Today is Wednesday; 15th of the Iranian month of Aban 1398 solar hijri; corresponding to 8th of the Islamic month of Rabi al-Awal 1441 lunar hijri; and November 6, 2019, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1181 lunar years ago, on this day in 260 AH, Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), the 11^th Infallible Successor of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), was martyred as a result of a fatal dose of poisoning by Mo'tamed, the 15^th self-styled caliph of the usurper Abbasid regime, in the city of Samarra in Iraq at the young age of 28 years. The Imam, who during his six-year spiritual mission was either imprisoned or kept under house arrest by several Abbasid caliphs, was given slow poison on the 1^st of Rabi al-Awwal in order to avoid suspicion. The poison worsened the physical condition of the 11th Imam and on the morning of 8th Rabi al-Awwal after Fajr prayers, he breathed his last. Before his death, he gave the necessary instructions to his 5-year old son, who was born and brought up in secrecy because of the fear of the regime, which was terrified of the Prophet's famous hadith that his rightful successors will number 12, and the last of them will rise as Qa'em al-Mahdi to cleanse the world of oppression by establishing the global government of peace, prosperity and justice. The night before his martyrdom the 11^th Imam wrote letters to his followers in various cities, informing them of the special conditions that would arise in the absence of his young son. One of the famous advices of Imam Askari (AS) to the Muslims reads: "It is obligatory for the people to follow the jurist who refrains from committing wrong, emphasizes his faith, opposes carnal desires, and obeys Allah's command." The city of Samarra was engulfed in grief as the Imam was laid to rest beside his father in his own house, which soon grew into a sprawling mausoleum, with pilgrims coming from all over the world to pay their respects to him. Alas, in 2006 and the following year, terrorists, funded by the US and certain Arab reactionary regimes like Saudi Arabia had desecrated the golden-domed shrine of Samarra through blasphemous bomb blasts.

524 solar years ago, on this day in1494 AD, Sultan Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire was born in Trabzon. He succeeded to the throne at the age of 26 and ruled for 46 years till his death at the age of 72. He greatly expanded the Turkish Empire into south-central Europe as well as the North African coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which was dominated by his fleets. He also seized Iraq and parts of Anatolia, such as Van and Erzurum from the Safavid Empire of Iran, but failed to further expand into the east and the Caucasus, because of the stiff resistance of the Iranians. Three times he attempted to invade Iran in 23 years from 1532 to 1555, but the astute policy of Shah Tahmasp I aborted his attempts and he was forced to sign a peace treaty with Iran. In his internal policy he instituted legislative changes relating to society, education, taxation, and criminal law. He spoke five languages: Ottoman Turkish, Chaghtai Turkic, Persian, Arabic, and Serbian. He has left behind a divan of Persian poetry.

457 lunar years ago, on this day in 984 AH, the prominent scholar, Sheikh Izz od-Din Hussain ibn Abdus-Samad passed away in Bahrain at the age of 66, and was buried in the village of Hejr or Musalla where his tomb is revered by the people. Born in a religious family in the Jabal Amel region of what is now Lebanon, he migrated to Safavid Iran along with his young son, Sheikh Baha od-Din Ameli, who grew up into a great scholar. For eight years, Sheikh Izz od-Din lived and preached in the holy city of Mashhad near the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8^th Infallible Successor of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Leaving his son behind in Iran, he migrated to Bahrain since he felt the Persian Gulf Island was more in need of religious scholars than Iran. He wrote many books, including a Diwan of Arabic poetry and the book titled "Tuhfa Ahl al-Imaan" (Gift of the People of Faith).

386 solar years ago, on this day in 1632 AD, King Gustav Adolph of Sweden was killed on the battlefield at the age of 38 years, after ruling for 21 years. He was an able military commander and was known as the Lion of North, because of his victories in the 30-year sectarian wars between Catholics and Protestants from 1618 to 1648.

374 solar years ago, on this day in 1644 AD, Thomas Roe, English diplomat and ambassador to the Mughal and Ottoman Courts, died at the age 63. A scholar and a patron of learning, he learned the Persian and Turkish languages as well. After two unsuccessful expeditions to South America in search of gold and the fabled “Eldorado”, he sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1644. Roe was ambassador to the court at Agra, India, of the 4th Grand Moghul Emperor of Hindustan (Northern Subcontinent), Noor od-Din Jahangir. The principal object of the mission was to obtain protection for the East India Company`s factory at Surat in Gujarat. At the Moghul court, Roe became a favorite of Jahangir and his drinking partner. His book titled “Journal of the Mission to the Moghul Empire” is a valuable source of information for the reign of Jahangir. In September 1621, Roe was dispatched to Constantinople as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. In this role, he obtained an extension of the privileges of the English merchants. In 1624, he concluded a treaty with Algiers, by which he secured the liberation of several hundred English captives. He wrote book in this regard, titled “Discourse upon the Resolution taken in the Valteline”. In 1629, Roe was successful in another mission undertaken, to arrange a peace between Sweden and Poland. In so doing, he was able to help free up Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to intervene decisively in the Thirty Years War on the side of the Protestant German princes.

205 solar years ago, on this day in 1813 AD, the first battle of the famous Freedom Leader of South America, Simon Bolivar, for liberation of his homeland, Venezuela, from Spanish colonial rule, ended in victory. Bolivar’s 6500 soldiers defeated the 13,000-strong Spanish army. After liberating Venezuela from Spanish colonial rule he led the struggles of several other South American nations for an end to Spain’s domination. Bolivia is named after him.

158 solar years ago, on this day in 1860 AD, one of the main opponents to slavery in the US, Abraham Lincoln, was elected as president. Following his election South Carolina seceded from the Union followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. The result was the 4-year long Civil War and on April 14, 1865, less than a month before its end, Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth in Washington at Ford's Theater.

134 solar years ago, on this day in 1844 AD, the celebrated Iranian poet and author, Mirza Mohammad Taqi Bahar, who held the title “Malek osh-Sho’ara” or Poet Laureate, was born in the holy city of Mashhad. His first teacher was his father, Mirza Mohammad Kazem Ṣaburi – the Malek osh-Sho’ara at the shrine of Prophet Mohammad’s (SAWA) 8th Infallible Heir, Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad. He later studied under the famous poet Adib Naishapuri and soon mastered Persian, Arabic and French. On the onset of the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, he resigned his court position of Poet Laureate and joined the constitutional movement for limiting the powers of the Qajarid monarchy. He clandestinely published the newspaper “Khorasan”, in collaboration with Hussain Ardebili, and the journals “Nou-Bahar” (New Spring), and “Tazeh-Bahar” (Fresh Spring), both in collaboration with his cousin Sheikh Ahmad. He wrote articles in these newspapers exhorting the readers to strive to bring about a parliamentary system of government. After victory of the Constitutionalists, he was elected as Member of Parliament for successive terms. As a member of the fifth Majlis, Bahar opposed the British agent Reza Khan’s coup and dictatorial rule, and despite threats, sided with Ayatollah Seyyed Hassan Modarres, the leading figure of the opposition. He became the target of an assassination attempt following a debate in the Majlis on October 1925 and was lucky to survive when Reza Khan’s agents brutally murdered in front of the Majlis, journalist Wa’ez Qazvini, who had a striking resemblance to Bahar but had nothing to do with the issues involved. Reza Khan imprisoned and exiled him. Following release in 1934, he served as Professor of Persian Literature at the newly founded Tehran University. In 1945, he served for a short period as Minister of Culture and Education. He passed away in 1951.

40 solar years ago, on this day in 1978 AD, the personnel of Iran Radio and TV Network started their strike against the Shah’s despotic regime following its attack on the press and detention of several journalists, which led to closure of the leading dailies.

39 solar years ago, on this day in 1979 AD, the interim government of Prime Minister Mahdi Bazargan tendered its resignation to the Founder of Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini (RA), a day after the fall of the US den of spies in Tehran to revolutionary students. The interim government which was formed on February 11, 1979, lacked the necessary qualifications to govern the country.

26 solar years ago, on this day in 1992 AD, Ayatollah Shaikh Mahdi Noghani passed away at the age of 66 in his hometown, holy Mashhad, in Khorasan, northeastern Iran. He was a staunch follower of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) against the despotic British-installed and American-supported Pahlavi regime.

7 solar years ago, on this day in 2011 AD, American inventor Charles Walton died at the age of 89. He is best known as the first patent holder for the RFID (radio frequency identification) device. Many individuals contributed to the invention of the RFID, but Walton was awarded ten patents in all for various RFID-related devices, including his key 1973 design for a “Portable Radio Frequency Emitting Identifier”. This patent was awarded in 1983, and was the first to bear the acronym “RFID”. Born in Maryland, after service in the Army Signal Corps, Walton worked at IBM's research and development laboratories until 1970. He founded the company Proximity Devices, Inc., in Sunnyvale, California in 1970, to manufacture devices based on his patents.

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