Today is Thursday; 3rd of the Iranian month of Mordad 1398 solar hijri; corresponding to 22nd of the Islamic month of Zil-Qa’dah 1440 lunar hijri; and July 25, 2019, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1032 lunar years ago, on this day in 408 AH, the renowned vizier of the Seljuqid Dynasty, Abu Ali Hassan Ibn Ali Ibn Ishaq Tusi, known by his title Khwaja Nizam ul-Mulk, was born in the northeastern Iranian city of Tous in Khorasan. He initially served the Ghaznavid sultans as chief administrator of Khorasan. Four years later with the rise of the Seljuqs, he served as vizier during the reigns of Alp Arslan and Malik Shah I. In addition to his administrative duties, he established a number of academies of higher education in several cities, which were named after him as Nizamiyyah and turned out to be models of universities that were later established in Europe. Nizam ul-Mulk is also known for his voluminous treatise on kingship titled "Siyasat-Namah" or "Siyar al-Molouk" (Book of Government). Although it is claimed he was fatally stabbed near Nahavand on his way from Isfahan to Baghdad by an Assassin (corruption of the Arabic-Persian word Hashshashin) sent by his former friend, Hassan-e Sabbah of Alamut, his son-in-law Muqatel bin Atiyyah, who was eyewitness to a polemical debate, says he was assassinated in the same year as Malik Shah I, after a debate between Sunni and Shi'ite scholars, which resulted in converting him and the Seljuq sultan to the school of the Ahl al-Bayt of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).

906 lunar years ago, on this day in 534 AH, prominent Iranian scholar, Amin od-Din Abu Ali Fazl bin Hassan Tabarsi, completed his monumental exegesis of the holy Qur’an, titled "Majma' al-Bayan" at an advanced age in the city of Sabzevar. In the preface, he gives the reasons for writing it and for choice of the title. He describes the methodology used in the commentaries on every ayah of the holy Qur’an. At the time of the work's preparation, there were several exegesis of the Holy Book in circulation, written by both Sunni and Shi'a scholars. He divides his commentary on every passage into five sections: introductory discourse, reading guide, language discourse, meaning, revelation and circumstances surrounding it. He employs ta'wil  to deduce the inner or implied meaning of an ayah. On passages related to theological, jurisprudential or philosophical issues, he cites the views of all sides before giving his judgment. The originality of Tabarsi's exegesis is that he gives his readers an opportunity to see the varying opinions on different issues mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. He then discusses these views and declares his own stand. “Majma’ al-Bayan” is accepted unanimously by both Sunni and Shi'a scholars because of the author’s independent stance that takes into consideration the views of the various schools of thought, and covers historical facts, as well as the opinions of philologists, traditionists, poets and commentators. Tabarsi’s exegesis covers many theological issues, including the divinely-decreed Imamate of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), the practice of “taqiyyah” (dissimulation of one's faith in times of danger), the infallibility of the Imams, God's Justice, etc. He also discusses the concept of the Saviour of mankind, Imam Mahdi (AS), his advent in the end times, the purpose of his coming and his global government of peace and justice.

880 solar years ago, on this day in 1139 AD, the Battle of Ourique took place in Spain resulting in the defeat of the al-Murabetoun army of Spanish Muslims led by Ali ibn Yusuf, against a large mercenary force of Christians assembled from various parts of Europe led by Prince Afonso Henriques, who subsequently separated the region of Portugal and crowned himself as its first king, under the title Afonso I. It was disunity in the ranks of Spanish Muslims coupled with pride following their recent victory in the Battle of Valdevez over Alfonso VII of Leon that resulted in their defeat, and the emergence of Portugal as an independent country.

854 solar years ago, on this day in 1165 AD, the famous Spanish Muslim Gnostic, Mohammad Ibn Ali Muhy od-Din Ibn Arabi, was born in Murcia, Islamic Spain. He was a child prodigy who mastered the sciences of the day in Seville, where his family had settled and where he met the famous philosopher, Ibn Rushd (Averroes). At the age of 30 he migrated to Fez in Morocco, from where after making several trips to Spain over the next five years to collect his works and other Islamic manuscripts in order to save them from the Christian vandals who were destroying the heritage of mankind, he finally left for the Levant through Egypt. The next half of his life was spent in Mecca, Medina, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and what is now Turkey, before he settled in Damascus where he passed away on 8 November 1240 AD at the age of 75. During the last twenty years of his life his close companion was the Iranian mystic, Awhad od-Din Hameed Kirmani, who transmitted to him teachings of many of the great spiritual masters of the Islamic East. Ibn Arabi, whose school of mystical thought had a profound impact for several centuries, was a prolific writer and the author of many books and treatises, including "Fusous al-Hekam" (Bezels of Wisdom), and "Futuhaat al-Makkiyya" (The Meccan Illuminations). In Chapter 366 of the voluminous "Futuhaat", he has described the characteristics of the Awaited Saviour of mankind, saying that Imam Mahdi (AS), the namesake and offspring of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), is from the direct line of descent of the Immaculate Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA), and when he reappears the world will be filled with the global government of justice.

741 solar years ago, on this day in 1278 AD, Spanish Muslims led by the Emirate of Granada and the Maranid Dynasty won the naval Battle of Algeciras in the Strait of Gibraltar over the Kingdom of Castile. The Muslim navy was commanded by Abu Yaqub Yusuf an-Nasr, whose superior tactics led to the destruction of almost the entire Christian fleet of over 100 ships.

236 solar years ago, on this day 1783 AD, the British were forced to lift the siege of the port city of Cuddalore on the Arabian Sea coast of southern India during the Second Anglo-Mysore War (lasting from 1779-1784) against Haider Ali Khan of the Muslim Sultanate of Mysore, when confronted with a combined army of French and Indians.

220 solar years ago, on this day in 1799 AD, Napoleon Bonaparte of France, during his invasion of Egypt, defeated an Ottoman army of 10,000 led by Mustafa Pasha at Abu Qir. Napoleon, who undertook the invasion of Egypt in 1798 as part of his plan to protect French trade interests and undermine Britain's access to India, had boasted prior to his campaign: “Having occupied and fortified Egypt, we shall send a force of 15,000 men from Suez to the Sultanate of Mysore (in India), to join the forces of Tipu Sultan and drive away the English.” Three years later in 1801, despite several victories, he was eventually forced to withdraw after unsuccessful attempts to pose as liberator of Egypt from Ottoman rule or win the confidence of the Egyptians, even though he participated at al-Azhar in the birth anniversary celebrations of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), clad in Arab clothes and turban, and telling the congregation that he has changed his name to “Ali Bonaparte”. His abortive expedition into Syria, mounting political disharmony in France, conflict in Europe, and the defeat of the French fleet in the Battle of the Nile by the British, made him end the occupation of Egypt.

185 solar years ago, on this day in 1834 AD, English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge died at the age of 62. He and his friend William Wordsworth were among the founders of the Romantic Movement in England and later identified, along with Robert Southey, as the Lake School of poets. Coleridge’s work included "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," "Frost at Midnight" and "Kubla Khan." In his later life he authored the "Bibliographia Literaria", a work of literary theory.

134 lunar years ago, on this day in 1316 AH, Mirza Malkom Khan, a Paris educated Iranian Armenian who claimed to have converted to Islam, induced the Qajarid king, Naser od-Din Shah, to initiate lottery in Iran and to allot him exclusive rights for it, but craftily propped up a French citizen as a front man. Since lottery and raffle are a form of gambling and thus prohibited in Islam, widespread protests by the ulema and people forced the Shah to cancel it. Malkom who set up societies similar to the Freemasons in Iran, was a controversial person, who was exiled several times, until he was reinstated as ambassador to Italy by Mozaffar ad-Din Shah in 1898 with the title of Nizam od-Dowlah.

125 solar years ago, on this day in 1894 AD, a battle broke out between China and Japan following Japan’s attack for seizure of large parts of the Korean Peninsula. Japan's well-equipped army won the battle and forced the Treaty of Shimonoseki upon China, according to which the Korean Peninsula apparently gained its independence, but in practice became Japan’s protectorate. China was forced to hand over a number of islands to Japan. The Japan-China war set the stage for war between Japan and Russia, because during the Japanese offensive on China a number of Russian bases and positions in China were raided by Japanese forces.

81 solar years ago, on this day in 1938 AD, two separate explosions in green grocery markets in Palestine martyred 62 Palestinians and wounded almost 100 others. Zionist terrorist outfits had planted the two bombs to terrorize and drive away Palestinians from their homes and hearths, as part of the plan to set up the illegal entity called Israel.

76 solar years ago, on this day in 1943 AD, during World War II, after 21 years of totalitarian rule, Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was forced out of office by his own Italian Grand Council and replaced by Pietro Badoglio, for having brought disaster and defeat upon the country because of his alliance with German Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler. Two years later in 1945 he was detained while trying to flee Italy and summarily executed.

37 solar years ago, on this day in 1982 AD, the prominent Iranian author and translator, Dr. Hamid Enayat, passed away. After getting his BA in Iran, he left for Britain for higher studies and obtained a PhD in economics and political science at London University. After returning to Iran, he lectured and conducted extensive research at Tehran University. He compiled and translated several books on philosophy and political ideology. Among his works is the book: “Islam and Socialism”.

35 solar years ago, on this day in 1984 AD, Russian cosmonaut, Svetlana Savitskaya, became the first woman to perform a spacewalk, as she carried out more than three hours of experiments outside the orbiting space station "Salyut Seven." She became the second woman in space in 1982 seven months after Sally Ride became the first American female astronaut in space.

26 solar years ago, on this day in 1993 AD, Iranian researcher, Dr. Mrs. Ismat Sattarzadeh, passed away at the age of 82. Born in Tabriz, she was well versed in Turkish language beside her mother tongue Azeri and obtained PhD in Persian language and literature. She translated from Turkish into Persian such works as “Soodi’s Commentary on the Divan of Hafez”, and “Anqaravi’s Commentary on Mowlana’s Mathnavi”.  She won the award for Iran’s Best Book of the Year.

26 solar years ago, on this day in 1993 AD, the usurper state of Israel launched a barbaric attack on southern Lebanon, martyring 128 civilians and wounding 500 others, in addition to making more than 400,000 people homeless. Moreover, major losses and damages were inflicted upon Lebanon’s economic installations and farms. The resistance of the Lebanese people forced the Zionist entity to end its attacks. Finally in May 2000, Zionist occupation troops were forced to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

18 solar years ago, on this day in 2001 AD, Phoolan Devi, a sitting Member of the Indian Parliament in the 13^th Lok Sabha, was assassinated outside her in home in New Delhi by three so-called upper-caste men. The former Bandit Queen had led a campaign against the abuse of the supposedly low-class women by the self-styled high caste men, and got elected to the parliament in two successive elections. Born to a low-caste family in Uttar Pradesh, her adolescent years were marred by numerous incidents of sexual abuse that forced her to take to a criminal career to seek revenge. At the age of 18, Devi was gang-raped by high-caste bandits. As a result of this incident, she became a gang-leader in her own right and sought revenge. In 1981 she and her gang returned to the village where she had been raped to round up and execute 22 high caste men, including two of her rapists. She later voluntarily surrendered to the law enforcement authorities, was imprisoned for 11 years, and after release in 1994 contested and won the 1995 general elections. A movie was made on her life after her assassination.

17 solar years ago, on this day in 2002, Egyptian philosopher and poet, Abdur-Rahman Badawi, passed away at the age of 85 in Cairo. Born in the village of Sharabas, some 150 km from Cairo, he has been called the "Master of Arab Existentialism." and authored more than 150 works. He wrote fluently in Arabic, English, Spanish, French and German; and read Greek, Latin and Persian. From 1950 to 1956 he taught at Ibrahim Pasha University. As a member of a 1954 committee to draft a new Egyptian constitution, he clashed with President Jamal Abdun-Nasser, who dissolved the committee in 1956. From 1956 to 1958 he was a cultural attaché in Switzerland. He described leaving Nasser's Egypt to teach at Sorbonne University in Paris as escaping from "the big jail". He later moved to Libya as university professor, and in 1973 when his students demanded freedom of expression, he was imprisoned by Mu’ammar Qadhafi, who publicly burned his personal library. After release he taught in Kuwait from 1975 to 1982.

AS/SS