A Survey of the Factors of Prosperity and Flourishing of ʿIlm al- Mawāqīt in Banī Naṣr Era in Andulasia

ʿIlm al-Mawāqīt (determination of the times) which used for determination the time of five prayers, finding the Qibla and sighting the cresent Moon was considered by Andulasian astronomers since the late of Almohad Caliphate and Banī Naṣr era and we can see Muwaqqits, a professional astronomers associated with a religious institution whose primary responsibility was the regulation of the times of prayer, in the government apparatus. This article seeks to study the reasons why ʿIlm al-Mawāqīt has become more popular than other branches of astronomy in Andulasia? The findings of this research show that atleast three reasons have main role: the support of Almohad caliphs for the closeness of institution of religion and astronomy, the departure of other astronmers from Andulasia and the superiority of jurisprudential thought and jurists in Andulasia