The collection of the al-Biruni Institute keeps 234 manuscripts of 153 works on this subject area, most of which are written in Persian.
They are astronomic tables, astrological calculations, horoscopes, and descriptions of celestial bodies and their interrelations and relation with nature as a whole. Moreover, there are calendars – Sal-nama, Navruz-nama (92 units by famous and unknown authors). Other works by well-known authors include a rare manuscript in Persian titled “Qiranat-i kawakib” (Approaching of Stars) by Abu Ma’shar al- Balkhi; a small treatise in Arabic by Abu Nasr Muhammad al-Farabi (873 – 950) in two copies dated to 1664; a treatise in Arabic by Kushyar ibn Labban (970 – 1030) titled “Mujmal al-usul” (Code of Principles) and its Persian translation in an ancient manuscript of the 13th century; a Persian version of “al-Tafhim” (The Book of Instruction) by Abu Rayhan al-Biruni (973 – 1048) in two copies, the earliest of them is dated to 1261 – 1262 and decorated with drawings, tables and maps; three treatises by Abu ‘Ali ibn Sina, one of them is a letter with answers from Ibn Sina to questions from al-Biruni in the copy of 1664; two astronomic treatises of Fakhr al-Din al-Razi in a Persian edition; “Al-Mulakhkhas fi al-haya” (Brief Description of Astronomy) by Mahmud ibn ‘Umar al-Chaghmini (d. 1221) and a commentary on this work by Qazizade Rumi (1360 – 1437), a teacher of Ulugbek in many copies dated to the 16th – 19th centuries; three treatises by Nasir al-din al-Tusi including “Tatimma al-Risala Mu‘iniya” (Addition to the Treatise Dedicated to Mu’in al-din),in a unique copy of 1422.
The collection holds unique copies of works by little-known authors such as Shir-Muhammad Kakyani’s “Ma’rifat-i samt-i qibla” (Determining the Direction of the Qibla) in a manuscript of 1743; ‘Ali ibn al-Qadir al-Natani, who wrote commentaries on “Risala al-fathiya” (A Treatise on the Conquest) by ‘Ali Qushchi in Arabic; the date of the copy is 1843; and several autographs by scholar and enlightener Ahmad Danish (1827 – 1897) on the movement of planets, astrology, the structure of the globe and two calendars for 1288 and 1299 – 1300 AH.
Another autograph written by Hishmat in 1912 – 1916 is about the compiling of calendars. Astronomic instruments are discussed mainly in manuscripts of treatises about the astrolabe, the globe and manipulations with a sine quadrant (30 units). The earliest copy dates from the 13th century.
You can learn more about this topic in the book-album “The Collection of the Al-Biruni Institute of Oriental studies, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan” (Volume XXIII) from the series "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections".
The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.
