The Devils Deception by Imam Ibn AL-Jawzi

T H E D E V I L ' S
D E C E P T I O N S
[ 5:14 ]
Devil's Deception of Fortunetellers (al-manjamin) and
Horoscope Readers (aspdb alfalak)
Abu MuQ.ammad Al-NubakhtI said: Some people believed that
celestial bodies were pre-eternal with no creator. Others claimed
Saturn to be the only pre-eternal planet. They claimed that celestial
bodies had no heat, coldness, brittleness nor softness, and that they
were neither heavy nor light. Others claimed planets to be made
from clouds that were lit during the night and turned off during the
day. They claimed the moon to be made from fire and air.
Some claimed that planets were made from water, wind and fire,
and that they were spheres that moved from east to west and west to
east. They said that Saturn completed a cycle around the sun in
about thirty years, Jupiter in twelve years, Mars in two, and the sun,
Venus and Mercury in one year. The moon completed its cycle in
thirty days.
Some said that there were seven planets: the nearest to us was the
moon, then Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars,Jupiter, and Saturn. The
remaining planets were stationary.
(Practitioners of Astronomy) estimated the sizes of the planets as
well. The largest was the sun, one hundred and sixty six times the
size of Earth. Stationary planets were each ninety four times the
size of Earth. Jupiter was eighty two times the size of Earth and
Mars was one and a half times the size of Earth.
Some claimed that there was life on each of the planets. And that
stars were living and active. Some stars did good and evil deeds
according to their nature of fortune or misfortune, and they affected
humans.
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