Kitab al-Anwa' facts for kids

Kitāb al-Anwāʾ (كتاب الانواء) is the name of several old books from the Arab world. These books were about things like stars, weather, and farming. Even though they have the same name, they were written by different people in different places and times. For example, one famous Kitāb al-Anwāʾ was written by ʿArīb ibn Saʿīd al-Qurṭūbī from Córdoba around the year 973 CE. His book was very important and was copied and translated many times.

The Book of Seasons: What It Is

ʿArīb ibn Saʿīd was a doctor and a smart person who worked for the ruler ʿAbd al-Raḥmān III in Córdoba, Spain. He wrote his Kitāb al-Anwāʾ in 973 CE. He used ideas from older calendars, like the Kitāb al-Azmina by Ibn Māsawayh. Today, we know about his book mostly from an old copy kept in Tehran, Iran.

This book talks about many interesting things:

• Weather and Stars: It explains how the weather works and how stars move.
• Health and Cleanliness: It gives advice on staying healthy and clean.
• Farming: It includes tips for growing crops.
• Calendars: It has different calendars for the year.

One cool part of the book is a system for predicting the weather. It looks at where the sun is and when certain stars disappear from view. It connects these sky events to weather patterns that happen again and again. A scholar named Miquel Forcada said that the book also includes "materials from everyday life." This means it gives us a great look into what life was like back then.

Other Versions of the Book

The Calendar of Córdoba

ʿArīb ibn Saʿīd's book was changed and simplified in Córdoba. This new version was called Kitāb fī tafṣīl al-zamān wa-maṣāliḥ al-abdān. In English, it's known as The Calendar of Córdoba. This name was given to it by a modern editor, Reinhart Dozy, in 1873.

The Calendar of Córdoba was made after ʿArīb ibn Saʿīd finished his book in 973 CE. It was much simpler than the original. It also added more information about Christian holidays and saints, especially for the Mozarabs (Christians living under Muslim rule) in Córdoba.

Two old copies of the Calendar still exist today. One is in Paris and is written in Arabic using Hebrew letters. The other is also in Paris and is written in Arabic.

The Calendar of Córdoba was translated into Latin twice during the Middle Ages:

• First Latin Translation: This translation was made in the Middle Ages. It was very exact, sometimes even hard to understand. But it added more details about the Christian community in Córdoba. It was called Liber Anoe. Some people think a Christian bishop named Rabīʿ b. Zayd might have translated it. He also worked for the ruler in Córdoba.
• Second Latin Translation: This translation was made much later, in the 1200s. A copy of it is kept in Barcelona, Spain.

Other Books Based on Kitāb al-Anwāʾ

The Kitāb al-Anwāʾ also inspired other books. One was an anonymous book from Andalusia (part of Spain) called Risāla fī awqāt al-sana. Another was called Tafṣīl al-azmān wa-maṣāliḥ al-abdān.

See also

• Al-Naḍr ibn Shumayl (died 820 CE) also wrote a book called Kitāb al-Anwāʾ.

In Spanish: El calendario de Córdoba para niños