British Navy Destroys Chinese Navy

9th of Shawwal 1273 AH/ June 2nd, 1857 AD: The British navy destroys the Chinese navy in China Sea.

Columbus Commences His Voyage

9th of Shawwal 897 AH/ August 11th, 1492 AD: Well-known sailor Christopher Columbus commences his voyage from Spain to reach the coasts of America on Dhul-Hijjah 17th 897 AH. His discovery of the Americas crowned the movement of geographical discoveries that reached its zenith during the 15th century AD.

Death of Ibn Sirin

9th of Shawwal 110 AH/ January 15th, 729 AD: Death of Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Sirin, a pioneer of oneiromancy. He was also a great Imam of Hadith belonging to the era of Successors, and an imminent Faqih who is well-known for asceticism and piety.

Great Parties Support Algerian Struggle

8th of Shawwal 1377 AH/ April 27th, 1958 AD: Great parties in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco hold a conference in the Moroccan city of Tangier to support Algerians struggle for independence.

Death of Muhammad Al-Khudari

8th of Shawwal 1345 AH/ April 11th, 1927 AD: Death of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khudari, a prominent Islamic history researcher. He received his higher education in Darul-Ulum and the National University. He composed many important history books including: "The Ayyubid Dynasty", "The Abbasid Dynasty", "Nur Al-Yaqin" and "History of Islamic Legislation".

Prophet Heads for Hamra Al-Asad

8th of Shawwal 3 AH/ March 24th, 625 AD: The Prophet (peace be upon him) along with his Companions head for Hamra' Al-Asad on the day next to their return form the battle of Uhud. Hamra' Al-Asad is a place eight miles away from Medina on the way to Mecca. Muslims stayed there for three days as a demonstration of their power in spite the losses they had incurred in the battle of Uhud. Knowing that Muslims set out, polytheists hurried to go back to Mecca satisfied with the victory they achieved and taking caution against a battle whose results are not secured.

Death of Jamal-ul-Din Al-Afghani

5th of Shawwal 1314 AH/ March 10th, 1897 AD: Death of Jamal-ul-Din Al-Afghani, a prominent modern religious and political reformist. He was an eminent figure in the call to Islamic unity in face of ambitions of colonial powers.

2nd Campaign on Russia Launched

5th of Shawwal 1091 AH/ October 29th, 1680 AD: Ottoman Sultan Muhammad IV launches his second campaign on Russia. The first campaign against Russia took place in April 1678 AD. The campaign ended up with both parties signing a reconciliation treaty.

Aruj Pasha Martyred

5th of Shawwal 924 AH/ October 10th, 1518 AD: The ottoman Muslim admiral Aruj or Oruç Reis Pasha is martyred at the age of 48. He was slain by the Spaniards who sent his head to Spain. He was a Turkish privateer and Ottoman Bey who played a great role in defending the Islamic existence in North Africa and resisting crusade attacks on such coasts.

Italy Occupies Libya

4th of Shawwal 1329 AH/ September 27th, 1911 AD: Italy occupies Libya. Italy launched a military campaign that ended with the Italian occupation of Libya. Egypt had exerted relentless efforts to provide Libyan revolutionists with money and weapons.

Italy Warns Ottomans

4th of Shawwal 1329 AH/ September 27th, 1911 AD: Italy gives a warning to the Ottoman Empire to the effect of facilitating Italian occupation of Libya!!

Death of Al-Baroudi

4th of Shawwal 1322 AH/ December 12th, 1904 AD: Death of Mahmoud Sami Al-Baroudi, who was a significant Egyptian political figure and a prominent poet. He served as Prime Minister of Egypt from February 4, 1882 until May 26, 1882. He was known as rab alseif wel qalam ("lord of sword and pen").

Sheikh Khalifa Announces Elections

30th of Shawwal 1426 AH/ December 1st 2005 AD: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the current President of the United Arab Emirates announced that half of the members of the Federal National Council, the closest body the country has to a parliament, will be indirectly elected. However, half of the council's members will still need to be appointed by the leaders of the emirates.

Birth of Abu Hayyan Al-Gharnati

30th of Shawwal 341 AH/ March 19th 935 AD: Birth of Athirul-Din Abu Hayyan Muhammad bin Yusuf bin Ali, known as Abu Hayyan Al-Gharnati al-Andalusi (died 754 Hijrah). He was a great 7th century linguist and scholar of Hadith. He is the author of the celebrated Tafseer Al-Bahr Al-Muhit, a commentary on the Qur'an.

Al-Moezz Assumes Power

30th of Shawwal 341 AH/ March 19th 935 AD: Ma'adh Abu Tamim Al-Mu'izz li Din Allah, also known as al-Moezz, the fourth Fatimid Caliph assumes power. He reigned from 953 to 975. It was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was moved from Ifriqiya (northern Africa) to the newly-conquered Egypt. Army commander Jawhar as-Siqilli founded the city of al-Qāhiratu "the Victorious" (Cairo) in 969 as the new capital of the Fatimid caliphate in Egypt.

Peronistas Movement Emerges

29th of Shawwal 1363 AH/ October 17th 1943 AD: The Peronistas movement emerges in Argentina supporting Juan Domingo Perón as its candidate for the presidency after huge demonstrations in Buenos Aires. The elections resulted in a decisive victory for Perón who was re-elected in 1951 AD.

Death of Khomeini

29th of Shawwal 1306 AH/ June 28th 1889 AD: Death of Sayyid Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini. He was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. Following the revolution and a national referendum, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader—a position created in the constitution as the highest ranking political and religious authority of the nation—until his death. Khomeini was a Marja or Marja Al-taqlid ("source of emulation", also known as a Grand Ayatollah) in Twelver Shi'a Islam, but is most famous for his political role. In his writings and preachings he expanded the Shi'a Usuli theory of velayat-e faqih, the "guardianship of the jurisconsult (clerical authority)" to include theocratic political rule by Islamic jurists.

Birth of Abbas Al-Aqqad

29th of Shawwal 1306 AH/ June 28th 1889 AD: Birth of Abbas Mahmud Al-Aqqad, a great modern Egyptian writer. Al-Aqqad was born in Aswan, a city in Lower Egypt, in 1889. He graduated only out of elementary school; he did not finish school until the end. He wrote more than 100 books about philosophy, religion, and poetry. He founded a poetry school with Ibrahim Al-Mazny and Abdel Rahman Shokry called Al-Diwan. His most famous works were al-'Abqariyyat, Allah, and Sarah. Some of his books were translated into English.

Bangladesh Separates from Pakistan

27th of Shawwal 1391 AH/ December 16th 1971 AD: Bangladesh separates from Pakistan in 1971 through a bloody war. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formed the first Bengalese government after separation.

Birth of Rabindranath Tagore

27th of Shawwal 1277 AH/ May 7th 1861 AD: Birth of Rabindranath Tagore (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941). He was a Bengali polymath. As a poet, novelist, musician, and playwright, he reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became Asia's first Nobel laureate by winning the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature.