The Sacred symbolism of 12
Imam means Apostle of God in arabic. [The 12 apostles/12 constellations]
The Imams spoke about astrology that it was a very powerful science and that using it ''a man could estimate how many reeds there were in a lake'' said Imam Ali [1st apostle of God] . BUT they cautioned against divinatory aspects and predictions, but left a few stern warnings such as important elective affairs where you have a choice in setting the time - these should not be conducted with a Moon in the sign of Scorpio.
The symbolism and the grand themes. The personality rather then divinatory aspect of the planets and constellations, can also help you understand the attributes of God and how they should reflect in Humans in the positive rather then the negative.
The prophet Mohammad (saws), said the stars start and end in Ali, ie if the constellation and sign of Aries symbolise him as detailed below, the zodiac DOES start and end in that constellation of stars set up to honour Imam Ali , where pisces meets aries ie vernal equinox, as the zodiac is a circle.
In a Prophetic tradition, Imam ali says to people '"Ask me about what you do not understand before I die. Inquire of me about the paths of the skies because, verily, I know more about those paths than the paths of the earth."
Regarding symbolism of the constellations/signs
Aries; The first sign, is created to honour Imam Ali [1st Imam] created in Honour of 1st Imam/represents aries - the initiator, warrior, creator, sign of greatness. The warrior of God for justice and truth
Taurus: Imam Musa al Kazim [7th Imam] :created in honour of 7th Imam/represents taurus the forbearant, the steadfast, the patient
Gemini; is symbolic of Imam Mohammad al Baqir [5thImam]: created in honour of 5th Imam/represents gemini the DIVIDER of knowledge, intellectual, spreader of truth.
Cancer: Imam Zain ul-Abedin [4th Imam] : God's name of The Nurturer.created in honour of 4th Imam/represents cancer
This is suggested by role of family in his life esp after the battle in Kerbala, Iraq and his father the 3rd Imams slaughter and the women and children were left behind, he was kept out of the battle because he had a high fever, god needed to preserve a successor as a Imam, if he had died it would have been cut off. - ie he nurtured them.
Leo: Imam Hasan al Askari [11th Imam] : honour or honoured/ majestic/ noble. created in honour of 11th Imam /represents leo His name Al-Askari refers to his imprisonment ie the world treated him with imprisonment for virtually all his life - the opposite to that which this name of God he represented and merited.
Virgo: Imam al Naqi [ 10th Imam] created in honour of 10th Imam /represents virgo - Purity, without adulteration; in a person, austerity and asceticism - the Imam was famous for this in particular. His name also means pure. [my father is a descendant from this Imam btw]
Libra: Allah (sawt) the Just. Imam Mohammad at Taqi [9th Imam] was created in hour of 9th Imam/represents libra - was especially known for his debates and judicial skills as a child when he successfully debated and decimated Yahya ibn Akhtam the Abbaside chief judge in complex legal arguments over the Shariah/juris prudence, and that too in the court of the Sunni khalifa for all to see, when Imam was only a child aged 9.
Scorpio; Imam Mahdi the 12th apostle of God, may be symbolised in Scorpio. created in honour of 12th Imam/represents scorpio This constellation and sign is famous for symbolising ''power and vengeance of god''.
In Hadith Qudsi, divine tradition God states that in Mahdi he shall manifest his power and his revenge. Thus the Imams/Apostles of God are symbols of God's names, enshrined in the cosmos in these signs. Each of these names of God is represented in each of these 12 Apostles, examples of prime archetypes, in the most positive level of being on earth.
Sagittarius: Imam Jafar as Sadiq [6th Imam] .created in honour of 6th Imam /represents sagittarius God's name ''the Wise, the Teacher''. This Imam is especially known for his role as imparter of knowledge in his schools in Madina.
Capricorn: Imam Reza [8th Imam]. Created in honour of 8th Imam/Represents capricorn Bestower of bounties and positions and position/honour. Imam is famous in Iran for answering du'a/supplication of those who visit his shrine and bestowing bounty upon them.
Imam was treated with opposite in his life when he was used by the corrupt sunni khalifa and called heir-apparent and then denied bounty, his rightful position, and martyred without succession to the office of khalifa. capricorn is created to honour Imam Reza but as symbol of authority - each Imam manifests a divine name Aquarius;
Aquarius (the water carrier) as a constellation/sign would represent Imam Hasan[2nd Apostle of God son of Ali] created in honour of 2nd Imam /represents aquarius - an air sign (symbolising intellect and rationality) - the Carrier of Water - ie carried the Cause of his brother (water - blood of martyrdom) with his intellectual actions. [Not suprisingly, these 2 'brothers' of Aquarius and Pisces are located adjacent to each other in the sky. ]
Pisces; Pisces seems to be created to honour Imam Husain [3rd Apostle of God], represents Pisces The supreme sacrifice, famous for the torture he and suffering he endured in a battle against 72 and 10,000 warriors, they cut off their water supply and then killed them even though they fought bravely to their death. created in honour of/represents pisces a non-islamic book source on the astronomy in astrology, wrote that the constellation or sign of pisces, is an exact replica of the River Euphrates [Iraq].
It is also the classic water sign. It is also clasically associated with martyrdom. The analogy with Kerbala seems obvious [the euphates runs through Kerbala] .
There is even a star in Pisces (AlPherg) which has strong and obvious analogies with Abbas 's symbolism, [half brother of Imam Hussain who offered his life to bring water for the children during this event] and lies overlapped into Aries which seems to have been created to honour his father Imam Ali .
Thus this star lies in association with both signs and in old Arabic the name means '''water' that gushes out from the neck of a water-carrier's flask''. How about that! It also connects to Aquarius.
Alpha meets omega in Imam Ali - the beginning and the end. The 12 phases of the Moon symbolise each one of the 12 Imams/ Apostles of God - that is as one sets another rises. after an Imam was martyred, there was always a successor in place in the world, as today we are still awaiting the 12th Apostle of God, Iman Mahdi [the awaited].
The analogy is also valid here that the Prophet (saws) symbolises the Sun itself, which after it has set (Mission of the prophet in delivering Qur'an is over) reflects its light off the Moon - of which there are 12 cycles / lunar months.
I have read that the Moon is full on the 14th as this number is that of fullness - the 14 Infallibles.[prophetic tradition] Hadith of the Cloak (Hadith-e-Kisa) Allah (sawt) says that ''We created the vaulted sky and stars for the 14 Infallibles.'' In terms to the symbology of the planets; Shams/Sun is Prophet.
He is central focus of the Universe Imam Ali is Qamar/Moon. He is the guide for people And Fatima Az Zahra [Prophets daughter] is Venus, the most splendorous planet, Love, beauty and symmetry. The Highest vibration, this planet is also the ruling planet of Leo with is also ruled by the sun, in leo the influences of Venus are also ruling this constellation. In the context of human personality they can't be compared to the Imams as the Imams are perfect, men imperfect.
Imams have no astrology or sun sign...the stars are created to honour them. Sayyid Hossein Nasr writes in his books on Shia mysticism, words to the effect of a good person's personality will have a celestial prototype based around the constellation's moulding of the personality. The 72 traits of 'goodness' can be found in anyone born under any of these signs, as can the 72 traits of ignorance.
In a personality no sign's influence is more beneficial than another at the level of the Sun. Personality would seem to have an element that is moulded using astrology: one of several influences e.g. upbringing, education, astrology in all its complexity, etc that effect the human psyhcology... and the most important influence being submission to God -which invites a person to bring out the greatest virtues irrespective of sign, while still moulded by that sign as one of several influences. Which would be the unique expression of the attributes of God reflected from this combination of influences. Scientifically it is known that the Moon creates events as powerful as the tides in the ocean...what then of its effect on something as delicate as the mind. Thinking more broadly, the sun has massive effects on the earth and its life and life on earth would cease without it .
In reference to The 12 Apostles of God in The Bible "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes , and I will make him a great nation." (Gen. 17:15-20)
