Today is Tuesday; 9th of the Iranian month of Shahrivar 1395 solar hijri; corresponding to 27th of the Islamic month of Zi'l-Qa'dah 1437 lunar hijri; and August 30, 2016, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

653 solar years ago, on this day in 1363 AD, start of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders, Chen Youliang and Zhu Yuanzhang, were pitted against each other in what is one of the largest naval battles in history, during the last decade of the ailing, Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. Following this victory, Zhu emerged as the strongest of warlords fighting for supremacy in China, and in 1367 he defeated Zhang Shicheng's Kingdom of Dazhou, which granted him authority over the lands north and south of the Yangtze River. The other major warlords surrendered to him and on 20 January 1368, Zhu proclaimed himself the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty in Nanjing and adopted the title "Hongwu". His dynasty's mission was to drive away the Mongols and restore Han Chinese rule in China. The Hongwu Emperor ruled for 30 years, and although born a Buddhist, he embraced the Confucian doctrine and showed inclination towards Islam. He ordered the construction of several mosques in Nanjing, Yunnan, Guangdong, Xijing and Fujian, and had inscriptions placed in them in praises of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). He rebuilt the Jinjue Mosque in his capital Nanjing, and large numbers of the Muslim Hui people moved to the city during his rule. He had some ten Muslim generals in his military, including Chang Yuchun, Lan Yu, Ding Dexing, Mu Ying, Feng Sheng and Hu Dahai. He personally wrote the 100-word praise known as ‘baizizan’ on Islam, Allah and Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).

639 solar years ago, on this day in 1377 AD, Shah Rukh, ruler of Central Asia and Iran was born. He was the fourth and youngest son of the fearsome Turkic conqueror, Amir Timur, and succeeded him to the eastern portion of the empire, while the western portion was lost to the Turkmen tribes of Qara Qoyunlu (Black Sheep) and the Aq Qoyunlu (White Sheep). His mother was Iranian and his rule lasted for 42 years from 1405 to 1447. His empire controlled the main trade routes between East and West, including the legendary Silk Road, and became immensely wealthy as a result. Shah Rukh chose to have his capital not in Samarqand, but in Herat. This was to become the political centre of the Timurid Empire and residence of his principal successors, though both cities benefited from the wealth and privilege of Shah Rukh's court, which was a great patron of arts and sciences. His wife, Gowhar Shad, who was an Iranian lady, funded the construction of two outstanding mosques and theological colleges in holy Mashhad and Herat. He died during a visit to Rayy (near modern Tehran) and was succeeded by his son, Mohammad Ulugh Beg, the famous scientist.

447 solar years ago, on this day in 1569 AD, the 4th Moghul Emperor of the Northern Subcontinent and Eastern Afghanistan, Noor od-Din "Jahangir" (World Grasper), was born in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra, to Emperor Jalal od-Din Akbar and one of his Rajput wives. He ascended the throne in 1605 and died in Lahore in what is now Pakistan, after a reign of 22 years, during which he ruled mostly with the assistance of his Iranian wife, Noor Jahan, the daughter of the minister, Mirza Ghiyas Beg Tehrani E'temad od-Dowla. Named Mohammad Salim at his birth, he maintained excellent relations with Shah Abbas the Great of Iran. He was also a poet and writer in both Persian and his native Chaghtai Turkic. The bleak record of his rule, however, was the execution of the prominent Iranian Islamic scholar in Agra, Qazi Seyyed Noorollah Shushtari, the author of such famous books as “Majalis al-Momineen” and “Ehqaaq al-Haq”. The king was under the influence of alcohol when he signed the decree drafted by jealous court mullahs. Later he rued his decision and with the help of his wife, he executed the perpetrators of the murder of Qazi Shushtari, who is famous in India as Shaheed-e Thalis (Third Martyr).

236 lunar years ago, on this day in 1200 AH, the Indian Muslim writer, historian, and famous poet of Persian and Arabic, Mir Ghulam Ali Hussaini Waseti, known by his pen name of Azad Bilgrami, passed away at the age of 84. He was born in Bilgram, in north India, and gained reputation for his mastery over literature. He stayed for two years in Delhi, then visited Lahore and Multan and lived for five years in Sind. He then traveled to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, where he devoted himself to religious studies. He returned from Arabia to India and lived in the city of Aurangabad in the Deccan till his death. The King of Yemen acknowledged his poetic qualities and accorded him the title of “Hassaan al-Hind”, or Hassaan of India, a reference to the Arabic poet, Hassaan Ibn Thabit, who lived in the time of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Azad compiled two diwans of poetry in Arabic and Persian. Mention could also be made of his book "Ghezalaan-e Hind" a book on Indian womanhood as reflected in Persian literature.

219 solar years ago, on this day in 1797 AD, Mary Wollstonecraft (Godwin) Shelley, the writer of "Frankenstein," or the Modern Prometheus, was born in London. She took the surname ‘Shelly’ after marrying her paramour, the poet Percy Shelly. In 1818, she anonymously published the novel as an attack on industrialization. This famous tale of a flawed artificial life experiment that produced a monster grew out of a visit at Lord Byron's villa with her husband. There, she shared in a discussion of galvanism, the possibility of reanimating dead matter, and even bringing life to a corpse. Byron suggested writing on the fantasy. Mary completed a full novel. Byron wrote briefly about the vampire legend he had learned about while in the Balkans, expanded by John Polidoni in “The Vampyre” (1819). Two classic horror subjects were thus born together.

203 solar years ago, on this day in 1813 AD, over 500 US troops lost their life in Fort Mims, north of Mobile in what is now Alabama State when Creek Amerindians had no other choice but to defend their land, properties and honour during one of those genocidal battles imposed on the natives by the White rulers.

161 lunar years ago, on this day in 1276 AH, the Source of Emulation, Grand Ayatollah Allamah Mirza Mohammad Hussain Na'ini, was born in the central Iranian city of Na'in in a religious family. He completed his preliminary studies in his hometown before leaving for Iraq for higher studies at the famous seminary of holy Najaf. He studied under such prominent ulema as Mirza Hassan Shirazi (famous for his fatwa against tobacco consumption in order to save Iranian economy from British exploitation). Besides theology he was well versed in mathematics, philosophy, and mysticism. Among his most important compilations, mention can be made of “Tanbih al-Ummah va Tanziha al-Millah” which outlines the duties of ulema and people and the necessity of campaign against tyrannical regimes. This was an effective step by Grand Ayatollah Na’ini in awakening the Iranian people, whose struggles against local despotism and foreign hegemony were to triumph decades later under the guidance of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). Among his other books is “Wasilat an-Naja'at”. He passed away at the age of 79

94 solar years ago, on this day in 1922 AD, the final battle of the 4-year Greek War against Turkey was fought at Dumlupinar, resulting in a victory for the Turks and end of ambitions of British-backed Greece to occupy Asia Minor and seize Istanbul – on the flimsy claims of ancient Greek rule over the areas.

48 solar years ago, on this day in 1968 AD, a devastating 7.3 degree earthquake hit the Dasht-e Bayaz region in south of Khorasan, in Iran, killing over 10,000 people, injuring 17,000 others, and destroying 60,000 buildings

25 solar years ago, on this day in 1991 AD, the Republic of Azerbaijan declared its independence from the Soviet Union. This land has been integral part of Iran since pre-history, and was occupied by the Russians in the early 19th century. Following the Russian revolution, Azerbaijan became independent as a republic as of the year 1918. But, this independence was short-lived and only lasted for two years. In late 1980s, on the verge of Soviet Union’s collapse, the independence-seeking activities increased in Azerbaijan Republic. The Republic of Azerbaijan officially declared its independence on August 30, 1991, while it was at loggerheads with its neighbor, Armenia, about the Qarabagh region, which continues to this day. The Republic of Azerbaijan is situated in West Asia and lies on the coastlines of the Caspian Sea. It covers an area of almost 86600 sq km and shares borders with Iran, Armenia, Georgia, and Russia.

19 solar years ago, on this day in 1997 AD, prominent architectural historian and architect, Mohammad Karim Pirnia, passed away at the age of 77. Born in Naeen in central Iran, he studied at what came to be Tehran University School of Fine Arts. His textbook on the history of Iranian architecture is still used in universities across Iran. In addition to his native Persian, he was well versed in Arabic and Hebrew, as well as the extinct Pahlavi, and Cuneiform languages. Known as Father of Traditional Iranian Architecture, Pirnia taught for several years at Iranian universities, and wrote several books, such as “Introduction to Iran’s Islamic Architecture”, “Geometrical Designs in Architecture”, and “Styles of Iranian Architecture”.  

17 solar years ago, on this day in 1999 AD, the people of East Timor, in Southeast Asia, in a referendum, voted for independence from Indonesia. The East Timor Island, in addition to other Indonesian Islands was occupied by Portugal, in the year 1511 AD. However, after the domination of Indonesia by Holland in mid-19th Century, only East Timor remained under the rule of Portugal. Indonesia gained its independence in the year 1945. But, Portugal continued to occupy East Timor till 1976. On this year, the Indonesian troops replaced Portuguese forces and East Timor came under the rule of Indonesia. Following the fall of General Suharto in the year 1998, and emergence of a political crisis in Indonesia, the independence-seeking movement in East Timor developed and this territory became independent with the support of the UN and Western governments.

15 solar years ago, on this day in 2001 AD, Ayatollah Ismail Salehi Mazandarani, passed away at the age of 68. After completing his religious studies in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad, he taught at the seminaries. He was politically active against the British-installed and US-supported Pahlavi regime, which imprisoned him and banished him to remote areas. After victory of the Islamic Revolution, he was entrusted with important posts and wrote several books, such as “Miftah al-Baseerah fi Fiqh ash-Shari’ah”, and “Wilyat-e Faqih” (Governance of the Supreme Jurisprudent).

2 solar years ago, on this day in 2014 AD, Iraqi security forces, along with the popular forces of Shi’a Muslims and Kurdish fighters launched a major operation to break the more than two-month siege of Amerli, a Turkmen-majority town in northern Iraq, which was surrounded by the Godless Takfiri terrorists. The next day the siege was completely broken as Takfiri terrorists fled after suffering heavy losses. Thousands of men, women, and children trapped for more than two months with dwindling food and water supplies were liberated and offered prayers of gratitude to God Almighty.

One lunar year ago, on this day in 1436 AH a crane collapsed in the eastern part of the Masjid al-Haraam or the Sacred Grand Mosque housing the holy Ka’ba, resulting in the death of 107 pilgrims, including 11 Iranians, and injury to 238 other pilgrims. The majority of those who died were Indians, Pakistanis, and Indonesians. It was an act of carelessness of the Saudi regime, although sabotage by the Wahhabi cult has not been ruled out, in view of the criminal record of this clique.

AS/ME