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Al Biruni; Al-Tafh im li-aw a'il sin a'at al-tanj im (Book of the instructions on the principles of astrology)
Taken from Gabriel Ferrand; Journal Asiatique
Biruni: The book of Instruction in the elements of the art of astrology
Transl: Ramsay Wright
From Tangiers southwards the ocean passes by the country of the Western Negroes, and then turns to the left so as to get to the other side of the Mountains of the Moon, whence the Nile arises, ( and there it reaches Sofala al-Zanj). Ships do not enter this sea, if they do, they do not escape into safety.
The other gulf is that which begins at a point, Ras Berbera, opposite to Aden and is called the Berbera Sea, and this great sea goes as far as Sofala above referred to. No ship passes this point on account of the dangers of navigation; beyond is the western ocean (but the nature of the connection therewith is unknown).
In the eastern part of this sea are numerous islands , first those of Zabij al -Zanj then the Diva Dibajat and Qumair groups, (small in size, some of them arising anew out of the water , others as a result of erosion, becoming invisible. Then there are the islands of Zangistan al-zanj, (or al-zanij), large and celebrated islands like Serandib known to the Hindus as Sangaldib. From it come various precious stones and diamonds.
We say that the equator starts south of China, in the sea, passes by the island of Zabag which has lots of gold, between the islands of Kaleh and Sirbuza, to the south of the island of Ceylon, on the islands of Dibajat, to the north of the Zanjs, on the islands, the Sawahil and their Sofala, to the north of the mountains of Komr, till it reaches the western ocean.