Rice Named Secretary of State
17th of Zul Hejja, Year 1425 AH/ January 27th, 2005 AD: Condoleezza Rice, the American President's National Security Adviser, is sworn in as US foreign secretary, becoming the first black person to assume the post in America.
Othman Ibn Affan Martyred
18th of Zul Hejja,35 AH/ June 17th, 656 AD: Falling martyr of righteous Caliph Othman Ibn Affan, RA, at the hands of sedition- arousing insurgents. However, his short lived caliphate era witnessed great achievements. While Abu Bakr, RA, pieced together the surats and ayahs of the Qu'ran, Caliph Othman, RA, pulled off a great feat when he unified the form and order of the Qu'ran and destroyed any other conflicting versions, keeping only the version which exists today. This move eradicated any dispute among Muslims in terms of ways of reciting or order of ayahs and surats of the Qu'ran.
Faisal Crowned
18th of Zul Hejja, 1339 AH/ August 23rd, 1921 AD: Faisal Ibn el Hussein is crowned king of Iraq after his regime in Damascus was toppled.
Death of Naseeruddin Al-Tusy
18th of Zul Hejja, 672 AH/ July 2nd,1274 AD: Death of Abu Jaafar Mohammed Ibn Mohammed Ibn el Hassan, alias, Naseeruddin al Toosy. He was born in Tus(presently Mashhad, Iran) near Nisapur. He studied Arabic linguistics and mastered arithmetic. He accompanied Hulagu when he raided Baghdad. He wrote several valuable books especially in the field of arithmetic.
Nasser Nationalizes Suez Canal
18th of Zul Hejja, Year 1375 AH/ July 26th, 1956 AD: Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser announces the nationalizing of Suez Canal Company, a move that led to the tripartite aggression on Egypt launched by states of Britain, France and Israel.
Iraqis Abroad Vote
18th of Zul Hejja, Year 1425 AH/ January 28th, 2005 AD: The Iraqis living abroad cast their votes in the Iraqi general election which was held for choosing a national council which would draw up a new constitution for the country.
Hamas Wins Election
18th of Zul Hejja, Year 1425 AH/ January 28th, 2005 AD: Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas achieves a great win in the Gaza municipal election when it carried off 65, 25 % of the total votes. Fateh Movement won 22% of the total votes, the independent candidates won only 4, 23% ,the Popular Front 0, 84%, while the Al Masdar Family won 7, 62 %.
Death of Yahya Effendi
18th of Zul Hejja, 1053 AH/ February 27th,1644 AD: Death of Grand Sheikh of Islam in the Ottoman state Yahya effendi at around 91 years of age. He lasted in this post for 18 years. He is one of the notable love poets(?) in the Turkish poetry.
Al-Aela Magazine Issued
19thof Zul Hejja, 1316 AH/ May 1st, 1899 AD: Al Aela (family) magazine begins its first issue in Egypt . The publisher was a lady by name of Aseeter Azhari. The magazine was a monthly one which was turned into a newspaper in the same name on the first of March 1904.
France to Ban Hijab
19thof Zul Hejja, 1424 AH/ February 10th, 2004 AD: The French parliament endorses a draft law banning the wearing of Hijab (veil) or any other religious symbols in schools and government institutions.
Agrarian Reform Law Issued
19thof Zul Hejja, 1371 AH/ September 7th, 1952 AD: Issuance of the Agrarian Reform Law in Egypt, the first measure taken by the July revolutionary junta after the expulsion of king Farouk from Egypt.
Ottomans Defeated in Ankara Battle
19thof Zul Hejja, 804 AH/ July 20th, 1402 AD: Defeat of Ottoman Sultan Bayazeed I in Ankara Battle at the hands of the Mogul army led by Taimoorlank. In this battle, Bayazeed was taken captive.
Ottoman Fleet Crushes Venetian
19thof Zul Hejja, 904 AH/ July 28th, 1499 AD: The Ottoman fleet crushes the Venetian fleet in a major sea battle where 400 warships engaged in a fierce war in the battle of Sapienza.
Birth of Naguib Mahfouz
19thof Zul Hejja, 1329 AH/ December 11th, 1911 AD
Birth of Egyptian man of letters and novelist Naguib Mahfouz who was awarded Noble Prize in Arts. Mahfouz obtained a BA degree at the Philosophy Department , Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, and worked as a civil servant for some time. He worte a number of novels, including: Midaq Alley, Palace Walk and Palace of Desire. Some of his literary works were presented in films and soap operas.
Melbourne Olympiad Starts
20th of Zul Hejja, 1376 AH/ July 29th, 1956 AD: Events of the sixteenth Olympic Games League start in Melbourne , Australia, which lasted until August 14th, 1956. This league is remembered as the "Friendly Games". The first Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1869.
Birth of Abdul Aziz Al Saud
20th of Zul Hejja, 297 AH/ December 5th, 1880 AD: Birth of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud the founder of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia who spearheaded the transformation of the Arabian society from the tribal to the state system. He managed to unite the disputing tribes in a large state with an area larger than half of the European continent. He also managed to launch the first project in the Arab world to relocate the Bedouins in stable communities instead of the previous nomad system.
Spain Holds Morocco Treaty
20th of Zul Hejja, 1411 AH/ July 4th, 1991 AD: Spain hammers out a friendly treaty with Morocco, which was the first treaty by Madrid with a North African state.
1st Iraq Election Held
20th of Zul Hejja, 1425 AH/ January 30th, 2005 AD:
Start of the balloting process in the first multiparty election, the first election which Iraq witnessed in over fifty years. The election was aimed to select a national council which would draw up a new constitution for the country. The election was held in heavily tightened security measured with the Sunni sect boycotting it. The period of the election witnessed several bombings which claimed the lives of 30 persons.
Treaty of London Signed
20th of Zul Hejja, 1287 AH/ March 13th, 1871 AD: The European major states hammer out the Treaty of London after a conference which lasted for 57 days. The treaty provided for the recognition of Russia's right to maintain a fleet and a harbor for building and amending ships in the Black Sea.
Iraq Election Result Released
20th of Zul Hejja, 1426 AH/ January 20th, 2006 AD: Release of the final results of the Iraq election which was held on December 15th , 2005. The Shiites won but without reaching the majority, as the Unified Iraqi Allied Bloc won 128 seats, which was ten seats far from winning a majority in the Iraqi 275- seat parliament.
Page 6 of 10