Today is Friday; 31st of the Iranian month of Shahrivar 1396 solar hijri; corresponding to the 1st of the Islamic month of Muharram 1439 lunar hijri; and September 22, 2017, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

Several thousand years ago, on this day, Prophet Idris was raised to the heavens on completion of his mission to restore monotheism to mankind after people had deviated from the worship of the One and Only God, and taken to weird forms of polytheism including fire-worship. His name was Anoukh (Enoch in the Bible) and he is believed to be 7th in line of descent from the Father of the human race, Adam. The reason he was called Idris is because of possessing great wisdom and knowledge, which he used to teach others. According to exegesis he taught to mankind the art of weaving cloth and sewing garments, since in those days people used to wear animal skins. He was the first to invent writing and use the pen, as well as being the first to record and measure the movement of the stars and set up scientific weights and measures. He was the great-grandfather of Prophet Noah and his house was the Sahla Mosque that lies outside the city of Kufa in Iraq. Idris is often called the "Prophet of the Philosophers" and several works are attributed to him. He built many cities including monuments in western Egypt. Interestingly, the Sahla Mosque will be the home of Imam Mahdi (AS), the 12th and Last Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) who will establish the global government of peace, prosperity and justice.

1445 lunar years ago, on this day, in the 6th year before Hijra, the pagan Arab leaders of Mecca, fearful of the spread of the monotheistic liberating creed of Islam, signed an accord to impose economic-social sanctions on Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), thereby banning all trade ties and any relations with the fledgling Muslim community. The Prophet's uncle and guardian, Abu Taleb (AS) took the Muslims under his care and retired to a gorge outside Mecca which still bears his name as Sh'eb Abi Taleb. During this 3-year period, the Muslims suffered acute hardships, and in order to ease their economic plight, the Prophet's wife, Omm al-Momineen Khadija (SA), spent all her vast wealth on their basic needs, to the extent that she passed away in poverty for the sake of Islam. It was the duty of the Prophet's young cousin and ward, Imam Ali (AS) to procure grains for the besieged Muslims by risking his life and limbs. As the sanctions and boycott failed to have their effect, the frustrated Arab pagans lifted the siege three years later, and when they unlocked the box containing the accord, they were surprised to see that all its contents, except the Name of God, had been eaten by termites. Sadly, just before the lifting of the siege and sanctions, the Prophet became a widower as his one and only wife of twenty-five long years, the Mother of all True Believers, Hazrat Khadija (SA) passed away, leaving as orphan her young daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA).

1419 lunar years ago, on this day in 20 AH, the ancient land of Egypt was liberated by Muslim forces from the oppressive rule of the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire. The Egyptian people welcomed the Muslims as liberators, and most of them by renouncing Christianity, accepted Islam.

1358 lunar years ago, on this day in 81 AH, Mohammad al-Hanafiyya passed away at the age of 66. He was a son of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), while his mother was Khowla, whom the Imam had married a couple of years after the martyrdom of his beloved wife, the Prophet's daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA). Known for his piety, courage and rectitude; during his father's caliphate he was one of the four chief lieutenants, and distinguished himself in the Battles of Jamal and Siffin. Due to ill health he did not accompany his brother, the Prophet’s younger grandson, Imam Husain (AS), to Karbala, and after the tragedy, he was considered head of the House of Imam Ali (AS), since his nephew Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS) preferred to keep a low profile. It was in Mohammad al-Hanafiyya's name that Mukhtar Ibn Abu Obaida launched the uprising in Kufa to avenge the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS).

807 lunar years ago, on this day in 632 AH, the Iranian Shafei mystic, Shehab od-Din Omar Ibn Mohammad Suhravardi, passed away. Born in the village of Suhravard, near Zanjan, 300 km northwest of Tehran, in a family that traced its descent to Martyr Mohammad Ibn Abu Bakr – an adopted son and governor of Egypt of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (AS) – he expanded the Suhravardiyya Sufi order founded by his paternal uncle, Abu Najib Suhravardi. He wrote the mystical work, “Awaref al-Ma’aref” (Gifts of Deep Knowledge) and among his disciples was the famous Iranian poet, Shaikh Sa’di Shirazi. It is worth noting that Qamar od-Din Khan Asef Jah Nizam ul-Mulk the Founder of the Asef Jahi Dynasty of Haiderabad-Deccan in India, was a direct descendent of Shehab od-Din Suhravardi the Mystic – not be confused with his namesake, compatriot and contemporary, the philosopher of the Illuminationist School.

497 solar years ago, on this day in 1520 AD, the Ottoman sultan, Selim I, died at the age of 55 after a reign of 8 years, some 3 years after seizing Syria and Egypt from the Mamluk rulers and declaring himself caliph, although he had no right or legitimacy even from the Sunni point of view. In 1512, he had usurped the throne by dethroning his father, Bayazid II and immediately embarked on fratricide, killing his brothers and cousins. An accomplished poet in both his native Turkish and in Persian, he was of violent temper and notorious for his frequent killing of his viziers and the genocide of Shi'ite Muslims in Anatolia because of his fears of the growing influence of the Safavid Dynasty of Iran, against whom he was lucky to win the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514. His bid to build an alliance with Ubaydollah Khan Shaybani of Bukhara and the Timurid prince of Kabul, Zaheer od-Din Babar, against the Safavids failed. Babar (the future founder of the Mughal Empire of the Subcontinent) spurned the offer and opted to join Shah Ismail, while Shaybani was killed in battle by Iranians.

478 solar years ago, on this day in 1539 AD, the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, passed away at the age of 70 in Kartarpur in what is now Pakistan’s Punjab province. Born in what is now Nankana Sahib near Lahore in Pakistan, on growing up he became disillusioned by the weird practices of the Hindus such as idol-worship, the divisive caste system, etc. He travelled widely, as far as Baghdad and holy Mecca, and as is clear from his teachings, he became profoundly impressed by the egalitarian principles of the divine message of Islam. He thus taught that God is One, is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, without shape and form, not bound by time, and cannot be perceived by the physical eye of creatures. According to him the Sikhs should have control over their internal vices and adhere to the virtues clarified in their religious book, the Guru Granth Sahib. Among prohibitions in Sikhism are idol-worship and superstition, ban on consumption of all sorts of intoxicants (alcohol, drugs, and even tobacco), abstention from adultery and extra marital relations, and refraining from cutting hair. The Sikh population is estimated to be 30 million worldwide, with the majority of them living in India, especially in Punjab State.  

428 lunar years ago, on this day in 1011 AH, Shaikh Hassan Ibn Zain od-Din, passed away at the age of 52 in his homeland Lebanon. Son of the famous “Shaheed Thani” (Second Martyr), he was a product of the Najaf Seminary in Iraq. He wrote the famous book “Ma’alem al-Usoul”. In Lebanon he groomed numerous students.

315 solar years ago, on this day in 1702 AD, Ottoman Grand Vizier, Koprulu Hussein Pasha, passed away at the age of 58 after five years as prime minister. Of Albanian origin, he had spent his youth in the Ottoman Province of Bulgharistan (Bulgaria), and had taken part as a senior military officer in the failed siege of Vienna in 1683. He was appointed Grand Vizier by Sultan Mustafa in 1697 following the disastrous Turkish defeat in the Battle of Zenta by European powers that resulted in the signing of the humiliating Peace Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699, according to which the Ottomans ceded to the Habsburg Monarchy, all of the Province of Majaristan (Hungary) including Transylvania; while Podolia was given to Poland and most of Dalmatia and Morea (the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece) passed to Venice. Hussein Pasha carried out significant reforms in agriculture, economy and military. As a member of the Mowlavi Dervesh Order founded in Anatolia by the famous Iranian mystic and Persian poet, Mowlana Jalal od-Din Balkhi Roumi, he was close to ordinary Muslims and was concerned with the needs of the common people as well as those of the military and bureaucratic classes.

228 solar years ago, on this day in 1789 AD, the Battle of Ramnic took place in Wallachia, near Ramnicu Sarat, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792. Russian general Alexander Suvorov, acting together with the Habsburg general Prince Josias of Coburg, attacked the main Ottoman army under Grand Vizier Hassan Pasha to inflict a crushing defeat.

226 solar years ago, on this day in 1791 AD, British physicist, Michael Faraday, was born near London. He initially worked in a bookshop, where he studied scientific works. A few years later, he became a laboratory assistant to the physicist, Humphrey Davy at the Royal Institution. His most important work was in electromagnetism, in which field he demonstrated electromagnetic rotation and discovered electromagnetic induction (the key to the development of the electric dynamo and motor). With this discovery in 1831, a huge step was taken in the scientific field. His inventions of electromagnetic rotary devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became practical for use in technology. He made valuable experiments in the fields of chemistry, metallurgy, and development of electrical lamps. One of the important rules of physics, the SI unit of capacitance is named in his honour: the farad. He was one of the first scientists who managed to liquefy many gases, including chlorine. He died at the age of 76.

189 solar years ago, on this day in 1828 AD, Shaka Zulu, the founder of the Zulu Kingdom in present day South Africa, was killed by his two step brothers after a reign of 13 years. One of his brothers who succeeded him fought the Dutch invaders, known as Boers, from 1830 to 1839. In 1880, the new colonial power, Britain, occupied the Zulu kingdom and divided it into several parts. Zulus are currently considered a powerful minority in South Africa and are represented by the Inkatha Freedom Party.

157 solar years ago, on this day in 1860 AD, war broke out between China and a joint invasion force of the French and British. The poorly-equipped Chinese suffered defeat and the British-French force plundered Beijing. China was forced to sign a treaty giving numerous concessions to Britain and France to monopolize Chinese seaports.

145 solar years ago, on this day in 1872 AD, Vladimir Dal, Russian lexicographer and linguist, died in Moscow at the age 71. He knew six languages including Turkic and is considered to be one of the early Turkologists. His magnum opus, titled “Explanatory Dictionary of the Live Great Russian Language” was published in four huge volumes. He also compiled a 100-page report titled: "Investigation on the Murder of Christian Children by the Jews and the Use of Their Blood." He said after due investigation that present-day Jews seem to have abandoned this sordid practice, which was carried out mostly by Hasidic Jews who used the blood of Christian children for magical purposes.

136 solar years ago, on this day in 1881 AD, Qajarid Iran was forced to officially recognize Russia's annexation of the ancient Iranian land of Khwarezm in Central Asia through the Treaty of Akhal. Following Iran’s defeat in 1860, and with the increasing occupation of its territories in the southern Caucasus by Russia, and eastern Khorasan by Britain and the Afghans; Moscow stepped up its campaign to take full control of Central Asia. Forces led by Generals Mikhail Skobelev, Ivan Lazarev and Konstantin Kaufman led the campaign, while Iran was unable to react. The immobilized Naser od-Din Shah sent foreign secretary Mirza Sa'eed Khan Mo'tamen ol-Mulk to meet Ivan Zinoviev and sign the treaty, by virtue of which Iran would henceforth cease any claim to all parts of Transoxiana, setting the Atrak River as the new boundary. Three years later in 1884, the historical Iranian cities of Merv, Sarakhs, Ishqabad, and the surrounding areas were transferred to Russian control, and are now part of the modern republic of Turkmenistan. Khwarezm is a large oasis region on the River Oxus delta in West-Central Asia, bordered to the north by the Aral Sea, to the east the Qyzylkum Desert, to the south the Qarakum Desert and to the west the Ustyurt Plateau. Its famous capitals where Iranian scholars and scientists flourished were Kath, Gurganj and from the 16th century onwards Khiva. Today Khwarezm is divided among the republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

57 solar years ago, on this day in 1960 AD, the northwest African country of Mali gained independence from French colonial rule. An ancient centre of civilization, Mali had accepted Islam over a thousand years ago and founded a glorious Muslim empire that lasted till the 16th century. The first attacks were made by Morocco that led to the disintegration of the Mali Empire and in the subsequent centuries paved the way for France to penetrate and occupy it by 1898. Mali which was called French Sudan gained autonomy in 1958 followed by independence in 1960. It covers an area of over 1.2 million sq km and shares borders with Algeria, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Senegal.

52 solar years ago, on this day in 1965 AD, the second Indo-Pakistani War (also known as the Second Kashmir War between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, ended after the UN called for a ceasefire. India's Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, suffered a fatal heart attack soon after the declaration of the ceasefire, during the peace talks in Tashkent with Pakistan’s president, General Ayyub Khan, under the auspices of the Soviet Union.

44 lunar years ago, on this day in 1395 AH, Ayatollah Seyyed Abu’l-Hassan Rafi’i Qazvini, passed away at the age of 85 in his hometown Qazvin and was laid to rest in Qom in the mausoleum of Hazrat Ma’souma (SA). A student of Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Ha’eri, the Reviver of the Qom Seminary, he was in turn the teacher of such famous figures as Ayatollah Mahdavi Kani, Ayatollah Hassan Hassanzadeh Amoli and the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA). He belonged to a family with a long line of Mujtaheds and Gnostic ancestors. In the last thirty years of his life, he settled in his hometown and revived the Qazvin seminary.

39 lunar years ago, on this day in 1400 AH, some 300 men, led by Juhaiman al-Otaiba seized Islam's holiest site, the Masjid al-Haraam or Sacred Mosque that houses the holy Ka'ba in Mecca, as part of their uprising against the British-created Saudi regime. The Wahhabi minority regime refused to listen to the demands for reforms by the group and after besieging them for two weeks in the Masjid al-Haraam it sacrilegiously stormed this holiest site with the assistance of non-Muslim French troops, resulting in a great bloodbath around the holy Ka'ba. At least 244 people were massacred. The captured were never brought before public or given a fair trial. Over a year-and-a-half later, 36 more people were beheaded by the Saudi regime.

38 solar years ago, on this day in 1979 AD, Indian-Pakistani Islamic scholar and journalist, Abu’l-Ala Maududi, passed away at the age of 76 in Buffalo New York State, US, where he was undergoing medical treatment. Born in Aurangabad, in the Hyderabad-Deccan Muslim state, he migrated to Pakistan on its creation. Earlier in 1941, he had founded the Jama’at-e Islami in British India, which is now the largest Islamic organisation in Pakistan. His numerous works were written in Urdu and included the analytical book titled “Khilafat va Muloukiyat” (Caliphate and Monarchy), in which he has strongly criticized Osman ibn Affan, the 3rd self-styled caliph, as incompetent and unworthy.

37 solar years ago, on this day in 1980 AD, Saddam of the repressive Ba’th minority regime of Baghdad, six days after tearing in front of TV cameras the 1975 Algiers Accord, launched an unprovoked invasion of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the behest of his masters in London and Washington, by air, land and sea. He occupied vast parts of southwestern and western Iran. In response the Iranians started the holy defence that thwarted all plans of the occupier and his eastern and western backers. For 8 years, the Iranian Muslims defended their homeland and managed to drive out the Ba’thist forces from almost all occupied Iranian territory. The US and Saddam, fearing the impact of the Islamic Revolution had resorted to wanton war, but as is clear today by the friendly ties between the Iranian and Iraqi people, they failed miserably. Every year Iran commemorates the Holy Defence Week to promote and preserve its egalitarian values.

34 lunar years ago, on this day in 1405 AH, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Abdullah Musavi Shirazi, passed away in holy Mashhad at the age of 92 and was laid to rest in the mausoleum of Imam Reza (AS), the 8^th Infallible Heir of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Born in Shiraz, he was 15 years old when he accompanied his father, Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Tahir Shirazi, into banishment to remote areas for opposing the Qajarid dynasty’s subservience to British colonial rule. In 1914, Abdullah Shirazi went to Iraq to study advanced jurisprudence at the seminary of holy Najaf, under Ayatollah Mirza Mohammad Hussain Na’eni. On his return to Iran, he became active against the anti-Islamic rule of Reza Khan Pahlavi, and following the Gowharshad Mosque protests of 1935 against the forcible unveiling of women, he was sentenced to 4 years in prison. After his release, he went back to Najaf, and soon became one of the leading Marja or Source of Emulation. In 1975, he returned to Iran and joined the movement of the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, until the regime was overthrown in 1979. He was socially active, both inside and outside Iran, and wrote several books, such as “Umdat-il Wasa'il fil Hashiyat ila ar-Rasa'il” (on writings of Shaikh Morteza Ansari, in 4 volumes); “Azahat ush-Shubahat fi Hukm il-Afaaq al-Muttahidah wa’l Mottafiqah” (Jurisprudential Rules on Observation of the Moon for Calculations of the Solar Calendar); “At-Tuhfat ol-Kadhimiyah fi Qatl al-Hayawanat bil-Alaat al-Kahruba'iyah”  (Jurisprudential Rules concerning Slaughtering of Farm Animals with Electric Devices); “Al-Ihtejajaat al-Ashra” (Discussion on the Sunni-Shi'a Debate – translated into Persian, English, Urdu, and Gujarati, and published several times); and “Imam wa Imamat” (in Persian on the topic of Imamate in Islam). Ayatollah Abdullah Shirazi founded over 180 institutes, including hospitals, schools, and libraries in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, and African countries.

16 solar years ago, on this day in 2001 AD, the Islamic Republic of Iran opened in Tehran the First Universal Exhibition of Holy Culture and Defense with the theme of the Islamic Revolution and the 8-year war imposed by the US (1980-88) through Saddam of the repressive Ba’th minority regime of Baghdad.

11 solar years ago, on this day in 2006 AD, Lebanon’s legendry anti-terrorist movement, the Hezbollah celebrated "Divine Victory" over the illegal Zionist entity, in a massive demonstration in Beirut, following Israel’s shattering defeat in its 33-day unprovoked war.

AS/ME