this was very common among medieval astrologers of the Muslim world
Caliphs frequently tested astrologers’ skills by making them discover hidden things
Two famous examples:
The Caliph Al Muwaffaq quizzed Abu Ma’shar and another astrologer asking them what he was thinking about.
Abu Ma’shar and the other astrologer cast their horoscopes and answered: he was thinking about the birth of an animal, a cow.
He affirmed they were right and then asked
What would be the color of the calf born to the cow?
Abu Ma’shar answered: black with white on the face.
The other astrologer said black with some white on the tail.
The calf was born back with white on their nose but its tail was covering the white so they both were right
the caliph rewarded them.
Another time the same caliph tested Abu Ma’shar and another astrologer by asking what object he hid behind his back
They cast their horoscope and made their predictions
Abu Ma’shar said a small animal
The other astrologer said it was a fruit
The caliph revealed it was an apple.
Perplexed Abu Ma’shar studied the horoscope again, until he noticed something. With a great shout of “Allahu Akbar” he rushed forth, grabbing the apple he tore it in two to reveal it had worms inside
He had been right!
Court astrologers had a lot of influence over rulers but to get there they had to impress the caliph and pass their tests
There’s also evidence of formalized testing in the training of astrologers in Al Qabisi’s works
these anecdotes indicate for medieval Islamic thinkers astrology may have been a spiritual science but it was also believed to be empirical and rigorous
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