Today is Sunday; 25th of the Iranian month of Mehr 1395 solar hijri; corresponding to 14th of the Islamic month of Muharram 1438 lunar hijri; and October 16, 2016, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1108 lunar years ago, on this day in 330 AH, the Iranian scholar, literary figure, and poet, Hussain ibn Hajjaj Baghdadi, was born. He wrote delicate poetry using attractive terms. Most of his poems are in praise of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) and the Infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt. His verses were compiled in book-form by his famous contemporary, the theologian and literary figure, Seyyed Razi, the compiler of the celebrated book “Nahj al-Balagha”, which is a selection of the sermons, letters and maxims of the Prophet's vicegerent, Imam Ali (AS).

267 solar years ago, on this day in 1758 AD, American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author, Noah Webster was born. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education." His blue-backed speller books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read. His name became synonymous with "dictionary," especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language. In 1806, Webster published his first dictionary, titled "A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language". In 1807 he began compiling an expanded and fully comprehensive dictionary, titled "An American Dictionary of the English Language"; it took eighteen years to complete. To evaluate the etymology of words, Webster learned twenty-six languages, including Old English (Anglo-Saxon), German, Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Arabic, and Sanskrit. He hoped to standardize American speech, since Americans in different parts of the country used different languages. They also spelled, pronounced, and used English words differently. His book contained seventy thousand words, of which twelve thousand had never appeared in a published dictionary before.

223 solar years ago, during the French Revolution, Queen Marie Antoinette was beheaded. Prosecutors claimed she had financially abused the French Monarchy.  Her husband, Louis XVI had been guillotined the previous January, At the time of her execution, she was clad in rags, with her once-dazzling locks shorn by the executioner's assistant,

201 solar years ago, on this day in 1815 AD, the second and final exile of French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, started with his arrival as a British captive on Saint Helena Island, off the coast of South Africa, following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon died in exile in May 1821 AD.

175 lunar years ago, on this day in 1263 AH, the prominent Islamic scholar and narrator of Hadith, Seyyed Sadr od-Din Musawi Ameli, passed away in the Iranian city of Isfahan. He was born in the Jabal Amel region of Lebanon. He left for Iraq at a young age and after completion of his studies in the holy city of Najaf, he honed his skills in theology, jurisprudence and Hadith. He has left behind a comprehensive compilation on jurisprudence and its principles. He also has a book on grammar in which he has extensively quoted from the holy Qur'an.

114 lunar years ago, on this day in 1324 AH, the jurisprudent and exegete of the holy Qur’an, Seyyed Abu’l-Qassim Razavi Lahori bin Seyyed Hassan, passed away in Lahore and was laid to rest in this city which is capital of Pakistan’s Punjab State. Born in Kashmir, he was one of the prominent scholars of the undivided Indian Subcontinent and authored several books including “Burhan Shaqq al-Qamar”  which provides us factual and rational proofs of the miracle in making the moon split at an indication of his finger by the Almighty’s Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).

71 solar years ago, on this day in 1945, FAO or The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger, was set up in Quebec City, Canada, before being shifted to first headquarters in Washington, US. In 1951 it was shifted to its permanent headquarters in Rome, Italy. As a neutral forum, it serves both developed and developing countries and helps them modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries, in order to ensure good nutrition and food security for all. As of 8 August 2013, FAO has 194 member states, along with the European Union (a "member organization"), and the Faroe Islands and Tokelau, which are associate members. Every year on October 16 it organizes World Food Day in member countries. 

70 solar years ago, on this day in 1946 AD, the Nuremburg Tribunal handed death sentences to nine senior German Nazi officials as war criminals. Air force commander, Hermann Goering, who was among those sentenced to death, committed suicide a few hours prior to his execution. Nuremburg tribunal also slapped long term prison terms on nine other senior Nazi officials and acquitted three others. The representatives of the victorious countries, that is, the US, Soviet Union, Britain, and France, presided over the trial, which started on September 30, 1946.

65 solar years ago, on this day in 1951 AD, Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, Liaqat Ali Khan, died at the age of 56 years, after being shot twice in the chest by an assassin at a public meeting in Rawalpindi. Born in an aristocratic family in Karnal, East Punjab of undivided India, he was educated at the Aligarh Muslim University and at the Oxford University in Britain. Trained as lawyer, on his return to India, he rose to prominence as an influential member of the Muslim League led by Mohammad Ali Jinnah. On the birth of Pakistan in 1947, he became the prime minister.

65 solar years ago, on this day in 1952 AD, the famous Indo-Pakistani lawyer, political activist, poet and literary figure, Ghulam Mohi od-Din Bhik Nairang, passed away in Lahore at the age of 76. Born in Ambala in a family that had migrated to India from Tirmiz in Greater Khorasan, he studied law and joined the All-India Muslim League. He was a close friend of the Philosopher-Poet of the East, Allamah Mohammad Iqbal Lahori, and was active in the political and social fields. On the creation of Pakistan he settled in Lahore. In addition to his poetical composition "Kalaam-e Nairang" he was a regular contributor to prestigious Urdu magazines such as "Zamana", “Makhzan”, “Humayun”, “Aligarh Old Boys”, and his own “Tableegh”. His articles on political, national and literary topics also appeared in the prominent newspapers of those.

52 solar years ago, on this day in 1964 AD, China detonated its first atomic bomb, and became the fifth country with nuclear arms after the United States (1945), Great Britain (1953), the Soviet Union (1961), and France. It was exploded in the vicinity of Lop Nor, a lake in a remote area of Central Asia. The Chinese Government stated "This is a major achievement of the Chinese people in their struggle to increase their national defence capability and oppose the US imperialist policy of nuclear blackmail and nuclear threats."

41 solar years ago, on this day in 1975 AD, Rahima Banu, a two-year old girl from the village of Kuralia in Bangladesh, became the last known person to be infected with naturally occurring smallpox. An estimated 300-to-500 million deaths occurred during the 20th century because of smallpox. As recently as 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 15 million people contracted the disease and that two million died in that year. After vaccination campaigns throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the WHO certified the eradication of smallpox in 1979.

30 solar years ago, on this day in 1986 AD, Iranian researcher and translator, Hussein Khadiv Jam, passed away at the age of 59. He was an authority on Persian literature, and served as lecturer at the University of Mashhad in Khorasan. He has left behind thirty books, including the translation of the book: "Kimiya-e Sa'adat" on ethics, written in Arabic by the Iranian Sunni theologian and philosopher, Mohammad Ghazali.

27 solar years ago, on this day in 1989 AD, the prominent Iranian musician, Morteza Hananeh, passed away at the age of 67. He was one of the founders of Tehran Symphonic Orchestra. He also produced movie scores and compiled several books, including: "How to Make a Melody"

21 solar years ago, on this day in 1995 AD, the million-man-march was staged in Washington in front of the White House, by the oppressed Afro-American community, in coordination with the Nation of Islam, in protest to the inhuman policies of US administrations. For the first time, the cry of Allah-o Akbar echoed on the streets of the US, as the various speakers, urged the people to unite in self-help and self-defense against economic and social ills plaguing the Afro-American community.

AS/ME