How The Practice Of Astrology Originated?

Astrology, a fascinating history of human attachment to the stars, has its roots in Mesopotamia and Egypt. By the 1st century BC, two varieties of astrology were in existence: one that required the reading of horoscopes for precise details about the past, present, and future, and the other, theurgic, which emphasised the soul’s ascent to the stars. Astrology is believed to have originated during the 2nd millennium BC, during the period of ancient Babylonians.

The earliest evidence for astrology dates back to the 3rd millennium BC, with roots in calendrical systems used to predict seasonal shifts. The practice likely began as soon as humans first started to observe astronomical cycles, with some of the earliest evidence dating from the 3rd millennium BC. Different cultures have employed forms of astrology since at least the 2nd millennium BCE, these practices having originated in calendrical systems used to predict seasonal shifts.

The Babylonians had already divided the zodiac into 12 equal signs by 1500 BC, boasting similar constellation names to the ones familiar today. Astrology really began as Astronomy when humans began looking to the “heavenly lights” in the sky above. Even today, we rely on Astronomy to be accurate predictions of the movement of planets.

The science of astrology grew out of astrology, with some methods used by early astrologers accurately predicting the movement of planets. Western astrology is based on the apparent path of the planets through our sky and the ways they appear to interact with the constellations. Astrology is not a science, but there is a fascinating history behind humans attaching meaning to the stars.

How did astrology begin?

The Silk Roads played a significant role in cultural exchange and the development of various scientific disciplines, including medicine, mathematics, geography, cartography, and astronomy. Astrology, a broad field concerned with the search for meaning and predictive information in the sky, was one such discipline that was widely accepted in political and cultural circles.

During the Tang (705-907 CE) period, foreign systems of astrology were adopted in China, particularly the practice of ‘horoscopy’, predictions made by an astrologer based on the position of the sun at the time of a person’s birth or the calendar significance of an event. Astrology often acted as a medium of transmission of other knowledge bases, predominantly from Indo-Iranian sources, especially within astronomy and the close mathematical observation of stars and planets.

Indian astrology was often introduced into new regions of Central Asia, the Iranian Plateau, and China alongside the introduction of Buddhism, another significant shared legacy of these trade routes. Early Islamic astrologers included numerous Indian theories in their works, most of which reached them via texts written in Middle Persian during a time when direct translations into Arabic of many scientific texts from Ancient Greek and Indian sources were made.

In Medieval Central Asia, two distinct versions of the discipline emerged: one focused on mathematical theories and precise astronomical measurements, and the other on the interpretation of magical elements to make predictions. Al-Biruni, a polymath, differentiated astrology from astronomy, arguing that the former was more of an art or practice and criticizing its weak mathematical and scientific foundations. He also emphasized his theory that astrology is not a science through analysis of astrological doctrines from Ancient Greece, the Indian subcontinent, the Iranian Plateau, and Central Asian regions.

Is there any truth to astrology?

Astrology is a belief system that suggests a connection between astronomical phenomena and human events or personality descriptions. However, it has been criticized by the scientific community for lacking explanatory power and scientific testing has found no evidence to support its premises or effects. The most famous test, led by Shawn Carlson, concluded that natal astrology performed no better than chance. Astrology has not demonstrated its effectiveness in controlled studies and has no scientific validity, making it regarded as pseudoscience.

There is no proposed mechanism by which stars and planets’ positions and motions could affect people and events on Earth in the way astrologers claim, which contradicts well-understood aspects of biology and physics. Modern scientific inquiry into astrology focuses on the correlation between astrological traditions and the influence of seasonal birth in humans.

Where did astrology signs come from?

The zodiac, a system of twelve stars, was developed by the Roman era and is based on concepts inherited from Hellenistic astronomy, Babylonian astronomy, and an earlier system of stars along the ecliptic. It is the basis of the ecliptic coordinate system in astronomy, but the term and names of the twelve signs are mostly associated with horoscopic astrology. The term “zodiac” may also refer to the region of the celestial sphere encompassing the paths of planets corresponding to the band of about 8 arc degrees above and below the ecliptic.

The “zodiac of a given planet” is the band that contains the path of that particular body. As early as the 14th century BC, a complete list of the 36 Egyptian decans was placed among the hieroglyphs adorning the tomb of Seti I, Ramesses II, and every Egyptian astrological monument. Both the famous zodiacs of Dendera display their symbols, identified by Karl Richard Lepsius.

Do astrologers believe in God?

The rejection of theism by atheists and astrologists has resulted in the elimination of one unjustified belief in the existence of deities. However, this does not extend to the complete rejection of all other beliefs.

How does astrology exist?

Astrology is a divinatory practice that suggests that information about human affairs and terrestrial events can be discerned by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. It has been used in different cultures since at least the 2nd millennium BCE, with some cultures attaching importance to what they observed in the sky. Western astrology, one of the oldest astrological systems still in use, can trace its roots to 19th-17th century BCE Mesopotamia, spreading to Ancient Greece, Rome, the Islamic world, and eventually Central and Western Europe.

Throughout its history, astrology has faced detractors, competitors, and skeptics who opposed it for moral, religious, political, and empirical reasons. Prior to the Enlightenment, astrology was generally considered a scholarly tradition and common in learned circles, often in close relation with astronomy, meteorology, medicine, and alchemy. It was also present in political circles and mentioned in various works of literature.

During the Enlightenment, astrology lost its status as an area of legitimate scholarly pursuit. Researchers have successfully challenged astrology on both theoretical and experimental grounds, showing it to have no scientific validity or explanatory power. Astrology lost its academic and theoretical standing in the western world, and common belief in it largely declined until a continuing resurgence starting in the 1960s.

The word astrology comes from the early Latin word astrologia, which derives from the Greek words ἀστρολογία (star) and -λογία (logia). By the 17th century, astronomy became established as the scientific term, with astrology referring to divinations and schemes for predicting human affairs.

What does the Bible say about astrology?

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus asserts that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. This contradicts biblical wisdom, as chasing after false gods is a sin. There is no biblical evidence that God has given authority to stars or astrologists. Pursuing predictions about our destiny or personality is biblically sinful, as it takes power from God and gives it to something other than God. A horoscope cannot change what God has already ordained before we were even created.

What does Islam say about astrology?

The earliest Islamic stance against astrology can be traced back to individuals such as Abd al-Jabbar and Abu Ma’shar al-Balkhi, who sought to justify the causal influence of celestial beings on terrestrial life forms. Historical texts like Kitab al-Daraj provide evidence of the presence of astrology in early Islam. However, even before these individuals, historians and theologians like Al Hashimi sought to justify the role of astrology in influencing Islamic adherents’ religion.

Al Hashimi, through philosophers like Masha Allah, explored the possibility of the influence of stars on one’s morality and religion in general. He cited Masha Allah’s idea that the Islamic prophet Muhammad’s birth was a result of a coming together of celestial objects, essentially pointing to the inherent birth of Muhammad as a result of astrological events. Both Masha Allah and Al Hashimi draw upon similarities but draw upon their inherent stance in pointing to the planets, stars, and other celestial beings as the primary means by which divine rule is exercised, i. e., how God emanates control over all life forms.

Early Muslims relied on the sun and moon to determine important things such as the direction of Mecca, fasting times for Ramadan, and the beginning and end of each month. They used astrology and the position of the planets to predict the health and well-being of individuals, with eclipses in Libra, Aquarius, or Gemini being predictions of worldwide plagues, and comets or shooting stars being predictions of famine and sickness.

Many interpretations of the Quran point to astrology as that which goes against the fundamental principles preached by the Islamic religious tradition. Astrology ultimately points to the role of celestial beings in influencing terrestrial life and the everyday lives of individuals, ultimately hindering their destiny. Various excerpts from the Quran are interpreted to disprove this theory, with the Quran in Surah Al-Jinn suggesting that any such presence of extraterrestrial influence on mankind is not plausible and is therefore haram (forbidden) in Islam.

The Hadith, a reference to the instructions and practices of Muhammad, encourages adherents of the Islamic faith to embody the concept of astrology. Muhammad made various claims regarding the legality/illegality of astrology with regards to the Islamic religious tradition, such as the belief that rain is a bounty bestowed only by Allah (God). The Hadith makes specific mention to the stars, suggesting that those who suggest rain originates as a result of a star are a disbeliever in Me (Allah).

This works to fundamentally embody the concept of astrology and the consequent belief in the idea that celestial beings have an influence on anything other than what enshrined in the Quran and Hadith as shirk (blasphemy), leading one to leave the fold of the religion.

What did the Prophet say about astrology?

The Hadith, a collection of Islamic religious teachings, is a significant part of the Islamic faith. It outlines the instructions and practices of Muhammad, who criticized the legality and illegality of astrology. According to Abu Dawud, seeking knowledge from the stars is considered witchcraft, which is inherently forbidden in Islam. The Hadith also emphasizes that rain is a blessing bestowed only by Allah, and any belief that rain is a result of other beings is considered disbelief.

The Hadith also mentions the stars, stating that those who suggest rain originates from a star are considered disbelievers in Allah. This concept of astrology and the belief in celestial beings’ influence on anything other than what is enshrined in the Quran and Hadith constitutes shirk (blasphemy) and leads one to leave the fold of the religion.

Second-century Islamic scholar Imam Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam and cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, views astrology as fundamentally forbidden in the Islamic religion. He warns followers not to learn the science of stars except for guidance on land or sea, as it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner. This aligns with the Quran, which points to stars and astrology as only a means of navigation.

However, prominent scholars like Ibn Arabi and Ikhwan argue that planets are not considered God but do suggest each prophet with a specific planet/celestial being. Prophet Idris, also known as Enoch, was gifted with great knowledge of the stars and used his gift to meditate upon God’s grandeur and teach others. He believed that the stars and moon contributed to mankind and founded the study of the stars.

Different sects of Islam offer varying perspectives on the concept of astrology.

Is astrology based on God?

Astrology is based on the belief that the patterns and positions of celestial entities, such as stars and moons, influence a person’s life and actions. This contradicts the biblical belief that God is sovereign and all-knowing. No star patterns or charts can determine a person’s future, as God has already ordained it. Ephesians 2:10 states that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. No zodiac sign or horoscope can alter this.

Jesus in Matthew 28:18 states that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. Believing in the power and authority of astrology goes against biblical wisdom, as chasing after false gods is a sin. There is no biblical evidence that God has given authority to stars or astrologists.

Why did human beings invent astrology?

Astrology was initially designed to inform individuals about their life course based on the positions of planets and zodiacal signs at birth or conception. Genethlialogy, or casting nativities, developed the fundamental techniques of astrology. Subsequences of astrology include general, catarchic, and interrogatory. General astrology studies the relationship between significant celestial moments and social groups, nations, or humanity.

Catarchic astrology determines if a chosen moment is conducive to success of a course of action. This approach conflicts with genethlialogy interpretation, but allows individuals or corporations to act at astrologically favorable times to avoid failures predicted from their nativity.

Who is the father of astrology?

Astrology in India has its roots in the Vedic period, with the Vedanga Jyotisha being the only work of this class to have survived. It contains rules for tracking the motions of the sun and moon in a five-year intercalation cycle. The date of this work is uncertain, as its late style of language and composition conflict with some internal evidence of a much earlier date in the 2nd millennium BC. Indian astronomy and astrology developed together, with the earliest treatise on Jyotisha, the Bhrigu Samhita, compiled by the sage Bhrigu during the Vedic era.

The documented history of Jyotisha in the subsequent newer sense of modern horoscopic astrology is associated with the interaction of Indian and Hellenistic cultures through the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek Kingdoms. The oldest surviving treatises, such as the Yavanajataka or Brihat-Samhita, date to the early centuries AD. The Samhita (Compilation) is said to contain five million horoscopes, comprising all who have lived in the past or will live in the future. The first named authors writing treatises on astronomy are from the 5th century AD, the date when the classical period of Indian astronomy can be said to begin.