Today is Thursday; 17th of the Iranian month of Mordad 1398 solar hijri; corresponding to 6th of the Islamic month of Zil-Hijjah 1440 lunar hijri; and August 8, 2019, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

2059 solar years ago, on this day in 40 BC, Marcus Antonius (Mark Anthony) Roman General of the ruling Triumvirate, invaded western territories of Iran’s Parthian Empire in the Levant, Anatolia and Armenia, with a huge force of 100,000 legionaries, without the permission of the Senate. His army was financed by his paramour Cleopatra of Egypt, and was eventually defeated by the Parthian Emperor, Farhad IV (Phrates). Although after capturing Jerusalem and surrounding areas in 37 BC, he installed Herod as puppet king of Judaea, replacing the Parthian appointee Antigonus, the campaign proved a disaster. After defeats in battle, the desertion of his Armenian allies and his failure to capture Parthian strongholds, he retreated to Egypt in 36 BC and again in 34 BC, as his army lost more than a quarter of its strength.

1902 solar years ago, on this day in 117 AD, Roman Emperor Trajan died in 117 at the age of 64 in Selinus in Cilicia in what is now the southeastern coastal region of Turkey, after a 19-year reign, while fleeing the counterattacks of Iran’s Parthian Empire, following his invasion of Mesopotamia (Iraq) and retreat. Born in an Italian family in Spain in what was then the city of Italica (now on the outskirts of Seville), in 98, he was declared emperor on the death of his patron, Emperor Nerva. He pursued an aggressive military policy to expand the Roman Empire, including breaking of 50 years of peace with the Parthian Empire in 110 by attacking Armenia which was a province of the Iranian Empire. After two years, the Iranians liberated Armenia and drove out the Romans. Trajan again invaded Armenia and tried to infiltrate Gilan, and then in 115 he launched a surprise attack on Mesopotamia that saw Roman armies reach for the first time the shores of the Persian Gulf in what is now Kuwait. So elated was Trajan by this unexpected success that in 116 he prematurely sent a laurelled letter to the Senate in Rome, boosting of what he called the conquest of the Parthian Empire. However, as he left the Persian Gulf for Babylon, the Iranians led by Sanatrukes, the nephew of their Emperor, Osroes I, imperiled Roman positions in both Mesopotamia and Armenia, forcing Trajan to withdraw his troops that had penetrated Khuzestan. Although Sanatrukes was killed in the battle that the Iranians lost at Seleucia and their capital Ctesiphon (Mada’en near modern Baghdad) was temporarily occupied by the Romans, Trajan's deteriorating health started to fail him. Following the heat stroke he suffered during the unsuccessful Roman attempt to capture the fortress city of Hatra on the Tigris near Mosul in what was then the Iranian province of Khavaran, and coupled with the renewed uprising of the people of Mesopotamia, Trajan was forced to retreat. His claim of being the conqueror of Parthian Empire turned out to be hollow as he succumbed to his worsening health.

1292 lunar years ago, on this day in 158 AH, the tyrant Mansour ad-Dawaniqi, the second self-styled caliph of the usurper Abbasid regime, died of gluttony at the age of 63 after a 22-year reign. Born to a morally-lose African slave-girl of Mohammad (great-grandson of the Prophet’s uncle Abbas), he was named Abdullah at birth, and the reason he was called “Dawaniqi” was because of his stinginess. Persecuted during the days of the Godless Ommayad regime, he shot into prominence when his brother, Abu’l-Abbas as-Saffah, (the Blood-Shedder), deceitfully hijacked the caliphate by making the Muslims, especially of Khorasan, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, and other places, believe that rule of the Islamic state was being returned to the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. In 136 AH, following the death of his brother, he assumed power and unleashed terror on the people, immediately killing Behzadaan pour Vandaad, known as Abu Muslim Khorasani, the Iranian general whose victories had brought the Abbasids to power. Mansour, who in the Omayyad era, had sworn allegiance to Mohammad Nafs-Zakiyya, a great grandson of Prophet Mohammad’s (SAWA) elder grandson, Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS), cold-bloodedly martyred many descendants of the Prophet, through wars, imprisonment, and poisoning. His most prominent victim was Imam Ja'far as-Sadeq (AS), the Prophet’s 6^th Infallible Heir. He founded the city of Baghdad by using Iranian architects and Zoroastrian astrologers, and was the first person to destroy the holy shrine of the Chief of Martyrs, the Prophet’s younger grandson Imam Husain (AS), in Karbala. 

1011 solar years ago, on this day in 1008 AD, Chief Minister of the Omayyad Emirate of Córdoba, Muslim Spain, Mohammad bin Abdullah ibn Abi Aamer al-Mansur, died at the age of 64. Known as Almanzor to the Christians, he was the de facto ruler. Born into a noble family of Yemeni origin in Algeciras, he arrived at the Court of Córdoba as a student studying law and literature. He subsequently became manager of the estates of Prince Hisham II. In a few years he worked his way to heights of influence, eliminating his political rivals in the process. Caliph al-Hakam II died in 976 and Almanzor was instrumental in securing the succession of Hisham II, now aged twelve, to the throne. Two years later he became hajib –a title similar to that of vizier in the Muslim East or Chancellor in Western Europe. During the following three years he consolidated his power with the expansion of Medina az-Zahara on the outskirts of Córdoba, while at the same time completely isolating the young caliph, who became a virtual prisoner. In 981, upon his return to Córdoba from the Battle of Torrevicente, in which he crushed his last remaining rival (and father-in-law), Ghaleb an-Nasiri, he assumed the title of al-Mansur bi-llah, or Victorious by God. Almanzor's hold on power was now absolute. In order to conceal his usurpation of the caliph's authority, he dedicated himself to annual military invasions of the Christian states of the peninsula. He organized and took part in 57 campaigns, and was victorious in all of them. In addition to crushing Castile and Aragon, he sacked Barcelona in 985, Leon in 988 and Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in 997. He also waged several campaigns against the Kingdom of Navarre, including his longest, in which he defeated a Castilian army at the Battle of Cervera. He married Abda, daughter of Sancho II of Navarre, who bore him a son by the name of Abd ur-Rahman.

1182 lunar years ago, on this day in 258 AH, the prominent hadith scholar of Iranian stock, Abu Ali Mohammad bin Hammam bin Sohail al-Iskafi, was born in the town of Iskaf, between Basra and Kufa in Iraq, following a request by his father to the Prophet’s 11^th Infallible Heir, Imam Hasan Askari (AS), to pray to God for a son for him. He grew up into a devout follower of the Ahl al-Bayt or Blessed Household of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). For higher education he moved to Baghdad, where he studied under leading scholars. He was closely associated with the Nawwabs or Sole Representatives of the 12^th Imam during the latter’s “Ghaybat as-Soghra” (period of Minor Occultation), and through them has related several hadith, as well as “Towqee” (Signed Letters) and instructions of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance). He groomed many scholars and authored several books including “al-Anwaar fi Tarikh al-Aimmat al-Athaar” (History of the Infallible Imams), and “Kitab at-Tamhees”, which is among the primary sources of the famous encyclopedia “Behaar al-Anwaar” compiled by the celebrated Allamah Mohammad Baqer Majlisi during the Safavid era. Mohammad bin Hammam al-Iskafi passed away in 336 AH at the age of 78.

431 solar years ago, on this day in 1588 AD, Battle of Gravelines in the English Channel delivered a disastrous blow to the Spanish Armada's attempt to invade England, overthrow Queen Elizabeth and install a Catholic dynasty favourable to Spain’s King Philip. In the day’s fighting 600 Spaniards were killed and 800 badly injured, as English fire ships caused havoc, destroying many enemy vessels. During the naval campaign, which was marred by storms in the English Channel, the Spanish lost a third of the 130 ships of the Armada

371 solar years ago, on this day in 1648 AD, on the ouster of Sultan Ibrahim the Mad by the Jan-Nisari corps, his 6-year old son was placed on the throne in Istanbul as Mohammad IV, the 19th Ottoman sultan and the 10th self-styled Turkish caliph. Ten days later, Ibrahim was strangled to death on the fatwa of the Chief Mufti. Born in Istanbul to Ibrahim’s Rutherian (Ukrainian) concubine, soon after his birth, Ibrahim was so enraged that he tore the infant from its mother's arms and flung the child into a cistern. Fortunately, the baby was rescued by the harem servants, but this left him with a lifelong scar on his head. During his almost 40-year rule till his ouster in 1687, he changed the nature of the Sultan's position forever by giving up most of his executive power to his Grand Vizier. His reign is notable for the peace with the Safavid Empire of Iran which enabled him to stage a brief revival of Ottoman fortunes in Europe led by Grand Vizier Mohammad Koprulu Pasha and his son Fazel Ahmad Pasha. The Turks regained the Aegean islands from Venice, and Crete, during the Cretan War (lasting from 1645 to 1669). They also fought successful campaigns against Transylvania (in 1660) and Poland (from 1670 to 1674). At one point, when Mohammad IV allied himself with Petro Doroshenko, Ottoman rule was close to extending into Podolia deep inside Ukraine. Supporting the 1683 Hungarian uprising against Austrian rule, a large Ottoman army besieged Vienna, but suffered a defeat on the Kahlenberg Heights, by Polish forces led by King John III Sobieski and his allies, resulting in reversal of fortune for the Turks, who would have lost Iraq and Anatolia as well, if Shah Suleiman Safavi of Iran had chosen to exploit the weakness of the Ottoman Empire, after the Turks suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The Iranians refrained from inter-Muslim sedition by refusing the proposals from the European states to form a coalition against the Ottoman Empire. In 1687, after the crushing Ottoman defeat in the Second Battle of Mohacs, Mohammad IV was deposed and replaced by his brother, Suleiman II. He died in 1693 in prison.

100 solar years ago, on this day in 1919 AD, an ominous accord was imposed on Iran by Britain, putting Iran’s military, political, and economic affairs under supervision of British agents. Signed by Iranian premier, Vosouq od-Dowleh and British Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, Iran was virtually turned into a British protectorate, two years after the Bolshevik Revolution that ended Russia’s colonial rivalry with Britain. The Iranian people’s opposition led to the annulment of the scandalous accord, a factor that enraged Britain and made it mastermind a coup some two years later through the illiterate soldier, Reza Khan, to ensure its domination of Iran.

94 solar years ago, on this day in 1925 AD, Bosnian Muslim politician and author, Alija Izetbegovic, was born in the town of Bosanski Shamac in a distinguished aristocratic but impoverished family that was originally from Belgrade where his ancestors lived for hundreds of years in the service of the Ottoman Empire. He struggled against the Yugoslav communist regime since his youth and was imprisoned on several occasions. In 1989, he founded The Party of Democratic Action, which played a pivotal role in the independence of Bosnia in 1991. After independence he was elected as president of Bosnia. He played a vital role in defending the Bosnian people, throughout the attacks of Serbian army and Bosnian Serbs against Muslims. After the termination of war, he was elected twice to Bosnian presidential council. He voluntarily stepped down from power in 2000. He was also an Islamic thinker and author, writing a number of books, including "Islam between East and West", and "Islamic Declaration".

77 solar years ago, on this day in 1942 AD, the Quit India Movement was launched in India against the British rule in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for swaraj or complete independence.

74 solar years ago, on this day in 1945 AD, the Soviet Leader, Joseph Stalin, declared war on Japan which had occupied Manchuria in northeastern China. The attack came on the heels of the criminal US atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima, enabling Russia to take control of North Korea and the Kurile Islands. These Islands are still the point of friction between Japan and Russia.

56 solar years ago, on this day in 1963 AD, the Great Train Robbery occurred in England, when a gang of 15 robbers stole £2.6 million (equivalent of £48 million today) in bank notes. The train was travelling between Glasgow and London. Although most of the gang was arrested and the ringleaders sentenced to 30 years in jail, the bulk of the stolen money was never recovered.

52 solar years ago, on this day in 1967 AD, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. It now includes five more countries – Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei and Cambodia. It is a major pole of world economy.

33 lunar years ago, on this day in 1407 AH, hundreds of Hajj pilgrims from Iran and other countries, while observing the divine ritual of disavowal of disbelievers, were martyred by Saudi forces, on the orders of Interior Minister, Nayef Ibn Abdul-Aziz. The Hajj pilgrims observe this ritual every year on the basis of the opening ayahs of Surah Towbah of the Holy Qur'an, where God commands the believers to declare their disavowal of disbelievers (Bara'at min al-Mushrikin). During this ritual, Hajj pilgrims call on Muslims to close ranks and announce their resentment toward the archenemies of Islam, especially the US and the illegal Zionist entity. The inspiration behind revival of this Islamic practice was the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). The present Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, also stresses the importance of this ritual as instrumental in awakening Muslims and preserving their dignity.

29 solar years ago, on this day in 1990, Ba’thist dictator, Saddam, following his invasion of Kuwait on August 2, announced its annexation to Iraq, resulting in the Persian Gulf War and the ouster of Iraqi forces over six months later. Ironically, the US ambassador to Iraq, April Gilespie, had given Saddam the green signal to occupy Kuwait. Codenamed Operation Desert Storm, the war was launched by the US along with a coalition of 33 other nations, starting on 17th January 1991. On 29 January, Iraqi forces attacked and occupied the lightly defended Saudi city of Khafji with tanks and infantry. The Battle of Khafji ended two days later when the Iraqis were driven back into Kuwait through extensive artillery fire and airstrikes. In early February the coalition forces swept into Kuwait and after clearing Kuwait City of all Ba’thist occupation forces, crossed the border into Iraq in pursuit of the fleeing troops on February 24. The oppressed people of Iraq, encouraged by the defeat of the Ba’thist war machine, launched a popular uprising in both the Shi’ite Arab south and the Kurdish north, liberating large swathes of territory including the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, and almost encircling Baghdad. At the prospects of victory of the Iraqi people, the US, which had deceitfully appealed to them to rise up against Ba’thist rule, betrayed their aspirations by abruptly announcing the end of war on February 28, and allowing its agent Saddam to use brutal force, including heavy artillery and helicopter gunships against the defenceless people. As a result some, seven hundred thousand Iraqi Arab Shi’ites were massacred, and the holy shrines – of Imam Ali (AS) and of Imam Husain and Hazrat Abbas (AS) in Karbala desecrated – while in the north 1.5 million Kurds sought refuge in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

27 solar years ago, on this day in 1992 AD, the Source of Emulation, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Abul-Qasem Musavi Khoyi, passed away at the age of 93 in Kufa, a year and some five months after the brutally crushed popular uprising of the Iraqi people against the repressive Ba’th minority regime, during which he was forcibly taken to Baghdad and made to appear on TV with the bloodthirsty dictator, Saddam. It is believed the regime martyred him through poisoning. Born in the northwestern Iranian city of Khoy, after preliminary studies in Tabriz, he left for holy Najaf in Iraq at the age of 13 years to continue his studies. Here, his piety and knowledge attracted the attention of the Indian-based Iranian religious scholar, Mirza Ahmad Najafi-Tabrizi, who gave his daughter in marriage to him and lodged him in his own house. Mirza Ahmad used to frequent the semi-independent state of Banganapalle in south India, ruled by a Seyyed family of Iranian origin, who were patrons of scholars and learning. Soon Ayatollah Khoyi mastered various sciences such as logic, rhetoric, theology, jurisprudence and philosophy, and in the process attained the status of Ijtehad. In 1971, he succeeded Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohsin al-Hakim as the leading Marja’ of the Islamic world and thereafter groomed a large number of scholars from Iran, Iraq, the Subcontinent, Bahrain and Lebanon. Among his valuable books, mention can be made of “Lectures in the Principles of Jurisprudence”, in 10 volumes, “Islamic Law” in 18 volumes, and "Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith" in 24 volumes. The last named is an authoritative work on evaluation of narrators of hadith. He was also politically conscious of the issues of the World of Islam, and in regard to the Palestinian cause, he issued a fatwa, emphasizing the need to defend Palestine and to liberate Holy Qods. During the 8-year war imposed on Iran in the 1980s by the US through Saddam, he refused to yield to the Ba’thist regime’s pressures to denounce the Islamic Republic, even though his house was frequently subjected to water and electricity cuts on Saddam’s orders.

21 solar years ago, on this day in 1998 AD, the terrorist Taliban militia on occupying the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif violated the diplomatic immunity of the Iranian Consulate and martyred eight Iranian diplomats and the IRNA reporter, Mahmoud Saremi. Formed in 1994 in Pakistan with US arms and Saudi money, the Taliban rebels started the civil war to topple the legal government of President Burhan od-Din Rabbani. During their short and barbaric rule, the Taliban tarnished the image of Islam by indulging in medieval European atrocities against the Muslim people, until they were ousted by their own creators, the Americans, in late 2001.

20 solar years ago, on this day in 1999 AD, the Iranian poet and academic, Gholam-Ali Ra’di Azarakhshi, passed away at the age of 90 in Tehran. Born in Tabriz, where he completed his high school, his passion for poetry was recognized at an early age. In 1927, he moved to Tehran to attend the Academy of Political Sciences, where his teachers were Badi az-Zamaan Foruzanfar and Mohammad Abdoh Borujerdi. He also assisted the Academy’s director, the famous lexicographer, Ali-Akbar Dehkhoda in the compilation and publication of “Amṯhaal va Hekam” (a collection of Persian proverbs and aphorism). In 1936 he went to France and Switzerland for higher studies, especially in International Law and Comparative Literature. Returning to Iran in 1941, he began teaching comparative literature at Tehran University. In December 1942 he was elected a permanent member of Farhangestan-Zaban-e Iran, an organization set up for the promotion of Persian culture and the replacement of foreign loan words by those of Persian derivation. In 1945 he was appointed Iran’s representative to UNESCO’s preliminary commission in London. With the establishment of UNESCO in Paris the following year, he was designated Iran’s permanent ambassador to the organization, where he also chaired the Committee for East-West Dialogue. On his return to Iran, Ra’di established the Faculty of Literature and Social Sciences at the newly founded National University (Daneshgah-e Melli), and served as the Dean of the Faculty. He remained in that position from 1968 till 1979, and thereafter continued to teach literature and law at Tehran University. His poem “Kargah va Kargar” (The workplace and the worker), is a powerful rendition of the adverse working conditions of carpet-weavers in his birthplace, Tabriz. His critical stand on the cultural influence of the West and the submission of Persian poetry to modernization is well reflected in his noted poem “Morgh-e Toufan”.

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