Ibn Yunus and Astrology

Ibn Yunus was famous as an astrologer, devoting much time to making astrological predictions. His Kitab bulugh al-umniyya (On the Attainment of Desire), for instance, consists of twelve chapters devoted to the significance of the heliacal risings of Sirius when the moon is in any of the twelve zodiacal signs, and to predictions based on the day of the week on which the first day of the Coptic year falls.

Ibn Yunus died in 1009 having, it is said, while still in good health predicted his own death in seven days time. He saw to his affairs, locked himself away and recited the Koran until he died on the day he had predicted.