Today is Monday; 30th of the Iranian month of Dey 1398 solar hijri; corresponding to 24th of the Islamic month of Jamadi al-Awwal 1441 lunar hijri; and January 20, 2020, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1770 solar years ago, on this day in 250 AD, Roman Emperor Decius began a widespread persecution of the followers of Prophet Jesus (PuH), irrespective of whether they were pure monotheists awaiting the coming of the Last Prophet, or the newly created cult called Christianity, which had its weird concept of Trinity. It was in his reign that a group of monotheist youths sought refuge in a mountain cave in Syria and are known in the holy Qur’an as “As-haab Kahf”.

1200 solar years ago, on this day in 820 AD, Mohammad ibn Idris ash-Shafe’i, on whose judicial teachings the Shafe’i school of Sunni jurisprudence is named, died in al-Fustat, Egypt, after sustaining injuries from followers of the Maliki school of jurisprudence, following his triumph in debate over them. Born in Gaza near Asqalan in the Banu Mutalleb clan – a sister clan of the Banu Hashem – he grew up in Mecca and Medina, where he learned jurisprudence from Malek ibn Anas. He later moved to Baghdad and studied under different teachers. Perhaps, because of fear of the repressive Abbasid regime, Shafe’i failed to establish direct contact with Imam Musa al-Kazem (AS) and Imam Ali ar-Reza (AS), respectively the 7th and 8th Infallible Heirs of the Prophet of Islam, and thus could not ascertain the authenticity of the legal code he had learned and collected. Nonetheless he was deeply influenced by the blessed Ahl al-Bayt, and has explicitly stated that the daily ritual prayer is invalid if “salawaat” or blessings are not sent on the Prophet’s progeny in the “tashahhud” or the testimony of faith. He says in this regard in a quatrain:

"O Ahl Bayt of the Prophet of Allah! Allah has decreed your love obligatory for us in the revealed Qur'an; It is sufficient for your dignity (that); His (ritual) prayer is invalid, if there is no blessings sent upon you."

In many of his famous Arabic poems, Shafe’i has shown his devotion to the Prophet’s first divinely-decreed vicegerent Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS):

“They say: You are a Rafedhi (heretic), I say: No; Never did I reject my religion or my belief; But in my heart without the least doubt; There is much love (and respect) for the Greatest Leader (Imam Ali); If loving the Wali of Allah (Friend of God) is Rafdh; Then I am the foremost Rafedhi!”

Shafei has also said:

“When I saw different creeds and jurisprudential schools steering towards ignorance and misguidance; I embarked in the Name of God on the Ark of Salvation; That is the progeny of Mustafa the Seal of Prophets; And got hold of the Divine Rope which is the very love of them; Indeed, God commands us to hold fast to the (Divine) Rope.”

980 solar years ago, on this day in 1030 AD, Alp Arslan, the third and perhaps the greatest Sultan of the Iran-based Turkic Seljuq dynasty, was born to Dawoud Chaghri, the brother of Toghril Beg, the founder of the Seljuq Empire. Named Mohammad, he took part in his uncle’s campaigns in Levant and on return to Khorasan, his father who was governor introduced him to the able Iranian administrator Nizam al-Mulk Tousi, one of the most eminent statesmen in Muslim history and the future Seljuq vizier. In 1059 on his father’s death, he succeeded him as governor of Khorasan, and four years later when the issueless Toghril died, he contested the succession with his another uncle Kutalmish and after defeating him in the Battle of Damghan, took over the throne as the Great Seljuq sultan, thus becoming sole monarch of Persia from the River Oxus to the River Tigris. He rapidly expanded the empire all over Iraq, parts of Syria, Anatolia and the Caucasus, thereby obtaining the title “Alp Arslan”, which in Turkish means “Heroic Lion”. His decisive victory over the Byzantine Empire and capture of Emperor Romanov IV at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, ushered in the Turkish settlement of Anatolia, paving way for turkification of the land which for centuries was colonized by the Persians and Greeks and which consequently came to be known as Turkey. With the administration of the empire in the able hands of his Iranian vizier Nizam ul-Mulk, he now turned towards Central Asia to conquer Turkestan, the original home of his ancestors. After forcing surrender of a stoutly defended fortress in the ancient Iranian land of Khwarazm beyond the River Oxus, when he condemned to death the captured governor Yusuf al-Khwarazmi, the latter in desperation drew his dagger and rushed upon the sultan. Alp Arslan, who took great pride in his prowess as an archer, motioning his guards not to interfere, drew his bow to shoot, but his foot slipped and the arrow glanced aside, while the assassin's dagger fatally pierced his breast. Four days later he died at the age of 43 after a 9-year reign and was buried beside his father in the Khorasani city of Marv. 

503 solar years ago, on this day in 1517 AD, Ottoman Sultan, Selim I, entered Cairo in triumph after a series of battles against the Mamluk Dynasty of Egypt-Syria starting six months earlier near Aleppo on August 24, 1516, less than two years after his narrow victory at Chaldiran over Shah Ismael I of Iran. The wars between the Ottomans and Mamluks had started in 1485 in southern Anatolia, when Bayazid II instead of concentrating on European campaigns turned eastwards to annex the lands of fellow Muslims, much to the relief of Spanish Christians besieging the Emirate of Granada, the last stronghold of Muslims in Iberia or Andalus, which fell in 1492 and whose ruler had appealed to the Mamluks for help. Thus, Selim greatly fearing the Iranians might reorganize and counterattack in view of the widespread influence of the Safavids in Syria and Anatolia (modern day Turkey), coupled with their recent sending of an ambassador to the Republic of Venice, through Mamluk ports in the Levant, invaded Syria and swept across Palestine till he reached Egypt. Selim’s conquest of Egypt and the killing of Mamluk Sultan, Tuman Bay, transformed the Ottoman state from a realm at the margin of Islamic lands mainly located in Asia Minor and south-western Europe, into a huge empire encompassing the historical cities of Cairo, Damascus, Bayt al-Moqaddas and Aleppo, as well as the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, since the Sharif of Hejaz, pledged allegiance to him. Selim now styled himself the first non-Arab caliph by bribing court mullahs to give fatwas in his favour, although he had no right or legitimacy even from the Sunni point of view.

403 lunar years ago, on this day in 1038 AH, Shah Abbas I, regarded as the greatest emperor of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, passed away at the age of 59. Son of Sultan Mohammad Khodabanda, he ascended the throne as a 16-year youth during troubled times, when the country was rife with discord between the different factions of the Qizilbash army, who killed his elder brother Hamza Mirza and mother Queen Khair on-Nisa Begum Mahd-e Olya – descended from Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS), the 4th Infallible Heir of the Prophet (SAWA). Meanwhile, Iran's enemies, the Ottomans and the Uzbeks, exploited the political chaos to seize territory in the west and northeast. Abbas soon reduced the influence of the Qizilbash in the administrative and military affairs, executed the killers of his mother and brother, and reformed the army, enabling him to fight the Ottomans and Uzbeks and retake Iran's lost provinces. He decisively defeated the Ottomans in several battles in the Caucasus, in Anatolia and in Iraq, where he rebuilt on a grand scale the shrines of the Infallible Imams in Najaf, Karbala, and Kazemain. He drove back the Uzbeks from the northern and western parts of Khorasan, and in fulfillment of a vow walked on foot from his new capital Isfahan to distant Mashhad, where he rebuilt the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). He also liberated Iranian territories from the Portuguese invaders in the Persian Gulf and from the Mughals of India in what is now Afghanistan. Shah Abbas I was a great builder and moved his capital from Qazvin to Isfahan, which he adorned with beautiful mosques, such as Masjid Sheikh Lotfollah and the largest one named after, and which is now called Masjid-e Imam. He also built the Aali Qapu Palace and the world famous Naqsh-e Jahan Square, to the extent that Isfahan came to be known as Nisf-e Jahan or Half of the World. He patronized poets and painters, resulting in the birth of the Isfahan School that created some of the finest arts in Iranian history, by such illustrious painters as Reza Abbasi and others. He respected religious figures, and during his era some of the greatest ulema and philosophers of Iran, such as Shaikh Baha od-Din Ameli, Mir Baqer Damad and Mullah Sadra Shirazi flourished. During his 42-year reign, Shah Abbas also promoted commerce, trade and diplomacy, establishing relations with European powers to keep the Ottomans in check, and strengthening ties with the Shi'ite Muslim sultanates of Golkandah-Haiderabad and Bijapur in the Deccan (southern India), where the name of the Safavid Emperor was recited in the Friday Prayer sermons. At the same time he maintained friendly relations with the Mughal Emperor Jahangir of Hindustan (North India). He was succeeded by his grandson, Shah Safi.

179 solar years ago, on this day in 1841 AD, Hong Kong Island was seized by the British in the wake of the war these European invaders imposed upon China, following its refusal to import opium. On 1 July 1997, after 156 years, the British occupiers had no other choice but to return Hong Kong to China.

127 solar years ago, on this day in 1893 AD, the Southeast Asian country of Laos was forced to become a French colony by invaders from Europe. During World War 2 the Japanese army seized Laos, which was recaptured by the French troops, who in 1949 had no choice but to grant it autonomy within the French Union. Finally, on eruption of the popular uprisings in Laos, the French had to recognize the independence of Laos in 1954.

120 solar years ago, on this day in 1900 AD, John Ruskin, the English painter, art critic, and a prominent social thinker, died at the age of 81. He was an authority in the field of arts and architecture, and has expressed his viewpoints in the book: "Modern Painters". For Ruskin, art should communicate truth above all things. However, this could not be revealed by mere display of skill, and must be an expression of the artist's whole moral outlook. He maintained ethical views in social and economic domains and was concerned about the future of industrial developments. He has left behind a large number of books.

119 solar years ago, on this day in 1901 AD, the Belgian inventor and physicist, Zenobe Gramme, died at the age of 75. He invented the dynamo, with the use of which one can transfer continuous or alternative electricity currents to far regions.

115 lunar years ago, on this day in 1326 AH, Iran’s freedom-seeking author and preacher, Mirza Nasrollah Malek al-Motakallemin, was detained and martyred by agents of the Qajarid King, Mohammad Ali Shah at the age of 49. Born in Isfahan, he was 22 when during a visit to India he wrote a book on the appalling conditions of Indian Muslims under British colonial rule, titled: “Min al-Haq il’al-Haq”, which means From Truth towards Truth. The book was hailed by the ulema and people but enraged and angered the British and their agents. As a result he was detained and deported to Iran. Having become familiar during exile with the thoughts and ideas of the great pan-Islamist figure, Seyyed Jamal od-Din Asadabadi, on return to his hometown Isfahan, he started preaching and delivering sermons to awaken the people, as a result of which he was attacked by the Qajarid agents and attained martyrdom.

65 lunar years ago, on this day in 1375 AH, the Gnostic Mirza Ali Aqa Shirazi, passed away. He was noted for his piety and simple way of life, despite being an erudite scholar who could be called the embodiment of “Nahj al-Balagha”, the famous collection of the sermons, letters, and maxims of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS).

41 solar years ago, on this day in 1979 AD, news of the imminent return home of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), were greeted with rejoicings by the Iranian nation. The news created panic among the Shah's agents, many of whom fled the country in view of their criminal record. In desperation, the Shah's Prime Minister, Shapour Bakhtiyar, ordered his troops to attack defenseless people, in a bid to maintain in power the British-installed and US-supported Pahlavi regime. However, such actions failed to break the resolve of the Iranian people and made them more determined to continue their struggle till final victory.

39 solar years ago, on this day in 1981 AD, the US signed an agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran pledging to return tens of billions of dollars of illegally frozen assets and end interference in Iranian affairs, in exchange for release of the 52 of its nationals detained by Iran on capture of the US den of espionage into which the US embassy had virtually turned. The US never kept its promise, neither returning the Iranian money in the US, nor ending its plots against the Islamic Republic.

25 solar years ago, on this day in 1995 AD, Interim Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahdi Bazargan, passed away at the age of 87 in his hometown Tehran. Son of a religious merchant from Tabriz, after initial education in Tehran he went to France to study thermodynamics and engineering at the École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures (École Centrale Paris). On his return he became head of the first engineering department of University of Tehran. He was a deputy minister under Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mossadeq in the early 1950s, and served as the first Iranian head of the National Iranian Oil Company under the same administration. Following the August 1953 that toppled Mossadeq, he was jailed and after his release founded in 1961 the National Liberation Movement of Iran. He was jailed several times by the Pahlavi regime, and in view of his active involvement in the events leading to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he was appointed by Imam Khomeini (RA) as premier of the provisional government of the Islamic Republic. His rule collapsed after nine months due to his inefficiency, his inability in preventing anti-revolutionary elements from infiltrating his cabinet, and his failure to gauge the dynamics of the Islamic Revolution and its well-planned organs for ensuring the stability, security and independence of Iran.

13 lunar years ago, on this day in 1428 AH, the prominent scholar Ayatollah Hassan Tabatabaei Qomi, passed away in his hometown, holy Mashhad, at the age of 99 years. When his father, Ayatollah Hussain Tabatabaie Qomi staged an uprising for protection of Islamic values against the British-installed Pahlavi tyrant, Reza Khan, and was expelled to Iraq, he also accompanied him into exile. Several years later, following the passing away of his father in Iraq, he returned to his hometown, Mashhad, to take charge of the Islamic seminary. In addition to teaching and writing books, he continued his political activities against the Pahlavi regime, taking part in the Khordad 15 (5 June 1963) uprising of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). As a result, the regime banished him to remote areas of the country. He finally returned to Mashhad sixteen years later following the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and served Islam and the people for the next 28 years until his departure from the mortal world. 

AS/SS