Today is Monday; 30th of the Iranian month of Esfand 1395 solar hijri; corresponding to 21stof the Islamic month of Jamadi al-Awwal 1438 lunar hijri; and March 20, 2017, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

Today a little after noon at exactly 13:58:40 hours Tehran time (10:28:40 GMT) occurs the Spring Equinox, known in Iran and the Persianate lands as “Nowrouz” or New Day, that marks the completion of Planet Earth's annual orbit around the sun. Iranians throughout the country usher in the year 1396 solar hijri, which like its lunar counterpart (1438 AH), is dated and calculated as per the auspicious migration from Mecca to Medina on Rabi al-Awwal of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny).

We congratulate all Muslims worldwide on the occasion of Nowrouz, which is celebrated in the Islamic east in countries that were once part of the Persianate World, such as Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kirghizstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, India, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq, and parts of Syria and the Caucasus states. In the Arab world the Spring Equinox is marked as Eid al-Omm or Mother Nature’s Day.

According to a hadith, the Vernal or Spring Equinox is associated with the creation of the Father of mankind, Adam, and believed to be the day when the Ark of Noah came to rest on Mount Joudi after the great deluge; the day the waters parted for Prophet Moses to cross into Sinai from Pharaonic Egypt; the day the Prophet of Islam, following the peaceful surrender of Mecca, lifted Imam Ali (AS) on his shoulders to pull down the idol installed atop the holy Ka'ba by pagan Arabs. It is also the day when Imam Ali (AS) assumed the caliphate or political rule, to start the government of social justice, after being deprived of his right of political leadership of the Islamic realm for 25 years.

2060 solar years ago, on this day in 43 BC, the famous Roman poet,Publius Ovidius Naso, was born in Sulmo, east of the city of Rome in Italy. Known asOvidto the English-speaking world, he lived during the reign of Augustus Caesar, and was a contemporary of the older poets Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the three canonical poets of Latin literature.Ovid is best known for the “Metamorphoses”, a 15-volume continuous mythological narrative written in the meter of epic, and for collections of love poetry in elegiac couplets. His poetry was much imitated during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, and greatly influenced Western art and literature. Ovid enjoyed enormous popularity during his lifetime until one of his poem offended Augustus and he was sent into exile to a remote province on the Black Sea, where he remained until his death in 18 AD.

1430 lunar years ago, on this day in 8 AH, Hazrat Omm Kulthoum (peace upon her), the second and youngest daughter of Imam Ali and Hazrat Fatema Zahra (peace upon them) was born in Medina in the lifetime of her maternal grandfather, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Like her elder sister, Hazrat Zainab, and brothers, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them), she was a picture of virtue, and on growing up married her paternal first cousin Awn ibn Ja’far at-Tayyar, since as a member of the spotlessly pure Ahl al-Bayt, no other man was worthy of her hand, except a faithful Hashemite. Awn was martyred in 38 AH in the War of Siffeen. Omm Kulthoum was present in Karbala at history’s most heartrending tragedy; was taken in chains along with the rest of ladies and children of the Prophet’s blessed household to the court of the tyrant Yazid; delivered memorable sermons, especially in Kufa, to unmask the hypocrisy of the Omayyad regime; and on return to Medina recited the famous elegy “Madinato Jaddona la taqbalina…”(O City of our Grandfather, don’t accept our coming).

1175 solar years ago, on this day in 842 AD, Alfonso II, King of Asturias in northwestern Spain, died, after a reign of over fifty years, during which he was mostly involved in battles against Spanish Muslims, whose territories he pillaged including Islamic Lisbon – presently the capital of Portugal. His invasion and looting of Muslim lands, with the help of Christian mercenaries from other parts of Europe, did not go unpunished. Hisham I, of the sultanate of Cordova, launched a series of military campaigns in the eastern Pyrenees and to the north-west. His generals, Abdul-Karimand Abdul-Majid advanced deeper west into Asturias from the west and the east respectively.

1119 lunar years ago, on this day in 319 AH, the famous hadith scholar, Mohammad binAbdus-Samad al-Baghdadi, passed away. Like his ancestors he dedicated his efforts to collecting authentic narrations from the original sources, quoting Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) and Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). He has also chronicled the event of the Treaty of Hudaibiyya including the Prophet's statement on this day regarding the “wilayah” or divinely-decreed authority of Imam Ali (AS), through Jaberibn Abdullah al-Ansari. His compilation of hadith is esteemed by researchers. One of his narrations from the Prophet reads:

“Those who like to live like me, die like me, and enter the Paradise that Allah has promised me, should follow (Imam) Ali ibnTaleb (AS) and his (infallible) progeny, because they will not deviate you from the path of guidance and will never lead you astray.”

1054 lunar years ago, on this day in 384 AH, the literary figure, historian, and judge, Muhassinibn Ali at-Tanoukhi, passed away at the age of 55. Among his works, mention can be made of the book “al-Faraj Ba’d ash-Shiddah”which covers the historical and social developments of the era. Another of his books is “al-Masajed”. He also left behind a Diwan of Arabic poetry.

780 lunar years ago, on this day in 658 AH, Damascus fell to the Iran-based dynasty of the Ilkhanid Mongols as the ruling Ayyubid Kurds (descendants of Salah od-Din) succumbed to the onslaught, two years after Hulagu Khan had sacked Baghdad and ended the Abbasid caliphate. The attack was led by Kitbugha Noyan, a Turkic Christian general of the Mongols, who built up an alliance with King Hethum I of Armenia and the European Crusader ruler of Antioch, Bohemond VI. The combined forces with the assistance of the Seljuqid Turk auxiliaries had earlier driven out the Ayyubids from Aleppo. On the fall of Damascus, the three Christian warlords (that is, Kitbugha, Hethum and Bohemond) entered the Omayyad Mosque, turned it into a cathedral, and held mass at what is said to be the shrine of John the Baptist.

666 solar years ago, on this day in 1351 AD, Sultan Mohammad Tughluq of India, died in Sindh (in present day Pakistan) on his way to Thatta, after a reign of 26 years, during which he earned the reputation of an eccentric or wise fool for his policies that saw the shifting of the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (1,400 km away) and back, as well as the failed attempt to reform the coinage. Born in Multan to Ghiyas od-Din Tughlaq the founder of the Turkic dynasty, and his Rajput wife, he was named Jauna Khan, and was a scholar well versed in logic, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy and physical sciences. He had knowledge of medicine and was skillful in dialectics. He was also a calligrapher. He was well versed with several languages like Persian, Arabic, Turkish and even Sanskrit. Ibn Battuta, the famous Moroccan traveler, visited India during his reign and was appointed Qazi of Delhi. At times he could be very cruel and flay people for the slightest faults. He dreamt of conquering Iran, Iraq, Central Asia and China, but could not even hold on to the empire he had inherited from his father. During the last years of his reign, he saw various provinces secede from the Delhi Sultanate, especially the Deccan, where his general of Iranian stock, Hassan Gangu Zafar Khan, took the title of Ala od-Din Bahman Shah and founded in 1347 the Bahmani Sultanate which lasted for 180 years, resulting in the birth of a unique Indo-Persian culture, art, architecture, and literature. It is said Mohammad Tughlaq had threatened that on his return to the capital he would punish the famous Mystic, Seyyed Nizam od-Din Auliya for criticizing his eccentric policies. The Mystic on being informed of the threat had smiled and said in Persian "Hanouz Dilli dour ast" (Delhi is still very far), and the Sultan died on his way.

471 solar years ago, on this day in 1546 AD, the renowned Islamic scholar, architect, engineer, mathematician, astronomer and poet, Baha od‐Din Mohammad al‐Ameli, popular as Sheikh Baha’i, was born in Ba’lbek, Lebanon, where his father, Sheikh Izz od-Din Hussain, was a prominent alem of the Jabal Amel region and a student of the famous Shaheed Thani or the Second Martyr. In his childhood, Sheikh Baha’i migrated to Iran with his father, and given his sublime talents, soon started mastering a number of sciences of his day in a short period.Regarded as a leading scholar of his age and a "Mujaddid" (or Revivalist), his erudition won him the admiration of the Safavid Emperor Shah Abbas I, who appointed him Sheikh ol-Islam or the Chief Theologian of Isfahan. He has left behind more than 100 books and treatises in Arabic and Persian. He passed away at the age of 77 in the Safavid capital, Isfahan, and according to his will, his body was taken to Mashhad and buried in the premises of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the 8th Infallible Successor of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Sheikh Baha’i wrote on a wide variety of topics such as exegesis of the holy Qur’an, hadith, grammar, jurisprudence, mathematics, astronomy, and poetry. Among his famous works are: "Jama’e Abbasi" on jurisprudence, "Kashkoul" on philosophy and poetry, "Khulasat al-Hisaab" on mathematics, and "Tashrih al‐Aflaak" or Anatomy of the Celestial Spheres, a summary of theoretical astronomy where he affirms the view that supports the positional rotation of the Earth as it orbits around the sun – long before Copernicus and the Europeans copied it from Islamic World. A number or architectural and engineering designs in Isfahan stand proof to the genius of Shaikh Baha’i, including the Naqsh-e Jahan Square and the Grand Shah Abbas Mosque known as the Imam Mosque today. He also designed and constructed a furnace for a public bath, which still exists in Isfahan. The furnace was warmed by a single candle, which was placed in an enclosure. The candle burned for a long time, warming the bath's water. According to his instructions, the candle's fire would be put out if the enclosure was ever opened. This happened during the restoration and repair of the building and no one has been able to make the system work again. He also designed the Menar Jonban (Shaking Minaret), which still exists in Isfahan. His treatise on mathematics was in use as a textbook until the end of the 19^th century. He is considered one of the main co-founders of Isfahan School of Islamic Philosophy. In later years he became one of the teachers of the famous philosopher, Mullah Sadra.

402 solar years ago, on this day in 1615 AD, Dara Shukoh, the eldest son and unfortunate heir apparent of Shah Jahan the 5^th Grand Mughal Emperor of the northern parts of the Subcontinent, was born in Ajmer to his beloved wife of Iranian origin Arjmand Bano Begum Mumtaz Mahal– whose tomb is the Taj Mahal, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. His name in Persian means "Possessing the Magnificence of Darius". He was 12, when his grandfather, Emperor Jahangir, died and his father succeeded as emperor. In 1642 at the age of 27, he was formally confirmed as heir and promoted to the command of 20,000-foot and 20,000 horse – a matter that made his brothers jealous and some years later led to the breakout of the War of Succession in which he was defeated and killed by his younger brother Prince Mohi od-Din (later the Emperor Aurangzeb). The scholarly Dara, who was well versed in Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit languages, was a follower of the Iranian mystic Sarmad Kashani. He completed the translation of 50 Upanishads from its original Sanskrit into Persian in 1657 and named it “Sirr-e- Akbar” (The Great Mystery). His most famous work is the “Majma’ al-Bahrain” (The Confluence of the Two Seas) – a philosophical work in verse which has been published in Iran. The other books written by him in Persian are “Safinat al-Awliya”, “Sakinatul-Awliya” and his divan titled “Iksir-e Azam”.

290 solar years ago, on this day in 1727 AD, the English physicist, mathematician, and thinker, Isaac Newton, died at the age of 84. He was 24 years old when he prepared the three laws of motion and applied them in regard to celestial bodies. His most important discovery was the universal gravitation. He also made major discoveries in optics.

223 solar years ago, on this day in 1794 AD, the 44-year rule of the Zand Dynasty ended in Iran with the defeat, capture, and later tortuous killing of the extremely handsome and gallant ruler, Lotf Ali Khan, who in a recent battle with his mortal enemy, Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, had almost won the fray and put his opponents to flight, but for a tactical error that proved costly. Founded by Karim Khan, a general of Nader Shah Afshar, the dynasty at one time ruled almost all of Iran, along with Basra and parts of the Caucasus, except for Greater Khorasan. To legitimize his rule, Karim Khan had placed the Safavid prince, Ismail III, as a figurehead, and never took the title of Shah, contenting himself with the honourary epithet “Wakilar-Re’aya” (Representative of the People). He based his administration on social justice, and to this day he has the reputation as one of the most able rulers in Iranian history. On his death, civil war broke out, and none of his successors were able to rule as effectively as he had – fighting each other, oblivious of the danger posed by the Qajar warlord, who after ending Lotf Ali Khan’s 5-year reign, declared himself king of the new dynasty.

202 solar years ago, on this day in 1815 AD, after escaping from Elba, Napoleon entered Paris with a regular army of 140,000 and a volunteer force of around 200,000, beginning his "Hundred Days" rule, which ended with his final defeat and exile at Waterloo.

61 solar years ago, on this day in 1956 AD, Tunisia gained independence from French colonial rule. As of the early 10th century, Tunisia was the seat of the Fatimid caliphs, who were Ismaili Shi’ites and brought the whole of North Africa including Egypt under their control. In 1574 AD, the Ottoman Empire seized control of Tunisia. In 1705, the Cretan Muslim, Hussainibn Ali, who was earlier appointed governor by the Ottomans, founded the Hussainid Dynasty that ruled Tunisia for the two-and-a-half centuries till 1957, even under French colonial rule that had started 1881. After independence, the anti-Islamic HabibBourquiba, seized power and ruled Tunisia with an iron fist for almost three decades. After him, in 1987, Zain al-Abidin bin Ali started his despotic rule, until he was ousted in January 2011 in a popular uprising, which has seen the coming to power of the Islamic party, an-Nahdha, led by Rashed Ghannoushi. Tunisia covers an area of more than 163,000 sq km. it shares borders with Algeria and Libya and is situated south of the Mediterranean Sea.

25 lunar years ago, on this day in 1413 AH, Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Hussain Mir-Jahani Tabatabei passed away at the age of 94 and was buried in his hometown Isfahan. He was a product of Islamic seminary of holy Najaf in Iraq, and on return to Iran lived mostly in holy Mashhad, teaching and writing books. He was noted for his devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Among his works are: “Misbah al-Balagha”, “Nawa’eb ad-Dohour”, and “Wilayat-e Kulliyeh”.

14 solar years ago, on this day in 2003 AD, the US and Britain attacked Iraq under the pretext of finding weapons of mass destruction, which turned out to be a great lie, as no WMD was ever discovered. World opinion and the majority of countries considered the US-British invasion as illegal and in line with the illegitimate interests of controlling oil-rich Iraq. Over a million innocent Iraqis were killed over the past 8 years, and the only positive point was the ouster, trial and execution of Saddam, the tyrannical dictator of the Ba’th minority regime.

11 solar years ago, on this day in 2006 AD, millions of pilgrims, some of them flogging themselves with chains and the rest beating their chests in grief, gathered in the holy city of Karbala, in Iraq, to commemorate the anniversary of the traditional Arba’een or 40^thday of mourning after the tragic martyrdom ofImam Husain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). Since then, the number of pilgrims to Karbala has greatly increased, and this year (20^th Safar 1438 AH), at least 25 million mourners from all over the world had assembled at the shrine of the Chief of Martyrs.

2 solar years ago, on this day in 2015 AD, in one of the rare phenomena of nature, a Solar Eclipse, Equinox, and a Supermoon, all occurred on the same day.

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