Today is Friday; 18th of the Iranian month of Khordad 1397 solar hijri; corresponding to 23rd of the Islamic month of Ramadhan 1439 lunar hijri; and June 8, 2018, of the Christian Gregorian Calendar.

Nearly a millennium-and-a-half lunar years ago, on the eve of this day, God Almighty sent down the Holy Qur’an on the heart of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) from the Preserved Tablet or the “Lowh al-Mahfouz”, as the final heavenly scripture for all mankind with the universal message of Islam, as is evident by the ayah: “Indeed, We sent it down on the Grand Night (Laylat-al-Qadr).” This was the first stage of the revelation, although over the next 23 years of the Prophet’s mission, the entire text of the Holy Qur’an was gradually revealed to mankind.

1386 solar years ago, on this day in 632 AD (according to the Gregorian calendar), the Almighty's Last and Greatest Messenger to mankind, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) passed away in Medina after preaching for 23 years the message of Islam, which means peace, harmony, healthy way of life, and submission to none but God the Almighty Creator. The date of his departure, as per the Islamic calendar is 28 Safar, 11 AH. It is said the cause of his death was a dose of poison administered by a spiteful Israelite woman. Born in 570 AD in Mecca in the monotheist Hashemite clan which was directly descended from Prophet Ishmael the firstborn son of Prophet Abraham, his mission was prophesied by all divine messengers throughout the globe, as the Man with the universal message of Islam. Today, Islam is the world's fastest growing religion, with at least 1.7 billion Muslims worldwide.

1219 lunar years ago, on this day in 220 AH, founder of the short-lived Tulunid Dynasty of Egypt and later Syria, Ahmad Ibn Tulun, was born in Baghdad. His father, Tulun, was a Turkic slave, sent as part of tribute from the governor of Bukhara to the Abbasid caliph, Ma'mun. The Abbasids used to recruit Turkic slaves to serve as military officers. Ahmad Ibn Tulun received his military training in Samarra, the new Abbasid capital, where he was appointed commander of the special forces of the tyrannical caliph, Mutawakkil. After serving in military campaigns against the Byzantine Empire in Tarsus, he gained the favour of the caliph, Musta'in, and in the reign of the next caliph, Mu'taz, he was sent as governor to Egypt. Since, the existing capital of Egypt, al-Fustat, was too small to accommodate his armies, he founded a new city nearby called Madinat-al-Qatta'i (or Quartered City), to serve as his capital. It was laid out in the style of grand cities of Iran, including a large public square, a palace, and a large ceremonial mosque, which was named after Ibn Tulun. This city was razed in 905 AD on the fall of the Tulunid Dynasty, and only the mosque has survived. Ibn Tulun soon asserted his independence from the Baghdad caliphate by minting coins in his name and seizing control of large parts of Syria. He defeated an Abbasid army sent against him. He died after 17 years in power, but two decades later, the inefficient rule of his son and grandsons brought about the collapse of the dynasty and re-imposition of Abbasid rule on Egypt.

328 solar years ago, on this day in 1690 AD, Yadi Sakat, the Siddi Muslim general of Abyssinian origin, razed the Mazagaon Fort in British-held Mumbai, before withdrawing on the orders of his overlord Yaqut Khan of Janjira Island, following Governor John Child’s acceptance of the terms set by Moghal Emperor, Aurangzeb, for peace including payment of 150,000 rupees (Over a billion USD at present conversion rates). Yaqut Khan was the title given by Aurangzeb to Qasim Khan, the Siddi admiral and administrator of Janjira Island, who first served the Adel-Shahi Bijapur Sultanate of Iranian origin and after its fall the Moghal Empire. Years earlier in October 1672, while in the service of Bijapur, he had entered the seven islands of Mumbai and attacked the Marathas. He returned the following year on 10^th October 1673, after destroying the towns of Pen and Nagothane. In 1689 Yaqut Khan and his Siddis on the orders of Aurangzeb attacked Mumbai for the third time after Moghal vessels sailing to Surat were captured in 1686 by the British. The Siddis had earned a reputation as excellent sea-farers. Yaqut, along with Khairiyat Khan, had earlier saved the Portuguese from the Marathas of Sambhaji at Chaul. The Siddis had adopted Persian language and culture.

209 solar years ago, on this day in 1809 AD, English philosopher Thomas Paine died at the age of 74 in New York. He came to New England in what is now the US in 1774, and helped foment the American Revolution through his writings, most notably “Common Sense”, an incendiary pamphlet advocating independence from Britain. His sixteen “Crisis” papers, published between 1776 and 1783, helped to inspire the colonists during the ordeals of the revolution. He was an active advocate of the French Revolution as well. In his work "Rights of Man", written in reply to Edmund Burke's criticism of the French Revolution, he dismissed monarchy. He opposed slavery and was among the early advocates of social security. In his works, Paine emphasized on faith and monotheism.

185 lunar years ago, on this day in 1254 AH, the jurisprudential encyclopedia, “Jawaher al-Kalaam”, was completed in 44 volumes after 27 years of research by the prominent scholar Shaikh Mohammad Hassan an-Najafi in holy Najaf Iraq in the early morning hours of the Grand Night of Qadr. It is a comprehensive and discursive work on Imamiyya fiqh, and is an extended exposition of “Shara'e al-Islam” written centuries earlier by Muhaqqiq al-Hilli. It is taught till this day at seminaries in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, etc.

163 solar years ago, on this day in 1855 AD, in the wake of a massive earthquake, Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, went up in flames and was completely destroyed. Almost 40,000 people lost their lives and two thirds of homes and commercial establishments were flattened. A total of 2,000 ships, warships, and boats anchored at the port were sunk.

135 solar years ago, on this day in 1783 AD, Laki, a volcano in Iceland, began an eight-month eruption which killed over 9,000 people and started a seven-year famine.

123 solar years ago, on this day in 1895 AD, Iranian author and translator, Saeed Nafisi, was born in Tehran. He was the son of Ali Akbar Nafisi, popularly known as “Nazem ul-Atebba”, the compiler of Persian lexicon "Farhang-e Nafisi". Saeed Nafisi studied Law and Political Science, and lectured on history and literature in Tehran. He was an active member of Iran’s Cultural Centre and cooperated with several cultural institutions in European and Asian countries. He wrote numerous articles and books in different domains such as history, poetry, and lexicography. Among his works, mention could be made of the book “Social History of Iran”. He passed away in 1966.

82 solar years ago, on this day in 1936 AD, the prominent researcher and jurisprudent, Ayatollah Seyyed Mirza Ali Aqa Shirazi, passed away at the age of 67. Son of the celebrated Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hassan Shirazi (famous for his anti-tobacco fatwa to save Iranian economy from British exploitation), he reached the status of Ijtihad at the young age of 20, and was known for his piety.

51 solar years ago, on this day in 1967 AD, the army of the illegal Zionist entity occupied the Islamic Palestinian city of al-Khalil, naming it Hebron and desecrating the sacred shrine of Prophet Abraham, as well as the Cave of the Patriarchs, where many prophets of God used to worship.

51 solar years ago, on this day in 1967, the USS Liberty was attacked by Israeli Air Force jet fighter aircraft and Israeli Navy motor torpedo boats, resulting in the death of 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two marines, and one civilian), A total of 171 American crew members were injured and the ship was severely damaged, but the US didn’t take any action against the Zionist entity, calling it a “case of mistaken identity", and instead blaming the Arab countries. The attack occurred in international waters of the Mediterranean, about 47.2 km northwest from Egypt’s Sinai port of Arish. The Zionist state terrorism which was intended to force Washington to side more openly with Israel.

47 lunar years ago, on this day in 1392 AH, the famous exegesis of the holy Qur’an titled “Tafsir al-Mizan” was completed in the dawn hours of the Grand Night of Qadr by Allamah Seyyed Mohammad Hussain Tabatabaie of Iran in Arabic in 20 volumes, after 18 years of research and scholastic study. This unique exegesis focuses on various topics such as philosophical, academic, historical, social and ethical – wherever the need arises in explaining the meanings of God’s Revealed Words in the light of authentic sayings from Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) and the Infallible Imams of his household.

32 solar years ago, on this day in 1986 AD, contemporary Iranian author, Zabihollah Mansouri, passed away. He was an expert on works and Divans of most Persian poets, and was fluent in English, Arabic, and French languages as well. Besides writing and translating books, he wrote articles in different magazines and papers for almost seventy years. Among his valuable books, mention can be made of “Imam Husain (AS) and Iran”, “Life and Works of Mullah Sadra”, and “The Fall of Constantinople”.

26 solar years ago, on this day in 1992 AD, the notorious Zionist spy agency, Mossad, assassinated in France, prominent Palestinian official, Atef Bassiso. It took seven years for the French Police to admit that Mossad had masterminded this terrorist act in France.

21 solar years ago, on this day in 1997 AD, prominent Hadith scholar and historian, Ayatollah Sheikh Qawwam od-Din Mohammad Veshnavi Qomi, passed away at the age of 90 in holy Qom and was laid to rest in the shrine of Hazrat Ma’soumah (SA). Born in Veshnavah village in the Fordu District of Kahak near holy Qom, at the age of 22 he left for Iraq to study at the famous seminary of holy Najaf, where he attained Ijtihad before returning to Iran. He was an expert on narrators of hadith, history and jurisprudence, and wrote several books in this regard such as “Hadith Thaqalayn”, Makarem al-Akhlaq”, and “Hayat an-Nabi wa Siratuhu” (The Prophet’s Life and Behaviour).

AS/ME