn Lut ibn al-Bara' ibn 'Azib narrated to us, saying: "The best time upon which foundations are laid, upon which women are wedded, wells are dug, and camels are branded: is when [the moon] clings to the sign of Aquarius," meaning: when the moon is in Aquarius.
• I saw Abu Bakr al-Humaydi as being among the most insightful of people regarding the stars and the lunar mansions.
o Abu Muhammad Harb ibn Isma'il said: "I debated in Mecca with those knowledgeable about the meridian passage (zawal), and those whom I know among the people of hadith whom I trusted regarding their insight into that. I did not find any people more knowledgeable about that than the people of Mecca. I have interpreted from that what I hope contains the truth—if Allah Almighty wills—and through Allah is success:
Know that no one ever fully exhausts the meridian passage (zawal); it is merely an approximation, estimation, and investigation (taharri).
The sun passes the meridian (zawal) on the day of Ashtadruz of the month of Ardibihisht, which is the nineteenth of June. On that day, the length of the day reaches its peak, with the day being fifteen hours and the night being nine hours. On that day, the sun enters Cancer, which is the beginning of autumn; [the shadow] is at half a foot or less or more—if Allah Almighty wills—and the beginning of the time for 'Asr on that day is: seven and a half feet, or thereabouts—if Allah wills."
(1) Thus it is in the original, and the correct form is: "wa taharrin". (2) Thus it is in the original, and the correct form is: "khams 'ashrata sa'atan... tis' sa'at".
