Lot Essay
Ibn al-Shatir was the head muwaqqit of the Ummayad mosque in Damascus and was known for both his texts on astronomical observations and his substantial advancement of designs for astronomical instruments (see King, “Ibn al-Shatir” in Selin (ed.), 2008, pp. 412-413; Brockelmann, GAL, II, 156; S. II, 157). He compiled sets of tables to observe and predict astronomical functions related to the times of prayer (King, 2008, p.413). If this manuscript is indeed the work of Ibn al-Shatir, it presents astronomical predictions in the form of numerous tables of Damascus AH 840/1436-37 AD.