Today is Saturday; 5th of the Iranian month of Bahman 1398 solar hijri; corresponding to 29th of the Islamic month of Jamadi al-Awwal 1441 lunar hijri; and January 25, 2020, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1270 solar years ago, on this day in 750 AD, the 13th and last self-styled caliph of the usurper Omayyad regime, Marwan II, known as “al-Hemaar” or the Donkey, was decisively defeated by the rising power of the Abbasids on the banks of the Great Zab River in Iraq that led to the overthrow of the dynasty established by Mu’awiyah in 661 on seizing rule of the Islamic realm through a dubious treaty from Imam Mojtaba (AS), the elder grandson of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Three years earlier in 747, the Abbasids, who were descendents of the Prophet’s uncle, Abbas, had launched their uprising in Khorasan on the slogan of giving back the caliphate to the Prophet’s progeny, in order to attract Iranians and the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt to their cause. Prior to the decisive Battle of Zab, the hated Omayyads had suffered a series of defeats all the way from Iran to Iraq by the combined forces of the Abbasids, Shi’ite Muslims, and Iranians. At Zab, Marwan assembled a vast army made up of many veterans of earlier Omayyad campaigns against the Byzantine Empire, but the zeal of the opponents demoralized his forces and they fled in the face of determined attack. Marwan escaped the battlefield and fled down the Levant, pursued relentlessly by the Abbasids, who met no serious resistance from the Syrians. He sought refuge in Abusir a small town on the Egyptian Nile delta, where a few months later, he was killed. The Abbasids, however, broke their promise of returning rule of the Islamic state to the Prophet’s progeny and installed Abu’l-Abbas as-Saffah as caliph, thereby starting a new breed of oppressors.

1270 solar years ago, on this day in 750 AD, Ibrahim, son of Walid II the 11^th self-styled caliph of the usurper Omayyad regime, who ruled for a few weeks in 744 following the death of his brother Yazid III, was executed along with the rest of the male members of his family by the Abbasids after their defeat of Marwan al-Hemaar at the Battle of Zab that ended the Omayyad dynasty. Ibrahim was named heir apparent by Yazid III, but soon died, furthering the ambitions of kinsman Marwan bin Mohammad who seized the caliphate and styled himself as Marwan II. Ibrahim went into hiding and later requested Marwan for personal safety that was granted.

1136 lunar years ago, on this day in 305 AH, the great scholar, Abu Ja’far Mohammad ibn Othman al-Amri, passed away in Baghdad, after serving for 40 years as “Nawwab” (Deputy) of the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (AS), the Prophet of Islam’s 12^th and Last Infallible Heir, during his 69-year period of “Ghaybat as-Soghra” (Minor Occultation). He was second of the four deputies, known as Nawwab al-Arba’. He had been confirmed as Deputy by the Imam himself in 265 AH on the death of his father, the celebrated Uthman ibn Sa’eed al-Asadi, who as a 11-year old had the honour of the company of the Prophet’s 9th Infallible Heir, Imam Mohammad at-Taqi al-Jawad (AS), and thereafter was a close confidante of Imam Ali an-Naqi al-Hadi (AS) and Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) – the 10th and 11th Infallible Heirs of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Mohammad al-Amri wrote several books including “al-Ashrabah” on jurisprudence. The 12th Imam, who as prophesied by the Prophet, will establish the global government of peace, prosperity and justice by ending oppression and corruption on Planet Earth, was five years old when his father was martyred by Mu’tamid the 15th self-styled caliph of the usurper Abassid regime. By the Will of God he went into Minor Occultation to be safe from the manhunt launched by the caliph. During this period some selected figures from among the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt knew of his whereabouts and could meet him, while the rest were in contact with him through the Special Deputy, in order to avoid any suspicion by the regime. Thanks to the foolproof system of “wikala” (or representation) set up half-a-century earlier by the 9th Imam, a network of dedicated persons had emerged throughout the Islamic lands during the crucial period of the 10th and 11th Imams – who were either under virtual house arrest or imprisonment in Samarra by the Abbasid caliphs. Thus, during the Minor Occultation, whenever the believers faced a problem, they would write their concern and send them to the Special Deputy, who would present it to the Imam, ascertain his verdict, endorse it with his seal and signature, and return it to the relevant parties. With the start of the “Ghaybat al-Kubra” (Major Occultation) in 329 AH, there was no need for any Special Deputy, until by the Will of God, the 12th Imam reappears in the end times as the Saviour of Humanity.

564 solar years ago, on this day in 1456 AD, the print industry emerged, and the first book was printed with the usage of movable letters, which the German inventor, Johannes Gutenberg, had made. The first printed book was a combination of the Jewish Torah and the Christian Bible. Today, a few pages of this book remain in museums.

393 solar years ago, on this day in 1627 AD, English-Irish physicist and chemist, Robert Boyle, was born. He studied under his father, Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, who was a famous English physicist, and soon honed his skills in physics. He is best known for Boyle's Law, which describes the inversely proportional relationship between the absolute pressure and volume of a gas, if the temperature is kept constant within a closed system. He died at the age of 64.

316 solar years ago, on this day in 1704 AD, ex-English governor of Carolina, James Moore in his invasion of Spanish-controlled Florida, indiscriminately killed hundreds of Spanish men, women, and children, along with the Apalachee Indians, in the Battle of Ayubale. After the battle, Moore and his Anglo-Saxons cold-bloodedly slaughtered all the Spaniards and natives who had surrendered and put themselves at his mercy. In his own report of the expedition Moore sadistically claimed to have killed more than 1,100 men, women, and children. He also stated that he captured as slaves more than 4,300 people, mostly women and children.

261 solar years ago, on this day in 1759 AD, the poet, Robert Burns, was born in Ayshire. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a light Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in Standard English and in these his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic Movement and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism, and a cultural icon in Scotland. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish television channel STV.

168 solar years ago, on this day in 1852 AD, Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, a Baltic-German officer in the Imperial Russian Navy, cartographer and explorer, who ultimately rose to the rank of Admiral, Russian admiral, cartographer, and explorer, died at the age of 73 in St. Petersburg. Born in Saaremaa, Governorate of Livonia, now in Estonia, he participated in the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe and subsequently became a leader of another circumnavigation expedition, along with Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev, which discovered the continent of Antarctica in the South Pole. “Bellinsgauzen”, a crater on the far side of the Moon is named in his honour.

167 lunar years ago, on this day in 1274 AH, prominent Iranian Islamic scholar and literary figure, Ayatollah Sheikh Mohammad Qasim Ordo-Abadi, was born in Tabriz. Following completion of studies, he left for holy Najaf in Iraq to attend the classes of prominent ulema of his day. After attaining the status of Ijtehad, he returned to his hometown, Tabriz. Ayatollah Ordo-Abadi wrote numerous books. Among his works mention could be made of “ash-Shahaab al-Mobeen fi Ejaaz al-Qur'an al-Kareem” on the Immortal Miracle this heavenly scripture is. He passed away in 1333 AH.

162 lunar years ago, on this day in 1279 AH, Arabic literary figure and poet, Abdul-Baaqi bin Suleiman Farouqi, passed away. As a devotee of the Prophet’s Infallible Household, he has written odes in praise of the Ahl al-Bayt. He has left behind several books, including “al-Baqiyaat as-Salehaat”.

148 solar years ago, on this day in 1871 AD, German physician and researcher, Gerhard Armauer Hansen, discovered the bacteria of leprosy. This infectious and chronic disease results in incurable wounds and wipes out vital tissues. It is more common in warm regions, although the people of other regions are not immune to it. Despite significant developments in control of leprosy, it still cannot be medically treated and many people suffer from this illness in different countries.

83 lunar years ago, on this day in 1358 AH, Ayatollah Shaikh Ali Aal-e Ishaq was born near Zanjan in a scholarly family. In his childhood he shifted to holy Qom, along with his father, for religious education, and later went to Iraq for higher religious studies at the famous seminary of holy Najaf, where his teacher was the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). He returned to Iran and embarked on awakening the people. Following victory of the Islamic Revolution, he played a prominent role in teaching at the seminary and at the university. He wrote several books and passed away in 1422 at the age of 64 years. 

41 solar years ago, on this day in 1979 AD, more people attained martyrdom in various cities of Iran at the hands of the military forces of the Shah's despotic regime. On this day, a number of air force personnel took to the streets of Tehran, staging protests and announcing their loyalty to the Father of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). They released a statement, strongly condemning the crimes committed by the British-installed and US-backed regime.

35 solar years ago, on this day in 1985 AD, prominent religious scholar of Iran’s Kurdistan region, Mullah Abdullah Modarres Gorji, passed away at the age of 88. He was active in the western regions of Iran, grooming several scholars and writing many books for the guidance of the people.

33 lunar years ago, on this day in1408 AH, Iraqi religious leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mahdi Hakim, was martyred on the orders of Saddam of the repressive Ba’th minority regime of Baghdad, in the lobby of a hotel in Khartoum, Sudan, where he was attending an international Islamic conference. Son of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohsin Hakim, he was politically active against the Ba’th regime and was living in exile in Dubai. His body was brought to holy Qom in Iran for burial.

14 solar years ago, on this day in 2006 AD, Palestine's Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, in its first participation in parliamentary polls in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, won 76 of the 132 seats, and formed the government under Prime Minister Ismail Hanieh. But, the illegal Zionist entity and Western regimes, especially the US, by imposing economic, political, and military pressures, tried in vain to topple the popularly elected government. They then created internal differences by inciting Mahmoud Abbas to declare a rival government in the West Bank. When this also failed, Israel unleashed the 22-day holocaust on Gaza during December-January 2008/09, massacring almost 1,500 Palestinian men, women and children, but failed to dislodge the government. The Zionists have ever since periodically targeted Gaza. The last full scale Israeli invasion was on 8 July 2014 and lasted seven weeks during which, in addition to rocket attacks on civilian centres, ground fighting took place, resulting in the deaths of over 2200 Palestinian men, women and children, in addition to extensive damage to the infrastructure.

13 solar years ago, on this day in 2007 AD, Saudi-backed terrorists triggered a bomb blast in a predominantly Shi’a Muslim neighborhood in central Baghdad through an explosive-rigged car given to an unsuspecting person to drive, resulting in the martyrdom of over a score of men, women, and children, in addition to wounding of over thirty other people.

10 solar years ago, on this day in 2010 AD, Leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah Movement, Abdu-Malek al-Howthi, declared that the war imposed by Saudi Arabia on Zaydi Shi’a Muslims, was over and that he will pull his fighters out of the parts of Saudi Arabia they had had captured. More than 150 Saudi invasion soldiers were killed by the Yemeni defenders in the weeks of fierce fighting in the rugged border region. Currently, fresh Saudi invasion of Yemen is nearing two years and has resulted in the martyrdom of almost 14,000 Yemeni men, women, and children. The Saudi aggressors have also lost over a thousand of their troops in addition to heavy loss in tanks, artillery pieces and other weapons. The Ansarullah have in retaliation liberated several border areas that the Saudis had occupied in 1934.

AS/SS