Folio 7a

…famous — so much so that whatever he said came true. The master astrologer Abu Ma'shar al-Tabarani, who surpassed all his peers in the science of the stars, heard of this and set out to visit him; he came to Isfahan and saw him.

The man was sitting by the road with people gathered around him, telling each of them his fortune. Abu Ma'shar stood beside him for a while and watched: whoever came, the man would look at a thing he had named «astrolabe» and at once tell the people their fortune, and it came true. Abu Ma'shar was astonished, for this did not accord with the science and its rules; he went up to him and had him cast a horoscope.*1

The man looked at his astrolabe and said: «It appears that you have come from a great distance to test me.» Abu Ma'shar's astonishment grew many times over. The man said: «Be patient a while; let the people go and let us be alone, and I will show you the rank of my learning and knowledge.» He waited; the people dispersed and they were left quite alone.

The man said: «Know that I have left everything else and given my concentrated will to this science. What I call an astrolabe is nothing but a contraption I take in hand to fool people: when they ask me for a horoscope, I say whatever comes to my mind without the least hesitation, and by God's command it comes true. In truth I have nothing to do with learning or knowledge.» Abu Ma'shar understood that this was the power of the soul's influence; he took his leave and went back home.

Of the same kind is this: in the time of the Khwarazmshah Muhammad ibn Tekish, a man called Dana-yi Hindi (the Indian Sage) came from India and cast horoscopes. He became so famous that word reached the king, who ordered him brought into his presence. The king asked: «Last night I had a dream; interpret it.» The man said: «Put me in a secluded place and let no one come near me; I will think and give you an answer.» They put him in a room; he gathered his concentrated will, came back and said: «In your dream you boarded a ship and girded on a sword.»

The king said: «The water reaches right into the palace; I boarded a ship and crossed from there, and the sword never leaves our side.» That was indeed his dream. Still he did not trust him; he tested him for several more days, and every time the man was right, and he became his boon companion and counsellor in his affairs. This too was the power of the soul's influence. Another is like the magnet's drawing of iron…*2*3