Today is Wednesday; 19th of the Iranian month of Khordad 1395 solar hijri; corresponding to 2nd of the Islamic month of Ramadhan 1437 lunar hijri; and June 8, 2016, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1383 solar years ago, on this day in 632 AD as per the Gregorian calendar, the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger to mankind, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), passed away in Medina on completion of his 23-year mission that saw the gradual revelation of the final heavenly scripture to entire humanity, the holy Qur’an. Over two months before his departure from the world, he had on God’s express commandment, proclaimed his dear ward, cousin, and son-in-law, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), as vicegerent. The Prophet, ever since his formal declaration of the universal creed of Islam, had stressed the rights and role of Imam Ali (AS) and the Ahl al-Bayt. Unfortunately, some of his companions disobeyed his explicit emphasis by depriving Imam Ali (AS) of the right of political leadership – a factor that has been the cause till this day of the greatest discord in the Islamic ummah. According to the Islamic lunar hijri calendar, the Prophet passed away on 28th Safar 11 AH.

1097 lunar years ago, on this day in 340 AH, the Iranian Arabic literary figure, lexicographer, and theologian, Abdur-Rahman ibn Ishaq az-Zujaji an-Nahawandi, passed away in Damascus. He was a student of the celebrated Ibn Durayd, and among his valuable compilations, mention can be made of “Kitab al-Izzah” and “al-Jamal”.  In his other work, “al-Amali”, he has recorded the statements and maxims of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS).

735 lunar years ago, on this day in 702 AH, the Battle of Marj as-Saffar took place in Syria between the Mamluks of Egypt led by the Qipchaq Turkic Bahri ruler, Sultan Nasser ad-Din Qalawun, and an army of Mongols and Armenians sent by the Iran-based Ilkhanid Emperor, Ghazan Khan, whose general Qutlugh-Shah suffered a disastrous defeat near Kiswe, south of Damascus. The defeat ended Ghazan Khan's invasions of Syria. It is interesting to note that Ghazan Khan, the 7th ruler of the Ilkhanid Dynasty, although born a Buddhist, was baptized and raised as a Christian, and on ascending the throne, embraced the truth of Islam.

326 solar years ago, on this day in 1690 AD, Yadi Sakat, the Siddi Muslim general of Abyssinian origin, razed the Mazagaon Fort in British-held Mumbai, before withdrawing on the orders of his overlord Yaqut Khan of Janjira Island, following Governor John Child’s acceptance of the terms set by Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, for peace including payment of 150,000 rupees (Over a billion USD at present conversion rates). Yaqut Khan was the title given by Aurangzeb to Qasim Khan, the Siddi Naval Admiral and administrator of Janjira Island, who first served under the Bijapur Sultanate of Iranian origin and later under the Mughal Empire. During a Muhgal-British conflict he laid siege to Mumbai in 1689. The Siddis were loyal to the Mughals and had earned a reputation as excellent sea-farers. Earlier also in October, 1672, Yaqut Khan had entered the seven islands of Mumbai and attacked the Marathas, and returned the following year on 10 October 1673, after destroying the towns of Pen and Nagothane. Yaqut, along with Khairiyat Khan, had earlier saved the Portuguese from the Marathas of Sambhaji at Chaul. In 1689, Aurangzeb ordered the Siddis to attack Mumbai for the third time after Indian vessels sailing to Surat were captured in 1686 by the British. The Siddis had adopted Persian language and culture.

207 solar years ago, on this day in 1809 AD, the English philosopher and author, Thomas Paine, died at the age of 74 in New York. He came to New England in what is now the US in 1774, and helped foment the American Revolution through his writings, most notably Common Sense, an incendiary pamphlet advocating independence from Britain. His sixteen “Crisis” papers, published between 1776 and 1783, helped to inspire the colonists during the ordeals of the revolution. He was an active advocate of the French Revolution as well. In his work "Rights of Man", written in reply to Edmund Burke's criticism of the French Revolution, he dismissed monarchy. He opposed slavery and was among the early advocates of social security. In his works, Paine emphasized on faith and monotheism.

161 solar years ago, on this day in 1855 AD, in the wake of a massive earthquake, Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, went up in flames and was completely destroyed. Almost 40,000 people lost their lives and two thirds of homes and commercial establishments were flattened. A total of 2,000 ships, warships, and boats anchored at the port were sunk.

133 solar years ago, on this day in 1783 AD, Laki, a volcano in Iceland, began an eight-month eruption which killed over 9,000 people and started a seven-year famine.

49 solar years ago, on this day in 1967 AD, Israeli air force jets and navy torpedo boats jointly attacked an American technical research ship, the USS Liberty, killing 34 crew members, and wounding 171 others, in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 47.2 km northwest from the Egyptian city of Arish. Surprisingly, the US ruled as "case of mistaken identity" this act of Zionist state terrorism which was intended to force Washington to side more openly with Israel.

49 solar years ago, on this day in 1967 AD, the army of the illegal Zionist entity occupied the Islamic Palestinian city of al-Khalil, naming it Hebron and desecrating the sacred shrine of Prophet Abraham, as well as the Cave of the Patriarchs, when many prophets of God used to worship.

48 solar years ago, on this day in 1968 AD, the prominent Islamic scholar and mystic, Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Hassan Elahi Tabatabai, passed away at the age of 62. Born in Tabriz, northwestern Iran, he left for holy Najaf in Iraq at the age of 19 for higher Islamic studies. After attaining ijtihad he returned to his hometown, Tabriz, and started teaching. Among his valuable works is “A Treatise on the Science of Music and Spiritual Relations with Sounds”.

24 solar years ago, on this day in 1992 AD, the notorious Zionist spy agency, Mossad, assassinated in France, prominent Palestinian security official, Atef Bassiso. It took seven years for the French Police to admit that Mossad had masterminded this terrorist act in France.

AS/ME