KhalidAlAjaji at 10:51, 25 August 2026

2026-08-25T10:51:36Z

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KhalidAlAjaji: Created a page for ''al-Ḫibāʾ al-al-yamānī'' (الْخِبَاء اليماني), the southern tent.

2026-08-25T10:48:25Z

Created a page for ''al-Ḫibāʾ al-al-yamānī'' (الْخِبَاء اليماني), the southern tent.

New page

{{DISPLAYTITLE: ''al-Khibā' al-yamānī'', ''al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī'' (الْخِبَاء اليماني)}}

{{distinguish
|Alkhiba alshamai
|Alchiba
}}

Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
----

[[File:Khiba ai generated.png|thumb|Arabian Khibāʾtent. image inspired by [https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/matpc/01100/01108v.jpg a century old photo in Matson collection in Library of Congress]. (CC BY Khalid AlAjaji 2026).]]
[[File:AlKhiba alyamani plus crater.png|thumb|Al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī near the circular star pattern of al-Maʿlaf (Crater). (CC BY Khalid AlAjaji 2026).]]
'''al-Ḫibāʾ''' (Arabic: الخباء), “the small tent” is an Arabian asterism of four stars forming a quadrilateral in the constellation Corvus.

==Provenance, Etymology, History==

'''Variants''' The asterism is referred to in historical sources as:
* ''al‑Ḫibāʾ'' (Arabic: الخباء), “the Tent” without a specifier.
* ''al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī'' (Arabic: الْخِبَاء اليماني) '''“Southern Tent”''' as mentioned by ibn Qutayba and al-Ṣūfī.

The asterism is also called:
* ''ʿajuz al-asad'' (Arabic: '''عجز الأسد''') “the Lion’s Hindquarters”.
* ''ʿarš al‑Simāk'', (Arabic: '''عرش السماك'''), “the Throne of al‑Simāk” in works by Ibn Qutayba, al-Marzūqī, and al-Ṣūfī. al‑Simāk is a proper name connected with being high or elevated
* ''al-Ajmāl/al-Ahmāl'' (Arabic: '''الأجمال'''/'''الأحمال''') “the camels/the loads on camels” is reported only by al‑Ṣūfī.

===Etymology===
''al‑Ḫibāʾ'' (Arabic: الخباء), from the Arabic root خ ب ي) denotes a small tent.
Lisān al-ʿArab defines ''al-Ḫibāʾ'' as:<ref name="lisan"/>
<blockquote>الخِباءُ مِنَ الأَبنية: وَاحِدُ الأَخْبية، وَهُوَ مَا كَانَ مِنْ وَبَر أَو صُوفٍ وَلَا يَكُونُ مِنْ شَعَر، وَهُوَ عَلَى عَمُودَيْنِ أَو ثَلَاثَةٍ، وَمَا فوقَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ بَيْت.</blockquote>

<blockquote>''al‑Ḫibāʾ'' (الخِبَاء) is a tent made of camel wool or sheep’s wool, never of goat hair. It usually stands on two or three poles; anything larger than that is called a ''bayt'' (large tent).</blockquote>

===Sources and Identification===
Three primary sources describe al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī: Ibn Qutayba, al-Marzūqī, and al-Ṣūfī. Their accounts largely agree, allowing the stars to be identified with high confidence and clarifying how the Arabs envisioned al-Ḫibāʾ as a celestial figure.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" style="width: 60%;" |Sources
! scope="col" style="width: 40%;" |Identification(s)
|-
|
|
|-
|'''Ibn Qutayba (d. 276 H / 889)'''
Original Arabic (p. 62)<ref name="qutayba"/>

قال ابن كناسة: وربما عدل القمر فنزل بعَجُزِ الأَسَدِ، وهي أربعة كواكب بين يدي السِّمَاكِ الأَعْزَلِ، منحدرة عنه في الجنوب، مربعة على صورة النَّعْشِ، يقال لها: عَرْشَ السِّمَاكِ، وتُسَمَّى: الخِبَاءَ.

English translation

Ibn Kunāsa [d. 207H/822AD] said: "Sometimes the moon deviates and alights at the Hindquarters of the Lion ('Ajuz al-Asad). These are four stars situated before the Unarmed Simāk (al-Simāk al-A'zal), sloping down from it toward the south, squared in the shape of the stars of (Na'š) [the bowl of the Big Dipper α, β, γ, δ UMa]; they are called the Throne of al-Simāk('Arš al-Simāk) and are also named the Tent (al-Ḫibāʾ)."

Ibn Qutayba also named this asterism the Southern tent (Arabic: الخباء اليماني، al-Ḫibāʾ alyamānī) in his description of the Northern Tent.

Original Arabic (p. 67)<ref name="qutayba"/>
وأولاد الظباء كواكب صغار، فيما بين الظباء والنفزات، وعن يمين نفزات الظباء كواكب مستديرة غير متقارنة، تسمّى: الحوض. والخباء أسفل من الحوض، كواكب في مثل هيئة الخباء اليمانية.

English translation

The fawns, ''awlād al-Zibāʾ'' (أَوْلادُ الظِّبَاءِ), are small stars located between ''al-Zibāʾ'' (الظِّبَاءِ) and the Gazelle Leaps (النَّفَزَاتِ). To the right of the Gazelle Leaps (نَفَزَاتِ الظِّبَاءِ), there are round, non-aligned stars called ''al-Hawd'' (الحَوْضَ, "the Pool"). Below ''al-Hawd'' lies ''al-Ḫibāʾ'' (الخِبَاءُ, "the Tent"), a group of stars shaped like the Southern tent (الخِبَاءِ اليَمَانِيَّةِ, al-Ḫibāʾ alyamāniyah).
|[[File:01S alKhibaAlyamani.png|thumb|center|400px|Star chart of the Arabian asterism al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī (الخباء اليماني) in constellation Corvus. (CC BY Khalid AlAjaji 2026).]]
|-
|'''Al-Ṣūfī (d. 376 H / 986)'''<ref name="khalid2021sufi"/>

Original Arabic, description of Corvus

والعرب تُسَمِّي هذه الكواكب: عَجُزَ الأَسَدِ، وتزعم أن القمر ربما قصر فنزل بعجز الأسد، وتسمّيها أيضًا: عَرْشَ السِّمَاكِ الأَعْزَلِ، وتسميها أيضًا: الأَجْمَالَ، وتسميها أيضًا: الخِبَاءَ.

English translation

The Arabs call these stars [the seven stars of Ptolemaic Corvus]: the Hindquarters of the Lion (‘Ajuz al-Asad). They claim that the moon sometimes falls short and alights at the Hindquarters of the Lion. They also call them: the Throne of the Unarmed Simāk (‘Arš al-Simāk al-A‘zal); they also call them: the Camels (al-Ağmāl); and they also call them: the Tent (al-Ḫibā’).

Al-Ṣūfī also named this asterism the Southern tent (Arabic: الخباء اليماني، al-Ḫibāʾ alyamānī) in his description of Hydra.

Original Arabic, description of Hydra
وذكر بعد ذلك أن بين الفَرْدِ وبين زُبَانَى العَقْرَبِ الخِبَاءَ اليَمَانِيَ.

English translation

He then mentioned that between al-Fard (Arabic: الفرد, "the lone one", Alphard α Hya) and Zubānā al-aqrab (Arabic: زبانى العقرب, "Claws of Scorpio", α2, β Lib) lies al-Ḫibāʾ al-Yamānī.
|[[File:Southern Tent.jpg|thumb|center|400px|Southern Tent (الخباء اليماني), al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī in Corvus. Image produced by Stellarium. (CC BY Khalid AlAjaji 2026).]]
|-
|'''Al-Marzūqī (d. 421 H / 1030)'''

Original Arabic (vol 2, p. 345)<ref name="marzuqi"/>

"وقال [ابن الأعرابي]: فيما بين الفَرْدِ وبين زُبَانَى العَقْرَبِ الخِبَاءُ. قال أبو حنيفة: إن كان عنى بالخِبَاءِ عَرْشَ السِّمَاكِ، فذاك، وإلَّا فليس هناك خباء غيره، وقال: على أثر الخِبَاءِ كواكب يقال لها: الشَّرَاسِيفُ، وهي كواكب مستطيلة مثل الحبل. وقال: بين الشَّرَاسِيفِ والخِبَاءِ كواكبُ مستديرةٌ متبدّدةٌ على غير نظام يقال لها: المَعْلَفُ."

English translation

“[Ibn al-Aʿrabī] (d. 230 H / 845) said: Between ''al‑Fard'' (Alphard α Hya) and ''al-Zubānā'' (α2, β Lib, the claws of the Scorpion) is ''al‑Ḫibāʾ''. Abū Ḥanīfa (d. 282 H / ~895) said: If by al‑Ḫibāʾ he meant the throne of al‑Simāk, then that is correct; otherwise, there is no other Ḫibāʾ there. And he said: Following al‑Ḫibāʾ are stars that are called ''al-Šarāsīf'' (Arabic الشراسيف, the Tied camels); they are elongated stars like a rope [stars of Hydra]. And he said: Between ''al‑Šarāsīf'' and ''al‑Ḫibāʾ'' are round, scattered stars, without order, that are called ''al‑Maʿlaf'' (Arabic المَعْلَف, the Camels feeding trough) [stars of the constellation Crater].”
|[[File:01S alKhibaAlyamani extended.png|thumb|center|400px|Southern Tent (الخباء اليماني), al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī as described by Ibn al-Aʿrabī (d. 230 H / 845 AD). (CC BY Khalid AlAjaji 2026).]]
|-
|...
|
|}

====== Stars Identification ======
As evident from the historical descriptions ''al-Ḫibāʾ, also named al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī, ʿajuz al-asad,ʿarš al‑Simāk, and al-Ağmal'' is an asterism of the quadrilateral γ, ε, β, δ Crv.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Stars of the asterism !! Proper names of the stars
|-
| γ Crv || [[Gienah]]
|-
| ε Crv ||
|-
| β Crv || [[Kraz]]
|-
| δ Crv || [[Algorab]]
|}

Formerly, Kunitzsch (1961)<ref name="Kunitzsch1961"/> mentioned al-Ḫibāʾ (English translation):

131a. ''al-ḫibāʾ''
"the tent". Ibn Qutayba 62, 11 (among the stars treated under lunar station 14) and 73, 3 (among the stars treated under lunar station 19); Marzūqī 2, 383; Ṣūfī 313, 3; 321, 5 (Yehuda XLII, 6): another name for the stars called ʿarš al‑Simāk as-simāk al-ʿazal (no. 40).

131b. ''al-ḫibā al-yamānī''
Ṣūfī 313, 7 mentions the same star here under the extended name al-hibā al-yamānī "the southern tent".

===Discussion===
The name al-Ahmāl (Arabic الأحمال, “the Camel Loads”) appears in some manuscripts, but it seems to be a scribal error. The two forms الأجمال and الأحمال are graphically similar and differ by only a single dot, while al-Ağmal (“the Camels”) is preferable because it lies in the same area as the Arabian constellations al-Šarāsīf (Arabic الشراسيف, “the Tied Camels”) = Hydra and al-Maʿlaf (Arabic المَعْلَف, “the Camels’ feeding trough”) = Crater.

==IAU Working Group Star Names==

In 202x, the name ... was suggest as a star name in the area that is covered by the historical asterism. It is suggested to be used for ...

WGSN decided in ... 202x to name ... ...

This star is <a red giant or whatelse> ... here astrophysical data will be added (by Eric, most likely) after the decision.

== Weblinks ==

*

== Reference ==

== Bibliography ==
Lisān al-ʿarab<ref name="lisan"/>, Kitāb al-Kawākib<ref name="khalid2021sufi"/>, Ibn Qutayba<ref name="qutayba"/>, Al-Marzūqī<ref name="marzuqi"/>, Kunitzsch<ref name="Kunitzsch1961"/>, Danielle Adams<ref name="Adams2018"/>, Laffitte (2012<ref name="Laffitte2012"/>, 2025<ref name="Laffitte2025"/>), Urjuzat al-Kawākib<ref name="khalid2021urjuza"/>, Al-Ṯaqafī<ref name="thaqafi"/>, Al-Farāhīdī<ref name="farahidi"/>, Al-Ṣūfī 1954<ref name="sufi1954"/> Ideler 1809<ref name="ideler"/>, Schjellerup<ref name="Schjellerup"/>

== Reference ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="lisan">لسان العرب، ابن منظور (توفي 711 هـ) 
Ibn Manẓūr (d. 711 H/~1312 AD), ''Lisān al-ʿarab''</ref>
<ref name="khalid2021sufi">[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s6JXzftwjMQ5rgZoGE3718EtBLBZtjzr كتاب الكواكب لأبي الحسين عبد الرحمن بن عمر الرازي المعروف بالصوفي (291-376)، تحقيق خالد بن عبد الله العجاجي. ]
[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s6JXzftwjMQ5rgZoGE3718EtBLBZtjzr ''Book of the stars'' by al-Ṣūfī (died 986): Critical edition with commentary by Khalid al-Ajaji, digital edition, 2021.]</ref>
<ref name="qutayba">أبو محمد عبد الله بن مسلم ابن قتيبة الدينوري المتوفى سنة 276هـ - 879م، كتاب الأنواء في مواسم العرب، دائرة المعارف العثمانية، حيدر أباد، الهند، 1375 هـ - 1956م. 
Ibn Qutayba ad-Dīnawarī, abū Muḥammad ʿabd Allah b. Muslim. d. 276 A.H / 879 A.D., ''Kitābu'l-Anwāʾ (on Meteorology of the Arabs)'', Dairatu'l-Maʿarifi'l-Osmania, Hyderabad - India 1956 A.D./1375 A.H.</ref>
<ref name="marzuqi">الإمام أبو علي أحمد بن محمد بن الحسن المرزوقي (توفي سنة 421 هـ)، الأزمنة والأمكنة، تحقيق د. محمد نايف الدليمي، عالم الكتب، بيروت، لبنان، 1422 هـ. 
Al-Marzūqī, Abū ʿAli Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. al-Ḥassan (d. 1030), ''Al-Azminah wa al-Amkinah'' (Times and Places), Edition by Dr. Mohammad Nayef al-Dulaymi, (Arabic print of the original book in 2002, World of Books, Beirut, Lebanon).</ref>
<ref name="Kunitzsch1961">Kunitzsch, Paul. 1961. ''Untersuchungen zur Sternnomenklatur der Araber.'' Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz.</ref>
<ref name="Adams2018">Danielle Adams, ''Rain Stars Set, Lunar Stations Rise'', 2018</ref>
<ref name="Laffitte2012">Roland Laffitte, ''Le ciel des Arabes'', 2012</ref>
<ref name="Laffitte2025">Roland Laffitte, ''Nommer les étoile: 500 noms hérités des Arabes - Apport de l'uranographie arabe'', Orient des Mots, 2025 ([https://uranos.fr/500-noms-herites-des-arabes/ online])</ref>
<ref name="khalid2021urjuza">[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s6JXzftwjMQ5rgZoGE3718EtBLBZtjzr?usp=sharing أرجوزة الكواكب لأبي علي الحسين بن عبد الرحمن بن عمر الرازي المعروف بابن الصوفي (ت بعد 400 ه، 1010م)، تحقيق خالد بن عبد الله العجاجي. ]
[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s6JXzftwjMQ5rgZoGE3718EtBLBZtjzr?usp=sharing ''Poem of the stars'' by Ibn al-Ṣūfī (died after ~ 400H, 1010AD): Critical edition with commentary by Khalid al-Ajaji, digital edition, 2021.]</ref>
<ref name="thaqafi">عبد الله بن حسين بن عاصم الثقفي (توفي 403 هـ)، الأنواء والأزمنة، تحقيق: د. نوري حمودي القيسي، د. محمد نايف الدليمي، دار الجيل، بيروت، لبنان، 1416 هـ. 
Al-Ṯaqafī, ʿabd Allah ibn Ḥusayn ibn ʿāṣim (d. 403 H/ ~1013 AD), ''Al-Anwaʾ wa al-Azmina'', critical edition by Dr. Nūrī al-Qaysī and Dr. Moḥammad Nayef al-Dulaymī, Dar al-Jīl, Beirut, Lebanon, 1416 H/1996 AD.</ref>
<ref name="farahidi">أبو عبد الرحمن الخليل بن أحمد الفراهيدي (توفي 170 ه)، كتاب العين، 1400 – 1405 هـ. 
Al-Farāhīdī, abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ḫalīl b. Aḥmad (died ~ 786 AD), ''Kitab al-ʿayn'', a lexicon titled: The book of ʿayn (Arabic letter العين), (Arabic print of the original book, 1980 – 1985).</ref>
<ref name="sufi1954">أبو الحسين عبدالرحمن بن عمر الرازي المعروف بالصوفي (المتوفى سنة 376 هـ/986م)، كتاب صور الكواكب الثمانية والأربعين، الطبعة الأولى بمطبعة مجلس دائرة المعارف العثمانية، حيدر أباد الدكن، الهند، 1375 هـ - 1954 م. 
Abūl-ḥusayn ʿabdur-Raḥmān aṣ-Ṣūfī. d. 376 A.H / 986 A.D., ''Ṣuwaru'l-Kawākib'', The Dairatu'l-Maʿarifi'l-Osmania, Hyderabad - Deccan - India, 1373 A.H./1954 A.D.</ref>
<ref name="ideler">Ideler, Ludwig, ''Untersuchungen über den Ursprung und die Bedeutung der Sternnamen'',Berlin 1809</ref>
<ref name="Schjellerup">Ṣūfī, ʻAbd al-Raḥmān ibn 'Umar, 903-986. ''Description Des étoiles Fixes''. traduction littérale avec des notes par H. C. F. C Schjellerup. St. Pétersbourg: Commissionnaires de lÁcadémie Impériale des sciences, 1874.</ref>
}}

[[Category:Africa]][[Category:North Africa]]
[[Category:Eurasia]][[Category:Asian]][[Category:West Asian]]
[[Category:Arabic]]
[[Category:Asterism]][[Category:Constellation]]
[[Category:Star Name]]

Al-Ḫibāʾ al-yamānī - Revision history

KhalidAlAjaji at 10:51, 25 August 2026

KhalidAlAjaji: Created a page for ''al-Ḫibāʾ al-al-yamānī'' (الْخِبَاء اليماني), the southern tent.