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technical exercise. Each work must be treated as poetry. What is
the author truly saying? How is he or she using the words, the
grammar and the syntax to convey his or her feelings? To do
this, the translator must obviously have an understanding of the
subject. There must be some common bond. I found that bond
on a number of levels. Ghayat Al-Hakim deals with and assumes
a knowledge of much Islamic theology and philosophy.
However, it also deals with a science of many disciplines, which
either originated in the Muslim world or were rediscovered by
Muslims examining the works of those great civilizations before
them, and which are no longer actively pursued. While Arabic
as a language continued to develop, the science it was used to
describe in this book became one of primarily historical interest.
This required me to engage in an examination of astrology
on a much deeper plane than I had initially expected. Before
translating could begin, true understanding had to start. I
jumped into this with increasing interest even consulting with
modern day astrologers to discuss concepts and terminology.
Ultimately, I feel I have provided a faithful rendition of this
complex and fascinating topic. Those readers familiar with
Arabic and particularly with historical Arabic texts may be
surprised at the relative simplicity of the grammar and syntax
used. Arabic is a poetic language and the modern day belief in
conciseness and brevity were not a staple of the period. One
Arabic sentence in Ghayat Al-Hakim could be the equivalent of
one paragraph in English. I also endeavored to be faithful to the
author by maintaining his approach and style in writing. The
Ghayat Al-Hakim is a philosophical work as well as one
concerning astrology, I have found much wisdom in these pages
and my translation was often slowed as I reflected on the
author's assumptions and on the different levels of meaning he
may have been implying. It is my hope that this translation
allows the reader the ability to catch at once the basic intent of
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