As-Sunbulah means the “ear of grain” in arabic. It also serves as the name of Spica, the star that traditionally marked the appearance of the constellation named Virgo. Spica is Latin (from spica virginis) meaning “the virgin’s ear of (wheat) grain”. The Egyptian goddess Nidaba, who was also worshipped by the Sumerians (with the cuneiform symbol of two stalks of wheat), could be the origin of the Virgin association - the arrival of the Moon in Virgo marked the beginning of harvest. In contrast, Sumeria depicted her as a great Mother, and her daughter was sometimes regarded as the guardian of the harvest. Nidaba evolved into the goddess of writing, perhaps given the importance of documenting trade associated with harvest. Her worship grew as writing moved from simple accounting to documenting contracts, history, law and literature. In more contemporary terms, the birth of Jesus to a virgin occurs in Bethlehem - a hebrew name which can be translated as the House of Break (in arabic, the house of meat - bait = house, lahm = meat in arabic, bread in hebrew). As Mary is perhaps the most famous of Virgin references, even in the Judea-Christian tradition we find the virgin in reference to wheat. The symbol itself is designed to depict the Maiden carrying a shaft of wheat. While it does share the lower-case “m” with Scorpio, it does not possess the more masculine “tail” on the end. The loop back to the letter can be considered more “feminine” and perhaps refers to the shape of a womb. It is one of the only symbols not depicting an animal, alluding to its pursuit of clarity and order.
In Vedic astrology, the constellation of Virgo is known as Kanya which also means “maiden”. The symbol of the maiden is based on Astrea, who according to Greek mythology, was the last immortal to abandon Earth when the gods fled to Olympus. Astra literally means “star-maiden” and she is known as the virgin goddess of justice, innocence, purity and precision - many characteristics that have been incorporated into the contemporary astrological influence of Virgo.
Virgo is the second earth sign and is described as mutable un quality meaning very liable to change. Traditionally it is believed to be ruled by Mercury, just as the air sign Gemini, but according to esoteric astrology, The Moon, which is actually the veil of Vulcan* is Virgo’s ruler. The notion of Virgo as a symbol of purity expresses the purpose of purification - to enable our higher self to come forward and honour one’s sacred duality.
*Vulcan is considered a hypothetical planet that was believed to be causing the irregular transiting of Mercury. Named after the Roman god of beneficial and hindering fire, a French amateur astronomer Lescarbault is credited with observing Vulcan’s transit in 1859. None of the dates that Vulcan was expected to transit materialized, creating immense skepticism about its existence. In 1915, Einstein’s theory of relatively altered the approach to calculation of planetary orbits, thus accounting for the irregular pattern of Mercury. The general astronomy community proceeded to conclude the Vulcan did not exist.
Amuli’s reading
In reference to the Qur’anic verse associated with Virgo, the principal word - Nazi’āti) is also the name of the chapter in which it is found. It is the first verse of that chapter - similar to two other signs in Amuli’s theory - Cancer (Surah Al-Mur’sulāt - The Chapter of Those Sent Forth) and Pisces (Surah As-ṣafat - The Chapter of Those Ranges in Ranks). In all three cases, the first verse of the chapter is representative of the astrological sign in question.
The second thing to note, which is really a preface to this entire study, is that there is a great debate that continues about what Allah is referring to in these verses. The Study Qur’an - perhaps the most comprehensive compilation of Qur’anic tafsir made for anglophone students - sums it up best - these verses may refer to angels or winds, or perhaps a type of knowing that one can only access if Allah wishes you to know - in your heart (m’arifāt).
The first word, nazi’āti (the wal at the front in this context can be understood as “by those”) is the feminine plural noun derived from the root verb N-Z-A’, which is used most frequently in its first form as “to take away/remove/withdraw”. It does occur in two other forms, form III as “to dispute” (yunāzi’) and form VI to disagree (tanāza’ū). The most obvious correlation here is the concept of harvest - Virgo’s traditional association with marking the harvest of wheat. Pretty good fit so far, Amuli :)
The second word, gharqan, makes things much more interesting. This word originates from the verb G-R-Q, which is most often used in its form IV as aghraq meaning to drown. In fact every reference to this word in the Qur’an seems to use the word in the sense of drowning. The exception appears to be in this particular verse, where it is largely understood to mean “violently.” Here’s where the Virgin association invites a certain level of imagination as “violent extraction” from the “virgin” is quite the oxymoronic metaphor. According to several accounts, the verse is understood to refer to angels that “wrest the souls of disbelievers from the body” - this violent extraction is required because these particular souls do not want to face the Judgement (the Last Day). Perhaps this resonates with the more general astrological view of Virgo as the meticulous, at times nervous, painstakingly perfectionist that can be adamant about obtaining order in life. From an esoteric perspective, in the words of William Meader, Virgo is summarized as “The Gestation of the Christ Principle within the womb of Substance.” What does this mean and why is he involving Jesus? Meader is referring to the notion of the cosmic mother - that God chose Mary to bear a child because of her purity, and that this principle applies to all that seek purification - they can bear the truth within by virtue of this often times, trying and demanding process.
In a more rudimentary reading, the action of grain extraction can be a labour intensive process. Perhaps not “violent” but certainly demanding. Yet we would imagine the Sufi Amuli to not be concerned with the cursory and exoteric readings of a cosmology that was passed down by the great Ibn-al-Arabi. Al-Rāzi comments that these successive verses that Amuli has associated with astrological signs are really phases in the return of the heart from what is other than God. It is spirits that “wrest” those who have love of what is other than God; the next stage would be those that are “drawn out quickly” (Libra) as once they return from bodily concerns, the spirits take to “striving and assuming the character traits of God with utter zeal (nishāṭ). This is followed by those that “glide serenely” (Sagitarrius - Amuli associated Scorpio with the next verse) which refers to the spirits that, after striving, “glide in the realm of sovereignty.”
Geometric
The 6th house marks the mid-point of the 12-pointed star of the zodiac. From the fire element and the birth of spring to the harvesting of the earth and the arrival of fall. In terms of the qualities of the signs - their triplicity as cardinal, fixed and mutable characters - the six marks the completion of two equilateral triangles, forming the star. The hexagon is a wonderful representation of a completion of a cycle, and plays a special significance in the Abrahamic faiths as it represents the number of days in which God created the Universe.
From a geometric perspective, If you extend the lines that form the two equilateral triangles within the hexagon beyond the primary circle of the hexagon, an alternating series of 12 shapes unfolds - triangle, square, triangle, square, etc - providing the 12 equal slices of the zodiac. The square (4) multiplied by the triangle (3) gives us the twelve. If we look closely at the qualitative understanding of these numbers, we may witness the wonderful harmony of the solar calendar. Reflect on how the square and triangle are so significant in how we apprehend the rhythm of time: The “squareness” of the year - the division of the four seasons marked by the two solstices and the two equinoxes, echoes our understanding of directionality - north, south, east west - as well as the elements - fire, earth, air and water. Four is also the basis of the cardinal qualities heat, dryness, cold and moistness which embody the principles of expansion, fixation, contraction and solution. Their combination in various quantities facilitates the constitution of the elements. Do refer to Keith Critchlow’s research for more on this.
The triangular relationship within the solar year is based on the Sun, Earth and Moon. You can approach this relationship as the viewer, the viewing and the viewed or object, subject and relationship (Critchlow). From an Islamic perspective, this may be considered as Āllah, Raḥmān and Raḥīm (the basmala at the beginning of almost every surah in the Qur’an). The triangle represents the minimal conditions for existence and the first Unity after the Creator (or number 1) - that is, one, the other and its conjunctive. Ibn-Arabi captures the triplicity in terms of the fundamental tendencies of the Universal Spirit (al-Rūḥ): 1, the descending movement away from the Principle; 2, the horizontal expansion; and 3, ascent back to the Principle.
