Art & Culture September 19, 2020 3 This Day in History Day of Persian Poetry (September 19) Today is Saturday; 29th of the Iranian month of Shahrivar 1399 solar hijri; corresponding to 1st of the Islamic month of Safar 1442 lunar hijri; and September Synonymous With Shahriar 19, 2020 of the Christian Gregorian Calendar. 1405 lunar years ago, on this day in 37 AH, the Siffin War was started by the under his given name, Behjat, but in Azeri language, too. His most Omayyad rebel, Mu’awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, as a result of his refusal to step down, following his dismissal from the governorship of the Province of Syria by the later chose the name Shahriar. famous poem in Azeri language Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (AS) the First Infallible Heir His first poetry collection ‘Di- ‘Heydar-Babaya Salaam’ (Hello of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). The war that lasted four months was fought in the van-e Shahriar’ was published in to Heydar-Baba) was published in region called Siffin, besides the River Euphrates in what is now the Reqqa District Tehran in 1931, with introductions 1954and has been translated into in Syria, a short distance from the city of Aleppo. In the final battle of the Siffin by celebrated poets and schol- more than 30 languages. War, when Mu’awiyah was on the verge of defeat, his comrade-in-crimes, Amr Ibn ars such as Saʿid Nafisi, Ḥossein Heydar Baba is the name of a al-Aas, ordered the Omayyad troops to raise on spear-points, what he claimed to be Pezhman-Baḵtiari, and Malek-al- mountain where the poet spent copies of the holy Qur’an, in order to deceive the people and sue for peace. Despite the warnings of Imam Ali (AS), many among his forces were deceived and refused Shoʿara Bahar, who praised his his childhood. Many of his bitter- to continue the battle against the demoralized enemy troops. These gullible people eloquent language, and his inno- sweet memories are reflected in forced the Imam to enter into arbitration with Mu’awiyah, and when the result vative and well-crafted imagery. his works. turned out against their nefarious desires, they openly rebelled against the Prophet’s Although Shahriar wrote in var- ‘The Blessing Bird of Good rightful successor. These misled people called Khwarej or renegades are considered ious forms, including lyrics, qua- Omen’, which is about Imam Ali outside the pale of Islam. It is an irony of Islamic history that Mu’awiyah, who had trains, couplets, odes, and elegies, (peace be upon him), is just one of reluctantly accepted Islam to save his life at the fall of Mecca to Muslims two years before the passing away of the Prophet; was made governor of the newly conquered he composed some of his most his many other noteworthy poems. Christian majority province of Syria. Here, through propaganda and forging of appreciated poems in the tradi- Shahriar saw three eras of Qa- hadith, he built a strong base against the Ahl al-Bayt. After the martyrdom of Imam TEHRAN (MNA) – September of Persian Poetry and Literature’. tional genre of ghazal. His poems jars, Pahlavi, and the Islamic Ali (AS), he seized the caliphate from Imam Hasan Mojtaba (AS) through deceit, 18 is the death anniversary of Seyed Born on January 2, 1906, in are mainly influenced by Hafez, a Republic. A deeper look into his thus laying the groundwork for the Godless Omayyad Dynasty that terrorized Mohammad-Hossein Behjat-Ta- a village near Tabriz City, East well-known Iranian poet. poetry shows his objection to in- Muslims for 91 years. brizi, better known by his pen-name Azarbaijan Province, Shahriar’s Shahriar’s lyrical poems could justice and narrow-mindedness. 1386 solar years ago, on this day in 634 AD, Damascus, fell to the Arab Muslims, Shahriar (1906-1988), who was a passion for poetry was recognized be divided into three broad cate- He supported his people at critical only seven years after the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius’ much trumpeted triumph in Syria and Upper Mesopotamia over the Sassanid Empire in the 26-year long final and prominent Iranian poet. at an early age. While still in high gories of religious, panegyric, and times such as the 1980-1988 Iran- most bloody round of the Roman-Persian Wars that were being fought intermittently Iranians honor his memory on school in Tabriz, his first poems love poems, although the lines be- Iraq war when he reinforced the for the past 720 years since 92 BC. Heraclius’ loss of Syria to the Muslims, who this date every year, which has appeared at the school’s journal. tween the three are blurred. morale of Iranian soldiers through subsequently overran the Iranian capital, Ctesiphon (near Baghdad in Iraq, meant been named as the ‘National Day Initially, he published his poems Azeri origin poet wrote poems his poems. the curtain had come down on four centuries of Byzantine-Sassanid rivalry for regional supremacy, as new players took charge of the battlegrounds of Syria and Mesopotamia that would now see some of the most crucial battles in Islamic history. 1381 lunar years ago, on this day in 61 AH, some 20 days after the heartrending Iran’s Acclaimed Film Participates at U.S. Festival tragedy of Karbala and the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS), the captive children TEHRAN (IFILM) -- ‘Echo’, Festival in Italy, the 18th Hiro- and womenfolk of the Blessed Household of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), along a short film made by Iranian shima Int’l Animation Festival in with the heads of martyrs, mounted on spear-points, were brought to Damascus in filmmaker Barzan Rostami, has Japan, the 7th Star Film Fest in fetters to the court of the Godless Yazid Ibn Mu’awiyah – the self-styled caliph of become a contender at the 2020 the usurper Omayyad regime. The Omayyads decorated the bazaars and streets to Croatia as well as the 6th Global mock at the Prophet’s noble family members. They celebrated the occasion as a day Charlotte Film Festival in the U.S. Impact Film Festival (GIDC) in of festivity. Nonetheless, despite the severe sufferings, the noble captives, including Rostami’s film, with a theme the U.S. Hazrat Ruqayya (SA), the less-than-four-year daughter of Imam Husain (AS), bore on the wildlife and environmen- Late in May 2020, ‘Echo’ went themselves with dignity. Yazid rejoiced, saying he had avenged the blood of his tal abuse by human beings, will on screen at the 4th Southern infidel ancestors, killed in the battles they had imposed on the Prophet at Badr and vie for award at the 12th edition Cone International Film Festi- Ohad. The Imam’s sister, Hazrat Zainab (SA) and the Imam’s son and successor, of the Charlotte film event, to be val (FICCSUR) in Mexico, and Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS), delivered memorable sermons at Yazid’s court and the Great Mosque, to expose Omayyad blasphemy against the Prophet’s grandson and held on September 23-27. succeeded to grab the Best Ani- Ahl al-Bayt. The conscience of the Syrian people was thus aroused, alarming Yazid September 2020 is a busy mation Short Film award of the and making him release the noble captives. month for ‘Echo’ as it will be event. 1154 solar years ago, on this day in 866 AD, Byzantine Emperor, Leo VI, was also in the running at two more Created in 2006, the Charlotte born. Of doubtful paternity, since his mother was the mistress of Emperor Michael global film events, including Film Festival hosts emerging III and at the same time the wife of the future Emperor Basil the Macedonian, he the 15th Sunnyside Shorts Int’l filmmakers from around the succeeded to the throne on the latter’s death and ruled for 26 years till his own death Film Festival (SSIFF) in the U.S. world to showcase their works in 912. His reign saw the loss of more territory to the Muslims in both Sicily and in Italy (Sep. 20-22). with the 4th Rosarito Film Festi- Asia Minor, as well as islands in the Aegean Sea. The greatest setback for him was (Sep. 26) and the 7th Internation- The long list of the internation- val in the U.S., the 6th Corto e a for industry professionals and in 904, when the Greek Muslim admiral, Rasheeq al-Wardami, sailing from Syria, al Festival of Cinema Povero in al screenings of ‘Echo’ goes on Capto- Premio Mario Puzo Film audience members alike. took control of Thessalonica, the second largest city of the Byzantium Empire. After a week’s stay, during which he seized some 60 ships and forced the Christians to free over 4,000 Muslim prisoners, Rasheeq sailed back to the Levant. Born as a Christian and named Leo by his parents, Rasheeq was an officer in the Byzantine Ecologists Sound Alarm navy, before discovering the truth of Islam and joining the Muslims. Also known as Ghulam Zurafa, three years later in 907, he had sailed up the Dardanelles and besieged Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, much to the horror On Plastic Pollution of Emperor Leo VI. In May 912, just before the humiliated Leo VI died, Rasheeq TORONTO (Dispatch- worldwide annual emis- al-Wardami and his fellow Greek Muslim admiral, Damian of Tarsus, known by es) -- Ecologists studying sions to rivers, lakes and his Muslim name, Ghulam Yazman, decisively defeated the Byzantine admiral, Himerios, off the island of Chios in the Aegean Sea, in retaliation for an attack by the prevalence of plastic oceans could be as much Christians on the Muslims of Cyprus.