Today is Wednesday; 22nd of the Iranian month of Farvardin 1397 solar hijri; corresponding to 24th of the Islamic month of Rajab 1439 lunar hijri; and April 11, 2018, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

1527 solar years ago, on this day in 491 AD, palace official Flavius Anastasius was placed on the throne of Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire, as Emperor Anastasius I, by the deceased Emperor Zeno’s widow, Aelia Ariadne (daughter of Emperor Leo I), who subsequently married him to grant legitimacy to his rule. A person with one eye black and one eye blue that earned him the nickname “Dicorus” or the "Two-Pupiled", a decade later he started war against Iran’s Sassanid Empire in what is now south-central Turkey. Known as the Anastasian War, the 4-year seesaw struggle fought from 502 to 506, was the first major conflict between the two superpowers since the Peace Treaty of 442, and would be prelude to a long series of destructive wars over the next century that would result in the weakening of both the empires and their conquest by Arab Muslim armies with the rise of Islam. The cause of war was the demand by Qobad I, the 19^th Sassanid Emperor, for money to pay his debts to the Hephthalites (eastern Iranian tribes and ancestors of Pashtuns of Afghanistan-Pakistan). The situation between Rome and Iran was also exacerbated by changes in the flow of the Tigris in lower Mesopotamia (Iraq), sparking famines and flood. When Anastasius refused to pay, Qobad seized the city of Theodosiopolis, and then captured Amida (Diyarbakr in modern Turkey). The year 503 saw more warfare without decisive results: the Romans attempted an unsuccessful siege of Amida while the Iranians invaded Osroene and laid siege to Edessa. In 504 Anastasius gained the upper hand by retaking Amida, which made Qobad to agree to an armistice because of the invasion of Armenia in the Caucasus by the Huns. Fighting, however, continued until late 506 when a treaty was finally agreed and Rome had to make payment to the Iranians. Although no large-scale conflict took place during the rest of Anastasius's reign, the building of Roman defenses in Anatolia became a lasting source of controversy with the Persians, who called it violation of the Treaty of 422, by which both empires had agreed not to establish new fortifications in the frontier zone.

1432 lunar years ago, on this day in 7 AH, the impregnable fortress of Qamous in the vast tract of Khaybar, 150 km north of Medina on the road to Syria, was single-handedly captured by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), who after overcoming in personal combat the fearsome Israelite warlord, Marhab, pulled from its hinges the huge gateway that several Jewish strongmen used to open and close. Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) had to undertake the campaign on learning of the plots and seditions of the ever-rebellious Israelites, who in violation of the accords were contemplating military measures, including raid on Medina, in addition to their funding of pagan Arab tribes to attack Muslims from time to time. The Prophet’s sudden arrival on the scene with some 1,500 Muslims caught the estimated 10,000 armed Israelite force off guard, and forced the leaders of various Jewish tribes to agree to pay tribute. Of the forts that resisted, the Muslims forced almost all of them to surrender after several weeks of siege. The main Israelite fortress of Qamous not just continued to hold out but its defenders drove away with losses the expeditions led by the Prophet’s companions. At last the Prophet said he would give the command tomorrow to the person “who loves God and the Prophet and is in turn loved by God and the Prophet; an intrepid attacker (Karrar) who never retreats (Ghayra Farrar).” On the morning the Prophet invoked the famous phrase “Nad-e Aliyyan Mazhar al-Aja’eb” (Call Ali the Manifestation of Wonders). His dear cousin and son-in-law, who because of eye inflammation was not present in the camp, was brought to him. The Prophet applied his saliva to the Imam’s eyes, which were miraculously cured. The rest is history, and the Prophet gave fair terms to the Jews after surrender, allowing them to live in peace. It is worth noting that before this campaign the Prophet had received the vast orchard of Fadak as a personal gift without the involvement of Muslims, arms, and hostilities. On God’s command he gave Fadak to his daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA), who used to spend its income on the poor and needy until it was seized from her by the first and second self-styled caliphs.

1338 lunar years ago, on this day in 101 AH, the Omayyad ruler, Omar bin Abdul-Aziz, died due to poisoning of his food after a reign of three years during which he renounced the oppressive and un-Islamic policies of his predecessors. One of his first acts on becoming caliph was to issue a decree to halt the blasphemous cursing of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), during Friday prayer sermons – a sacrilegious practice begun by the hardcore heathen, Mu’awiyya ibn Abu Sufyan, who through such acts intended to keep the growing neo Muslim population ignorant of the God-given right to rule of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAWA) rightful successor. Omar ibn Abdul-Aziz next returned to the Ahl al-Bayt the large tract of Fadak whose income had now swelled to 40,000 dinars, since this was the property of the Prophet’s daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) from whom the first and second self-styled caliphs had illegally seized. He is also credited with various other reforms like abolition of drinking, forbidding public nudity, and elimination of mixed bathrooms for men and women, which the Godless Omayyad caliphs had initiated. He was succeeded by the ungodly Yazid bin Abdul-Malik, who immediately reversed the policies of his predecessor and again seized Fadak.

1100 lunar years ago, on this day in 339 AH, famous Islamic scientist and philosopher, Abu Nasr Mohammad al-Farabi, passed away at the age of 82 in Aleppo, Syria, where he was a luminary at the court of Amir Saif od-Dowla. Born in an Iranian family in Farab, beside the River Jaxartes in Central Asia, after preliminary education he set out for the then centre of the Islamic world, Baghdad, where he studied philosophy, especially Aristotle's peripatetic philosophy under the Christian scholar, Yuhanna bin Haylan. Farabi mastered Greek language and wrote commentaries on Aristotle’s works, winning acclaim as “Mo'allem ath-Thani” (Second Teacher), while Aristotle was “Mo'allem al-Awwal” (First Teacher). Farabi's school of philosophy breaks from Plato and Aristotle and moves from metaphysics to methodology, a move that anticipates modernity. As a follower of the Ahl al-Bayt of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), he admitted limits of human knowledge, compared to divinely-revealed wisdom. He says in the preface of his work “Ehsa al-Oloum” that his most important goal in writing this book is to present a list of the various branches of sciences of his era and cognize the main and secondary elements of each particular branch of knowledge. He strove to prove that there is no contradiction between rationalistic philosophy and Islam. He is thus regarded as founder of Islamic political science. Farabi’s most important views are raised in his books like “Kitab as-Siyasah” (Book of Politics), and “as-Siyasat al-Madaniyah” (Civics). He viewed religion as a symbolic rendering of the Ultimate Truth, and, like Plato, saw it as the duty of the philosopher to provide guidance to the state. He, however, differed from the Platonic view and said the “Medinat-al-Fazela” or Perfect State is the one that is ruled by the Prophet or the divinely-appointed Imam, instead of the philosopher-king envisaged by Plato. He pointed out that the “Perfectly Ideal State” was founded in Medina by Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), who was in direct communion with God. In his excellent book “Mabadi Ara al-Ahl al-Madinat al-Fazelah” (Basis of Views of the People of the Perfect State), he says the ideal government strives to heal the souls of the people, establishes justice and guides them towards "true happiness". He classifies as "vicious", the societies that have fallen short of the ideal of the "Perfect State", and divides them into three categories – ignorant, wicked and errant. He uses the term “Madinat az-Zallah” (Vicious Society), saying that ignorant societies have, for whatever reason, failed to comprehend the purpose of human existence, and have supplanted the pursuit of happiness for another (inferior) goal, whether it is wealth, sensual gratification, or power. It is interesting to note that modern western democratic societies also fall into this category, as they too lack any guiding principle. According to Farabi, the second and third categories of vicious societies, that is the wicked and the errant, have understood the true human end, but they have failed to follow it; the former because it has willfully abandoned it, and the latter because its leaders have deceived and misguided them. Farabi, who wrote some 70 books, was an expert in several branches of sciences like logic, sociology, mathematics, cosmology, alchemy, psychology, education, and music.

804 solar years ago, on this day in 1214 AD, English philosopher and Franciscan friar, Roger Bacon, was born. His access to Latin translations of the Arabic works of Islamic scholars enlightened his mind. He was greatly influenced in the field of optics by the monumental "Kitab al-Manazer" of Abul-Hassan Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen). The impact of al-Kindi (Alkindus) is also evident in his writings. Moreover, Bacon's investigations of the properties of the magnifying glass show the clear influence of the Iranian Islamic scientist Ibn Sahl's research in dioptrics. His works also indicate his familiarity with the books "Kitab ad‐Dalalaat ala'l‐Ittesalaat wa‐Qiranaat al‐Kawakeb"(Book of Indications of the Planetary Conjunctions), written by the Iranian Islamic astronomer, Abu-Ma'shar Ja'far ibn Mohammad al-Balkhi.

767 solar years ago, on this day in 1241 AD, Batu Khan, grandson of the bloodthirsty Buddhist Mongol conqueror, defeated King Bela IV of Hungary at the Battle of Muhi, laying the land waste and massacring at least 20 percent of the Christian population. Batu was the founder of the vast Golden Horde Empire or the Qipchaq Khanate that spanned most of the central parts of Eurasia for 250 years. In 1313, with the accession of Uzbeg Khan to the throne, the Golden Horde officially adopted Islam and contributed to the spread and development of Islamic religion and culture.

263 solar years ago, on this day in 1755 AD, English physician and paleontologist, James Parkinson, was born. In 1805, he wrote a monograph “Observations on the Nature and Cure of Gout”. He was the first European to recognize a burst appendix as a cause of death. In his Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817, he described the neuromuscular disease which is now known by his name as “Parkinson's Disease”. The symptoms of this disease are a generalized slowness of movement, a tremor or slight shaking on one side of the body when at rest, some stiffness of the limbs, and problems of gait or balance.

227 lunar years ago, on this day in 1212 AH, the great Gnostic scholar, Seyyed Mohammad Mahdi Tabatabaie, famous as Bahr al-Uloum (Ocean of Knowledge), passed away at the age of 57 in holy Najaf and was laid to rest beside the tomb of the famous Founder of the Najaf Seminary, Abu Ja’far Shaikh at-Ta’efa Tusi. Born in the holy city of Karbala, in Iraq, in a family related to the celebrated Allamah Majlisi of Iran, he studied in his hometown, Karbala, under his scholarly father Seyyed Morteza ibn Mohammad Boroujerdi and later under Shaikh Yousuf Bahrani (author of the book "Hada'eq an-Nasera"). He then moved to famous Islamic Seminary of holy Najaf, where he attained Ijtihad. At the age of 31, he came to Mashhad in Khorasan where he stayed for seven years, learning different sciences, as well as philosophy from Mirza Mahdi Shaheed Khorasani. His teacher, because of his extensive knowledge, called him “Baḥr al-Uloum” His sons, grandsons, and direct descendants in Iran and Iraq have continued to use this title as family name. He returned to Najaf to teach, and on the passing away of his teacher, Waheed Behbahani, he became Marja’ (Source of Emulation). He did not confine himself to academic circles, but was also fully involved in social affairs, and strove to resolve the problems facing the people. He was fully proficient in jurisprudence, Hadith, theology, exegesis of the holy Qur’an and the science of transmitters. On his authority, in view of his contacts with the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), the exact spots in the Grand Mosque of Kufa and the Sahla Mosque, associated with the Prophets and the Imams, were determined. He groomed a large number of students such as: Seyyed Sadr od-Din Ameli, Shaikh Ja’far Najafi, Seyyed Jawad Ameli, Shaikh Abu Ali Haeri, Mulla Ahmad Naraqi, Seyyed Muhammad Mojahed, Seyyed Abu’l-Qasem Khwansari, Seyyed Dildar Ali Lakhnavi (of India). He wrote several books, including “al-Masabih” on jurisprudence, “ad-Durrah an-Najafiyyah”, “Mishkat al-Hedayah” and “Tuhfat- al-Keraam” on history of Mecca and Masjid al-Haraam (Great Sacred Mosque), besides a Collection of poems on the merits of the Infallible Imams of the Household of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).  

159 solar years ago, on this day in 1859 AD, a chilling machine was invented by French industrialist and chemist, Ferdinand Carre, for preservation of food and medicine, especially in warm regions, leading to eventual invention of the refrigerator.

39 solar years ago, on this day in 1979 AD, deposed Ugandan dictator Idi Amin was given asylum in Saudi Arabia despite the fact that he was a brutal murderer and cannibal. Saudi Arabia is notorious for its support for dictators, such as its giving of asylum to Tunisia’s Zain al-Abedin bin Ali, who was toppled in 2011.

36 solar years ago, on this day in 1982 AD, during the 8-year war imposed on Iran by the US through Saddam of Iraq’s repressive Ba’th minority regime, intelligence personnel nipped in the bud a coup attempt by hypocrites and elements of the monarchic regime that had infiltrated some government apparatuses and intended to assassinate leading officials, as part of an American plot to overthrow the Islamic Republic system.

33 solar years ago, on this day in 1985 AD, Anvar Khoja’s 40-year long communist dictatorial rule over Muslim majority Albania ended with his death at the age of 77. Born in a family following the Bektashi Sufi Order founded in 13^th century Khorasan by Bektash Vali, an adherent of the Ahl al-Bayt of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), in his youth he studied in Italy and France, before travelling all over Europe and the US. He turned into a communist and on return to Albania became fierce opponent of the monarchy that had been installed by European powers on separation of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. He resisted the Fascist Italian occupation of his homeland, and became the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania. He was chairman of the Democratic Front of Albania and commander-in-chief of the armed forces from 1944 until his death. His anti-religious rule was characterized by the elimination of the opposition, prolific use of the death penalty or long prison terms of his political opponents and evictions from homes. He used Stalinist methods to destroy his associates who threatened his power. During his rule, Albania became industrialized and saw rapid economic growth, as well as unprecedented progress in the areas of education and health. Khoja’s government was characterized by his adherence to anti-revisionist Marxism–Leninism from the mid-1970s onwards. He broke away from Maoism in 1976, and it was only after his death that communism ended in Albania and religion, especially Islam, made a gradual return.

21 solar years ago, on this day in 1997 AD, a day after the unjust verdict of a local German court, under influence of the illegal Zionist entity against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s high-ranking officials, member states of the European Union recalled their ambassadors from Tehran. Known as the Mykonos Case after a Greek restaurant of the same name in Berlin where an Iranian Kurd was mysteriously killed, the kangaroo court was proof of the sham trial in a futile bid to pressure Iran. In response to EU’s highly politicized decision, Iran dismissed as baseless the allegations and claims of the German court, recalling its ambassadors from EU member states. As Islamic Iran refused to budge from its principled position, the EU ambassadors gradually returned to Tehran.

AS/ME