al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb

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See also: al-Ṯurayyā [the Head and the Two Hands]

Authors: Khalid Al-Ajaji

The Arabic asterism al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb (الكَفّ الخَضِيب), ‘the Henna-Dyed Hand’. CC BY, Khalid Al-Ajaji, 2026.

al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb (الكَفّ الخَضِيب), ‘the Henna-Dyed Hand’, is the northern hand of the larger Arabic constellation al-Ṯurayyā, represented by five bright stars in Cassiopeia.[1][2]

Concordance, Etymology, History

al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb is recorded in the accounts of the larger figure in the anwāʾ works of Ibn Qutayba, Ibn ʿĀṣim al-Ṯaqafī, and al-Marzūqī, and in al-Ṣūfī’s Kitāb al-kawākib. The relevant passages are reproduced below with their surrounding anatomical context.

Variants Arabic

  • Sanām al-Nāqa (سَنَام النَّاقَة) “the Camel's Hump”


Variants Latin / European

. Hyde (1665)[3] . Ideler (1809)[4] . Schjellerup (1874)[5] . Allen (1963)[6] . Kunitzsch (1961)[7]

  • Caph AlChadib, Hyde (1665)[3] (p. 19)
  • El-khaf el-chadîb, Ideler (1809)[4] (p. 81)
  • al-kaff al-chadhîb, Schjellerup (1874)[5] (p. 83)
  • Kaff al Ḣadib, Allen (1963)[6] pp. (143–144)
  • al-kaff al-ḫaḍīb, Kunitzsch (1961)[7] (no. 136b, p. 72)

Etymology

Name English Arabic
al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb In Lisān al-ʿArab, s.v. k-f-f (كفف) and ḫ-ḍ-b (خضب),[8] we read:

“Al-kaff means ‘hand’ and is grammatically feminine.” … “Al-kaff al-ḫaḍīb is a star, named by comparison [with a hand dyed with henna].”

جاء في «لسان العرب»، مادة «كفف»: «والكَفُّ: الْيَدُ، أُنثى.» وفي مادة «خضب»:

«والكَفُّ الخَضِيبُ: نَجْمٌ عَلَى التَّشْبِيه.»

Sources and Identification

Ibn Qutayba

Ibn Qutayba (d. 276 AH / 889 CE), Hyderabad edition (1956)[1] (pp. 32–34):

English Arabic

The other is called al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb. It is the outstretched hand of al-Ṯurayyā: five white stars in the Milky Way, opposite al-Ḥūt (“the Fish”).

«ويقال للأخرى: الكَفُّ الخَضِيبُ. وهو كَفُّ الثُّرَيَّا المَبْسُوطَةُ، خمسة كواكب بيض فـي الـمجرَّة حيال الحُوتِ.»

Al-Ṣūfī

Al-Ṣūfī (d. 376 AH / 986 CE), ed. Khalid Al-Ajaji (2021)[2], Cetus and Perseus:

English Arabic

The Arabs call the stars in the head [of Cetus], from the first to the sixth, al-Kaff al-Ǧaḏmāʾ, by which they mean the hand of al-Ṯurayyā. This is because they found two lines of stars extending from al-Ṯurayyā. One runs northwards, passing through most of the stars of the Bearer of the Ghoul’s Head [Perseus] until it reaches the bright stars on the back of al-Nāqa (“the She-Camel”), which constitute the constellation Ḏāt al-Kursī (“the Lady of the Chair”) [Cassiopeia]. They likened the bright stars on the She-Camel’s back to henna-dyed fingertips and called this hand al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb (“the Henna-Dyed Hand”).

The other line extends southwards from al-Ṯurayyā, passing through the four stars arranged in a row at the point where the Bull [Taurus] is cut off, and ends at these six stars on the head of Cetus. They likened this line and the stars on the head to an amputated hand because of its shortness and because it does not extend as far as the northern line. They likened al-Ṯurayyā to a head between two hands.

«والعرب تُسمِّي الكواكب التي في الرأس من الأول إلى السادس: الكَفَّ الجَذْمَاءَ، يريدون به كف الثُّرَيَّا؛ وذلك أنهم وجدوا سطرين من كواكب يمتدان من عند الثُّرَيَّا: أحدهما نحو الشمال فيمر على أكثر كواكب ممسك رأس الغول حتى ينتهي إلى الكواكب النيِّرة التي على ظهر النَّاقَةِ، وهي كوكبة ذَاتِ الكُرْسِيِّ، فشبهوا النيِّرة التي على ظهر النَّاقَةِ بأنامل مخضوبة، فسموا هذه اليد: الكَفَّ الخَضِيبَ، والآخر يمتد من عند الثُّرَيَّا نحو الجنوب، فيمر على الأربعة المصطفة التي على موضع القطع من الثَّوْرِ، وينقطع عند هذه الستة على رأس قِيطُسَ، فشبهوا هذا السطر والكواكب التي على الرأس بيد جذماء لقصرها، ولأن امتدادها دون امتداد السطر الشمالي، وشبهوا الثُّرَيَّا برأس بين يدين.»

Ibn ʿĀṣim al-Ṯaqafī

Ibn ʿĀṣim al-Ṯaqafī (d. 403 AH / 1013 CE), ed. al-Qaysī and al-Dulaymī (1996)[9] (p. 83)

English Arabic

When you face al-Ṯurayyā, you see a line of stars to your right and left, extending northwards from it in a curve until it reaches al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb (“the Henna-Dyed Hand”). Al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb consists of five[10] irregularly arranged stars. This line is called Yad al-Ṯurayyā al-Yumnā al-Mabsūṭa (“the Outstretched Right Hand of al-Ṯurayyā”). In this representation, it resembles a human hand extended upwards, not held entirely upright but bent somewhat. Al-Ṯurayyā has another hand of the same form, extended southwards, called al-Kaff al-Ǧaḏmāʾ (“the Amputated Hand”) because it is short and does not extend far. They say that al-Ṯurayyā is the head between the two hands.

In its right hand—the complete one—are stars that are the brightest within it. Among them is al-ʿĀtiq (“the Upper Shoulder”), the closest to al-Ṯurayyā; then al-Mankib (“the Shoulder”); then al-Mirfaq (“the Elbow”). Beneath al-Mirfaq is a small star called Ibrat al-Mirfaq[10] (“the Tip of the Elbow”), positioned like the corresponding part of a human elbow. There, too, is al-Maʾbiḍ (“the Inner Elbow”), resembling the inner bend of a human elbow. The portion between al-Mirfaq and al-Mankib is called ʿAḍud al-Ṯurayyā (“the Upper Arm of al-Ṯurayyā”).

Beyond al-Mirfaq is al-Miʿṣam (“the Wrist”), which resembles a patch of cloud. The portion between al-Mirfaq and al-Miʿṣam is called al-Sāʿid (“the Forearm”); the diminutive form al-Suwayʿid (“the Little Forearm”) is also used. Then, beyond al-Miʿṣam, comes al-Kaff (“the Hand”), namely al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb, which, as I told you earlier, consists of five irregularly arranged stars.

«وإذا استقبلت الثريا نظرت إلى سطر من كواكب عن يمينك ويسارك قد امتدت من لدنها في الشمال على انعطاف حتى اتصلت بالكَفِّ الخَضِيبِ، والكَفُّ الخَضِيبُ كواكب خمسة[10] مـختلفة النظم، ويُسَمَّى هذا السطر: يَدَ الثُّرَيَّا اليُمْنَى المَبْسُوطَةَ، كأنها في التمثيل يد الإنسان قد مدَّها صعدًا ولم ينصبها كل النصب، ولكن عطفها بعض العطف، ولها يدٌ أخرى على هذه الصفة ممدودة نحو الجنوب تسمى: الكَفَّ الجَذْماءَ، لقصرها وأنه لا امتداد لها، ويقولون: الثُّرَيَّا الرأس فيما بين اليدين. وفي يدها اليمني - وهي التامة - كواكب، وهي أنور ما فيها، فمنها: العَاتِقُ، وهو أقربها إلى الثُّرَيَّا، ثم المَنْكِبُ بعده، ثم المِرْفَقُ، وتحت المِرْفَقِ كوكب صغير يقال له: إبْرَةُ المِرْفَقِ[10] بمنزلة مرفق الإنسان، وهناك أيضًا: المَأْبِضُ، مثل مأبض الإنسان، ويقال لما بين المِرْفَقِ والمَنْكِبِ: عَضُدُ الثُّرَيَّا، وبعد المِرْفَقِ المِعْصَمُ، وهو كاللطخة من السحاب، ويقال لما بين المِرْفَقِ والمِعْصَمِ: السَّاعِدُ، ويصغر أيضا فيقال: السُّوَيْعِدُ، ثم الكَفُّ بعد المِعْصَمِ، وهي الكَفُّ الخَضِيبُ التي أعلمتك قبل أنها خمسة كواكب مختلفة النظم.»

Al-Marzūqī

Al-Marzūqī (d. 421 AH / 1030 CE), ed. al-Dulaymī (2002)[11] (vol. 2, p. 344):

English Arabic

There is a line of stars extending northwards in a curve [until it reaches al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb (“the Henna-Dyed Hand”). Al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb consists of five irregularly arranged stars. This line is called Yad al-Ṯurayyā al-Yumnā al-Mabsūṭa (“the Outstretched Right Hand of al-Ṯurayyā”). It has another hand of the same form, extended southwards,][12] called al-Kaff al-Ǧaḏmāʾ (“the Amputated Hand”) because of its shortness. They call al-Ṯurayyā the head between the two hands. In the right hand are stars that are its brightest, among them[12] al-ʿĀtiq (“the Upper Shoulder”), which is the closest to al-Ṯurayyā; then al-Mankib (“the Shoulder”); then al-Mirfaq (“the Elbow”)[; and beneath al-Mirfaq is][12] a small star called Ibrat al-Mirfaq (“the Tip of the Elbow”). There, too, is al-Maʾbiḍ (“the Inner Elbow”).

In the human body, ibrat al-mirfaq is the end of the forearm bone from which the cubit is measured. The other extremity, which bends when you draw your forearm towards you, is called al-qabīḥ. As the poet said:

Where the ibra meets the qabīḥ.

The inner hollow between them, into which the forearm folds, is called al-maʾbiḍ; the same term is also used for the corresponding part of the knee. [The portion between al-Mirfaq and al-Mankib is called ʿAḍud al-Ṯurayyā (“the Upper Arm of al-Ṯurayyā”). Beyond al-Mirfaq is al-Miʿṣam (“the Wrist”), which resembles a patch of cloud.][12] The portion between al-Mirfaq and al-Miʿṣam is called al-Sāʿid (“the Forearm”); the diminutive form al-Suwayʿid (“the Little Forearm”) is also used. Then, beyond al-Miʿṣam, comes al-Kaff (“the Hand”), namely al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb, the hand of al-Ṯurayyā.

«وهناك سطرٌ من كواكب امتدّت في الشَّمال على انعطاف [حتى اتصلت بالكَفِّ الخَضِيبِ، والكَفُّ الخَضِيبُ كواكب خمسة مختلفة النظم، ويُسَمَّى هذا السطر: يَدَ الثُّرَيَّا اليُمْنَى المَبْسُوطَةَ، ولها يدٌ أخرى على هذه الصفة ممدودة نحو الجنوب][12] تُسَمَّى: الكَفَّ الجَذْمَاءَ لقصرها، ويقولون للثُّرَيَّا: الرّأس فيما بين اليدين، وفي اليمنى كواكب هي أنورها، فمنها[12] العَاتِقُ وهو أقربها إلى الثُّرَيَّا، ثم المَنْكِبُ بعده، ثم المِرْفَقُ[، وتحت المِرْفَقِ][12] كويكب صغير يقال له: إبْرَةُ المِرْفَقِ، وهنالك أيضًا: المَأْبِضُ. فأما إبْرَةُ المِرْفَقِ من الإنسان فهو طرف عظم السَّاعد وهو الذي يذرع منه الذراع والطرف الآخر الذي يُثْنَى إذا قبضت ذراعك إليك يقال له: القبيح، قال: حَيْثُ تَلاقِي الإبْرَةُ القَبِيحَا ويقال لباطنهما الذي ينثني عليه الساعد: المَأْبِضُ، وكذلك هو في الركبة، [ويقال لما بين المرفق والمنكب: عضد الثريا، وبعد المرفق المعصم، وهو كاللطخة من السحاب،][12] ويقال لما بين المِرْفَقِ والمِعْصَمِ: السَّاعِدُ، ويُصَغَّرُ أيضًا، فيقال: السُّوَيْعِدُ. ثم الكَفُّ بعد المِعْصَمِ، وهي الكَفُّ الخَضِيبُ، كَفُّ الثُّرَيَّا.»

Star identifications

The identifications from the anwāʾ descriptions are proposed by Khalid Al-Ajaji. Those from al-Ṣūfī’s account follow the commentary in his 2021 edition of Kitāb al-kawākib, in the sections on Cassiopeia. The comparison retains the differences recorded in the parent article.[2]

Name Description in anwāʾ sources Identification from anwāʾ descriptions Identification from al-Ṣūfī’s description
al-Kaff al-Ḫaḍīb Five white stars in the Milky Way, opposite al-Ḥūt (“the Fish”). β, α, γ, δ, ε Cas β, α, γ, δ, ε Cas

Discussion

The five-star hand is identified consistently in the supplied comparison as β, α, γ, δ, and ε Cas. Al-Ṣūfī explains the name by likening these bright stars to henna-dyed fingertips. Sanām al-Nāqa describes the same group within the separate figure of the She-Camel; it is retained here as a corresponding designation rather than as an anatomical part of al-Ṯurayyā.[2]

Reference

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 أبو محمد عبد الله بن مسلم ابن قتيبة الدينوري المتوفى سنة 276هـ - 889م، كتاب الأنواء في مواسم العرب، دائرة المعارف العثمانية، حيدر أباد، الهند، 1375 هـ - 1956م.
    Ibn Qutayba al-Dīnawarī, Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh b. Muslim (d. 276 AH / 889 CE). Kitāb al-anwāʾ fī mawāsim al-ʿArab. Hyderabad, India: Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif al-ʿUṯmāniyya, 1375 AH / 1956 CE.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 كتاب الكواكب لأبي الحسين عبد الرحمن بن عمر الرازي المعروف بالصوفي (291-376)، تحقيق خالد بن عبد الله العجاجي.
    Al-Ṣūfī, Abū al-Ḥusayn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿUmar (d. 986 CE). Book of the Stars. Critical edition with commentary by Khalid Al-Ajaji. Digital edition, 2021. Digital edition.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hyde, Thomas. Tabulæ Long[itudinis] ac Lat[itudinis] Stellarum Fixarum. Oxford: Henry Hall, 1665.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ideler, Ludwig. Untersuchungen über den Ursprung und die Bedeutung der Sternnamen. Berlin, 1809.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Al-Ṣūfī, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. ʿUmar (903–986 CE). Description des étoiles fixes. Translated with notes by H. C. F. C. Schjellerup. St. Pétersbourg: Commissionnaires de l’Académie Impériale des sciences, 1874.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Allen, Richard Hinckley. Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning. Dover edition, 1963.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kunitzsch, Paul. Untersuchungen zur Sternnomenklatur der Araber. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, 1961.
  8. ↑ لسان العرب، ابن منظور (توفي 711 هـ)
    Ibn Manẓūr (d. 711 AH / c. 1312 CE). Lisān al-ʿArab.
  9. ↑ 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.
    Ibn ʿĀṣim al-Ṯaqafī, ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥusayn (d. 403 AH / c. 1013 CE). Al-Anwāʾ wa-l-azmina. Edited by Nūrī Ḥammūdī al-Qaysī and Muḥammad Nāyif al-Dulaymī. Beirut: Dār al-Ǧīl, 1416 AH / 1996 CE.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Dark red text marks corrections to corrupt readings in the printed edition of al-Ṯaqafī’s text. The edition reads ḫafiyya (خفية, “faint”) in place of ḫamsa (خمسة, “five”). The reading ḫamsa is supported by the later wording of the same passage and by al-Marzūqī’s account; moreover, the stars in question are bright, not faint. The edition also reads Ibrat al-Mankib (إبرة المنكب, “the Tip of the Shoulder”) in place of Ibrat al-Mirfaq (إبرة المرفق, “the Tip of the Elbow”).
  11. ↑ 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 ʿAlī Aḥmad b. Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan (d. 1030 CE). Al-Azmina wa-l-amkina (“Times and Places”). Edited by Muḥammad Nāyif al-Dulaymī. Beirut: ʿĀlam al-Kutub, 1422 AH / 2002 CE.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 Al-Marzūqī, Al-Azmina wa-l-amkina, ed. al-Dulaymī, vol. 2, p. 344. Text in square brackets is missing from the printed edition and has been supplied from the corresponding passage in Ibn ʿĀṣim al-Ṯaqafī’s text. The other text marked in dark red corrects the printed reading fīhā (فيها, “in it”) to fa-minhā (فمنها, “among them”), following Ibn ʿĀṣim al-Ṯaqafī.
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