Presidential astrology? Gamal Nkrumah unlocks the political potential with Sun signs This is no laughing matter. It looks like Librans are natural born leaders, at least in contemporary Egypt. The two front-runners in Egypt's presidential race, as most preliminary public opinion poll surveys indicate, are former Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa and former Muslim Brotherhood leader Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh. And both are Librans, that is to say they are born under the Cardinal Air zodiac sign of Libra. Observational comedy, perhaps? It is funny because it is true. Horoscopic astrology first appeared in Egypt, of all countries. Small wonder that Egyptians to this day delight in foreseeing the future by probing divination through the planets and stars in much the same fashion as the ancients did millennia ago. The interpretation of the movements and position of heavenly bodies are as integral a characteristic of the contemporary monotheistic Egyptian culture as they were in pagan times. The religiously inclined may fret and frown, but reading one's horoscope has become, for better or worse, a commonplace aspect of everyday life in Egypt. Palmistry, fortune-telling, consulting soothsayers or séance sessions communicating with the departed or worse with the jinn are systematically dismissed as charlatanism or sorcery. Yet somehow, the study of the influence of the movements of the planets and stars on human affairs, including politics, is often dismissed as pretty harmless. However, the symbolism is often significant once one has digested the precision of predictions and recovered his or her tongue. Libra is the only zodiac sign represented by an inanimate object, the Scales. Yet, Librans love public service, intellectual discussions, purposeful conversations and above all are noted for their attention to detail. These are character traits that both Abul-Fotouh and Moussa, from opposite ends of the political and ideological spectrum, share. Scales, or the Balance, is the symbol of Libra, yet another inexplicable coincidence for the superstitious. Scales were the symbol chosen by the political party that garnered most votes in the parliamentary polls. Now, I am no tarot card reader, numerologist or political astrologer. Nor do I wish to indulge in a presidential zodiac debate. Nor is this a study of the minutiae of political astrology. Neither am I about to embark on some contemporary take on Chaucer's treatise on the astrolabe, the "star taker". Incidentally, this ancient contraption was and is still used today to calculate the Qibla, the direction towards Mecca that Muslims all over the world employ to proffer their daily prayers, five times to Allah. However, the ancient Babylonians considered scales as a sacred commodity of the Sun god Shamas. What a coincidence then that the presidential symbol of Moussa is the sun? In astrological parlance, the Sun is indeed in Libra. Two other presidential contenders, Ahmed Shafik and Mohamed Mursi, are Virgoans. Better they realise what a terrible gauntlet they have yet to run before they could reach the highest office in the land. Conventional and mild-manners unless crossed, Virgoans as perfectionists rarely settle for second best and so make lousy losers. Virgoans, meticulous by nature, have an inquisitive intellect and that is why they make the world's most professional investigators. However, and there are always exceptions to the rule, they do not necessarily make the best leaders especially as they tend to shun the limelight. Yet another inexplicable anomaly is that in ancient times Virgo invariably upheld the Scales of Libra. In the modern Egyptian political milieu, both Mursi and Shafik are sort of standard bearers respectively for Abul-Fetouh and Moussa. Virgoans admire leaders with a winning streak and suffer none of the notorious narcissism of Librans and therefore are likely after a period of indignation following defeat to make astute and discerning aides of the winning candidates. In other words, Virgoans are faithful supporters of leaders who look like they have their path through life well plotted. They are highly unlikely to foment trouble in the future. Napoleon Bonaparte, born 15 August and hence born in the Fixed Fire sign of Leo, believed in his own star. Perhaps that led to his disheartening downfall? Né sous une mauvaise étoile, born under an evil star as the French say. But let us dwell on the propitious omens. There are those who believe that countries, like people, politicians and presidential hopefuls, have birth dates. The attendant astrological influences are supposed to be crucial in determining their fortunes. Egyptians have chosen 25 January as the day they set aside for their contemporary revolution. We live in the Age of Aquarius or so say the astrologers. Is it yet another coincidence that 25 January happens to be Aquarius? Aquarius is an air sign like Libra, so in astrological terms it makes sense that Egyptians would go for the Scales, a leader who can perfect his balancing act. Anyone to tip the scales in their favour, now that the country has gone Aquarian. If this sounds like the antiquated Babylonian planetary lore or "Chaldaean Wisdom" then I suggest the reader flicks through the pages of Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View the 2006 bestseller written by cultural historian Richard Tamas. Now I switched attention from the presidential frontrunners to their zodiac horoscopes. What I found astounding is that the presidential contenders with less chances of assuming the office of presidency are born in zodiac Sun signs that do not comfortably align with the Age of Aquarius. Tabulating the Sun signs of Egyptian presidents, the first, General Mohamed Naguib was an Aquarian -- unfortunately for him Egyptians were in the hot and heady summer mood. They were in no mind to contemplate a happy-go-lucky Fixed Air Sun sign leader. The July Revolution necessitated a Cardinal rooted-in-the-Earth strongman -- a Capricorn. Malheureux, as the French say. The melodrama of numerology, Vedic astrology, Chinese horoscopes and the zodiac are subjects that are, frankly speaking, difficult to take seriously. "None in the Heavens or Earth knows the unseen except Allah," as the Holy Quran reveals. Present-day candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, born in the Cardinal Water sign of Cancer, ascribes to Nasserism. Now, both former Egyptian presidents Gamal Abdel-Nasser and Anwar El-Sadat were born in the Cardinal Earth sign of Capricorn. And, according to the astrological logic, Capricorn precedes Aquarius. The Cancerian zodiac period begins, of course, at the Summer solstice -- the July Revolution of Nasser, and hence the irony of Sabahi's Nasserist tendencies. Ex-president Hosni Mubarak was a Taurean, a Fixed Earth sign, but I'll cut the bull. So what to make of the youngest of the presidential contenders, Khaled Ali? The popular lawyer and political activist was born on 26 February. Not only does 25 precede 26 and February succeed January, but of course, that makes Ali, the youngest of the presidential hopefuls, a Piscean. Pisces, represents the last, the youngest and freshest, of all the zodiac signs. As a typical Piscean, Ali was a founding member of the Hisham Mubarak Law Centre (HMLC) and former head of the Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR). Pisceans are among the zodiac's most philanthropic personalities with the most accommodating altruistic natures. George Washington, the first president of the United States of America, was a Piscean. However, there have only been a handful of Piscean world leaders. Jokingly saying, Ali as a Piscean, and if one believes in presidential astrology, will make a far better and effective head of HMLC and ECESR than as Egypt's president. In jest again, and as astrologers would have us believe, one's Sun zodiac sign may not best describe one's personality characteristics. The persona of a person is often altered by what astrologers call the Ascendant, or its planetary ruler that exhibit more clearly the more obvious characteristics of a person. In other words, a Piscean or a Virgoan may have as his Ascendant a Libra or a Capricorn. In such cases, even though the person's Sun sign is Pisces or Virgo, his Ascendant may make others view him as demonstrating more the character features of a Libra or a Capricorn. Unfortunately, the Ascendant and its planetary ruler depends on the time and place of birth and I am not that intimate with any of the presidential hopefuls to elicit such personal details.
