The Impact of Astrological Beliefs and Attitudes on the Social and Political Situations of Iran in the Fourth/Eleventh to Ninth/Fifteenth Centuries

Belief in the impact of the celestial bodies on human destiny perhaps dates as long back as man’s own age. Such an attitude towards the stars has existed among all ancient civilization, including Iran. With the advent of Islam and given the human role and status, belief in the astrological judgments was forgotten for a while. With the victory of the Ash‘arite determinist school, which was simultaneous to the Turks rising to power and after that the coming of the Mongols, who strongly believed in the impact of heaven on human destiny, once again the astrological believes and determinist ideas became widespread in Iran in the form of decision-makings and functions in various state departments and throughout the society. Using the results of the astrological judgments in military expeditions, making treaties, war and peace, coronation, hunting, travelling, answer to prayer, and treatment of illnesses are but some examples of the impact of these beliefs in the life of the Muslims in middle centuries. The present article tries to explain how the astrological attitudes were revived between the fourth/eleventh to ninth/fifteenth centuries in Iran.