Art & Culture April 11, 2018 3 This Day in History Italian Legendary Actor Franco Nero (April 11)

nd Attending Fajr Festival Today is Wednesday; 22 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. capital, Tehran. cals. He has several international 1527 solar years ago, on this day in 491 AD, Flavius Anastasius was declared Eastern The prolific Italian actor, Fran- awards nominations in his resume Roman Emperor by the deceased Emperor Zeno’s widow, Aelia Ariadne (daughter of cesco Clemente Giuseppe Spara- including 1968 Golden Globes, Emperor Leo I), who subsequently married him to grant legitimacy to his rule. A decade later he started war against Iran’s Sassanid Empire in what is now south-central Turkey. nero(born 23 November 1941) U.S.A. nomination for the movie The 4-year seesaw struggle fought from 502 to 506, was the first major conflict between better known by his stage name “Camelot”. the two superpowers since the Peace Treaty of 442, and would be prelude to a long series Franco Nero has appeared in some Fajr International Filmfest pays of destructive wars over the next century that would result in the weakening of both 200 cinema and TV productions. the empires and their conquest by Arab Muslim armies. The cause was the demand by tribute to quality local and interna- Qobad I, the 19th Sassanid Emperor, for money to pay his debts to the Hephthalites (east- Nero is best known for his break- tional films. It is an event that cel- ern Iranian tribes and ancestors of Pashtuns of Pakistan- Afghanistan). When Anastasius through role as the title character ebrates cultural exchange, displays refused to pay, Qobad seized Theodosiopolis and Amida (Diyarbakr). In 504 Anastasius in Django, a role that he reprised creative achievements of highly retook Amida, which made Qobad to agree to an armistice because of the invasion of Armenia by the Huns. Fighting, however, continued until late 506 when a treaty was in Nello Rossati’s Django Strikes acclaimed cineastes and showcases finally agreed and Rome had to make payment to the Iranians. Again (1987). Since then, he has films promoting artistic contribu- 1432 lunar years ago, on this day in 7 AH, the impregnable fortress of Qamous in the performed over 200 leading and tion to the medium. vast tract of Khaybar, 150 km north of Medina on the road to Syria, was single-handedly supporting roles in a wide variety captured by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), who after overcoming in Presided over by Iranian film of films and television programs writer and director Reza Mirk- personal combat the fearsome Israelite warlord, Marhab, pulled from its hinges the huge Italian actor Franco Nero. gateway that several Jewish strongmen used to open and close. Prophet Mohammad in both Italy and abroad, in genres arimi, the 36th edition of Fajr Inter- (SAWA) had to undertake the campaign on learning of the plots and seditions of the TEHRAN (Dispatches) - Italian ence as the special guest at the 36th ranging from poliziotteschi, to ac- national Film Festival will be held ever-rebellious Israelites, who in violation of the accords were contemplating military Fajr Int’l Filmfest in the Iranian measures, including raid on Medina, in addition to their funding of pagan Arab tribes to actor Franco Nero will make a pres- tion, to drama, to war, and musi- in Tehran on April 19-27. 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 Academy-Winning Composer Nicola Piovani Comes to Iran Israelite fortress of Qamous not just continued to hold out but its defenders drove away TEHRAN (MNA) – Italian compos- the title of Chevalier (Knight) of the with losses the expeditions led by the Prophet’s companions. At last the Prophet said er Nicola Piovani, who won the Acade- Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on 21 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 nev- my Award for Best Original Score for May 2008 at the Cannes Film Festi- er retreats (Ghayra Farrar).” On the morning the Prophet invoked the famous phrase the movie ‘Life Is Beautiful’, is a spe- val. “Nad-e Aliyyan Mazhar al-Aja’eb” (Call Ali the Manifestation of Wonders). His dear cial guest at the 2018 Fajr Internation- To date, Piovani has over 130 film 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 al Film Festival. scores to his credit, including films miraculously cured. The rest is history, and the Prophet gave fair terms to the Jews after Italian composer Nicola Piovani such as Slap the Monster on Page surrender, allowing them to live in peace. It is worth noting that before this campaign the also has a history of collaborating One (1972), The Perfume of the Lady Prophet had received the vast orchard of Fadak as a personal gift without the involve- with prominent filmmakers such as in Black (1974), Flavia the Heretic ment of Muslims, arms, and hostilities. On God’s command he gave Fadak to his daugh- ter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA), who used to spend its income on the poor and needy until Federico Fellini, Taviani Brothers (1974), Le Orme (1975), A Leap in it was seized from her by the first and second self-styled caliphs. and Marco Bellocchio. the Dark (1980) The Night of the 1338 lunar years ago, on this day in 101 AH, the Omayyad ruler, Omar bin Abdul-Aziz, While in Tehran, he will perform Shooting Stars (1982), and “Kaos” died due to poisoning of his food after a 3-year reign during which he renounced the a concert comprising a selection of (1984). The music for the latter is 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 pieces previously made for a number considered by many as one of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), during Friday prayer sermons – a sacrilegious practice begun of feature films at the Tehran’s Vah- Italian composer Nicola Piovani. best film scores ever done. Howev- by the hardcore heathen, Mu’awiyya ibn Abu Sufyan. Next he returned to the Ahl al- dat Hall on April 25th. er, he is reported to believe that “Too Bayt the large tract of Fadak whose income had now swelled to 40,000 dinars, since this Fellini film Intervista, his second of was further nominated for a Gram- was the property of the Prophet’s daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (SA) from whom the Nicola Piovani (born 26 May 1946) many film scores make a composer first and second self-styled caliphs had illegally seized. He is also credited with other is an Italian light-classical musician, three collaborations with the famous my Award in the Best Instrumental a hack, but in the theatre music is reforms like abolition of drinking, forbidding public nudity, and elimination of mixed theater and film score composer, and director, the others being Ginger e Composition Written for a Motion above all craftsmanship”. According- bathrooms for men and women, which the Godless Omayyad caliphs had initiated. winner of the 1998 Best Original Fred (Ginger and Fred in English) Picture, Television or Other Visual ly, he continues to work in musical 1100 lunar years ago, on this day in 339 AH, famous Islamic scientist and philosopher, Abu Nasr Mohammad al-Farabi, passed away in Aleppo, Syria, where he was a luminary Score Oscar for the Roberto Benigni and La voce della luna (The Voice of Media category. In light of his recent theatre, and also composes concert at the court of Amir Saif od-Dowla. Born in Farab, beside the River Jaxartes in Central film La Vita è bella, better known to the Moon). Years later, he composed work with French directors, notably and chamber music. Asia, in Baghdad, he studied philosophy, especially Aristotle’s peripatetic philosophy un- English-speaking audiences as ‘Life a ballet titled Balletto Fellini. Danièle Thompson, Philippe Lioret, The 36th edition of Fajr Interna- der the Christian scholar, Yuhanna bin Haylan. He mastered Greek language and wrote In 2000, his Academy Award-win- and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, the commentaries on Aristotle’s works, winning acclaim as “Mo’allem ath-Thani” (Second Is Beautiful’. Among his more popu- tional Film Festival will be held in Teacher). Farabi’s school of philosophy breaks from Plato and Aristotle and moves from lar works is the score for the Federico ning score for ‘Life Is Beautiful’ French Minister of Culture gave him Tehran on April 19-27. 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, com- pared 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 Paralyzed Patient Feels Sensation Again 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 rational- LOS ANGELES (Dispatches) In future work, the researchers istic philosophy and Islam. He is thus regarded as founder of Islamic political science. - Scientists have induced sensa- Farabi’s most important views are raised in his books like “Kitab as-Siyasah” (Book of hope to determine the precise Politics), and “as-Siyasat al-Madaniyah” (Civics). He viewed religion as a symbolic ren- tions of touch and movement in ways to place the electrodes dering of the Ultimate Truth, and saw it as the duty of the philosopher to provide guidance the hand and arm of a paralyzed and stimulate somatosensory to the state. He, however, differed from the Platonic view and said the “Medinat-al-Fa- zela” or Perfect State is the one that is ruled by the Prophet or the divinely-appointed man. brain areas in order to induce Imam, instead of the philosopher-king. He pointed out that the “Perfectly Ideal State” For the first time, scientists specific feelings and create a 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 at California Institute of Tech- kind of dictionary of stimula- Views of the People of the Perfect State), he says the ideal government strives to heal the nology (Caltech) have induced tions and their corresponding souls of the people, establishes justice and guides them towards “true happiness”. He clas- sifies as “vicious”, the societies that have fallen short of the ideal of the “Perfect State”, natural sensations in the arm of sensations. and divides them into three categories – ignorant, wicked and errant. He uses the term a paralyzed man by stimulating The work could one day allow “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 a certain region of the brain paralyzed people using pros- pursuit of happiness for another (inferior) goal, whether it is wealth, sensual gratification, with a tiny array of electrodes. thetic limbs to feel physical or power. It is interesting to note that modern western democratic societies also fall into The patient has a high-level feedback from sensors placed this category, as they too lack any guiding principle. According to Farabi, the second and third categories of vicious societies, are that of the wicked and the errant. Farabi, who spinal cord lesion and, besides on these devices. MRI is used to highlight select implant sites in the somatosensory cortex. wrote some 70 books, was an expert in several branches of sciences like logic, sociology, not being able to move his mathematics, cosmology, alchemy, psychology, education, and music. 804 solar years ago, on this day in 1214 AD, English philosopher and Franciscan friar, limbs, also cannot feel them. Roger Bacon, was born. His access to Latin translations of the Arabic works of Islam- The patient had become para- ic 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 lyzed from the shoulders down impact of al-Kindi (Alkindus) is also evident in his writings. Moreover, Bacon’s investi- three years ago after a spinal gations 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 cord injury. Two arrays of tiny with the books “Kitab ad-Dalalaat ala’l-Ittesalaat wa-Qiranaat al-Kawakeb”(Book of electrodes were surgically in- Indications of the Planetary Conjunctions), written by the Iranian Islamic astronomer, serted into his somatosensory 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 cortex. Using the arrays, the re- Buddhist Mongol conqueror, defeated King Bela IV of Hungary at the Battle of Muhi, searchers stimulated neurons in laying the land waste and massacring at least 20 percent of the population. He was founder of the vast Golden Horde Empire or the Qipchaq Khanate that spanned most of the region with very small puls- the central parts of Eurasia for 250 years. In 1313, with the accession of Uzbeg Khan to es of electricity. The participant the throne, the Golden Horde officially adopted Islam and contributed to the spread and development of Islamic religion and culture. reported feeling different natu- 263 solar years ago, on this day in 1755 AD, English physician James Parkinson was ral sensations -- such as squeez- born. In 1805, he wrote a monograph “Observations on the Nature and Cure of Gout”. In his Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817, he described the neuromuscular disease which ing, tapping, a sense of upward is now known by his name as “Parkinson’s Disease”. motion, and several others -- 227 lunar years ago, on this day in 1212 AH, the great Gnostic, Seyyed Mohammad that would vary in type, inten- Mahdi Tabatabaie, famous as Bahr al-Uloum (Ocean of Knowledge), passed away in holy Najaf. Born in holy Karbala, he attained Ijtehad at the famous Islamic Seminary sity, and location depending on of holy Najaf, came to Mashhad in Khorasan where he stayed for seven years, learning the frequency, amplitude, and different sciences. Because of his extensive knowledge, he was called “Baḥr al-Uloum” – a surname his sons, grandsons, and offspring in Iran and Iraq have continued to use. He location of stimulation from the returned to Najaf, and on the passing away of his teacher, Waheed Behbahani, he became arrays. It is the first time such 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. natural sensations have been On his authority, in view of his contacts with the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (AS), induced by intracortical neural the exact spots in the Grand Mosque of Kufa and the Sahla Mosque, associated with the Prophets and the Imams, were determined. stimulation. 36 solar years ago, on this day in 1982 AD, during the 8-year war imposed on Iran Though different types of by the US through Saddam of Iraq’s repressive Ba’th minority regime, intelligence stimulation did indeed induce 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 varying sensations, the neural Paintings by established artist Mokarrameh Ghanbari and her son Ali Bolboli have been put on view in leading officials, as part of an American plot to overthrow the Islamic Republic system. codes governing specific phys- Farda Gallery until April 19. (Courtesy: IRIB English Radio – http://parstoday.com/en) ical sensations are still unclear. Courtesy: Honaronline