August 12-1910 – birthday-Yusof bin Ishak, first President of Singapore

Tun Yusof bin Ishak (Jawi: يوسف بن اسحاق ;/ˈjʊsɒf bɪn ˈɪs.hɑːk/ yuuss-off bin iss-hahk; 12 August 1910 – 23 November 1970) was the first President of Singapore, serving from 1965 to 1970. His portrait appears on the Singapore Portrait Series currency notes introduced in 1999.

Yusof bin Ishak

Born on 12 August 1910 in Trong, Taiping, Perak Darul Ridzuan, which was then part of the Federated Malay States (present day Malaysia), Yusof was the descendant of prominent Sumatran Malay Datuk Jannatun who migrated to Penang in 1759.

Yusof was of Minangkabau descent from his father’s side while his mother was a Malay from the Langkat region in Indonesia. His brother, Aziz Ishak, was a Malayan journalist and freedom fighter.

He received his primary education at Victoria Bridge School (now known as Victoria School), and secondary education at Raffles Institution.

At Raffles, he joined the Singapore National Cadet Corps. He was commissioned as the first ever cadet officer in the Corps.

Career

Yusof was well known both as a journalist and the founder of the Malay newspaper Utusan Melayu prior to becoming head of state of Singapore. He was married to Noor Aishah.

He first served as Yang di-Pertuan Negara (head of state) between 1959 and 1965, remaining in office during the time that Singapore was part of the Federation of Malaysia between 1963 and 1965. Following Singapore’s departure from Malaysia in 1965, he served as the first President of the Republic until his death in 1970.

Yusof bin Ishak

Awards and honours

Darjah Utama Temasek, 1st Class

Seri Maharaja Mangku Negara (Malaysia)

Darjah Kerabat Mahkota Brunei, 1st Class

August 12-1910 – birthday-Yusof bin Ishak, first President of Singapore

August 12-1164 – Battle of Harim: Nur ad-Din Zangi defeats the Crusader armies of the County of Tripoli and the Principality of Antioch

The Battle of Harim (Harenc) was fought on 12 August 1164 between the forces of Nur ad-Din Zangi and a combined army from the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, the Byzantine Empire and Armenia. Nur ad-Din won a crushing victory, capturing most of the leaders of the opposing army.

Tomb of Nur ad-Din Zangi,Damascus

Background

In 1163 King Amalric I of Jerusalem led an invasion of Egypt, leaving the crusader states open to attack from the east. Nur ad-Din took advantage of this to invade Tripoli, but he was taken by surprise by a large combination of enemies at the Battle of al-Buqaiaand was almost killed himself. He then moved north to Antioch, with assistance from his brother Qutb ad-Din in Mosul, his other vassals from Aleppo and Damascus, and the Ortoqids of the Jazira, and besieged the fortress of Harim (Harenc) in 1164. As William of Tyre says, “he stationed his engines around it in the customary manner and began to assault the place with a fury which permitted the inhabitants no rest.”

Battle

Reginald of Saint Valery, lord of Harim, called for help, and Raymond III of Tripoli, Bohemund III of Antioch, and Joscelin III of Edessa arrived to relieve the siege. They were joined by Konstantinos Kalamanos, the Byzantine governor of Cilicia, and Thoros, and Mleh of Armenia, as well as Hugh VIII of Lusignan and Geoffrey Martel, brother of William IV of Angoulême, both of whom had recently arrived on pilgrimage.

Nur ad-Din prepared to give up the siege when they arrived, but the crusaders, inspired by the victory at al-Buqaia, and, “regardless of the rules of military discipline … recklessly dispersed and roved hither and yon in pursuit of the foe.” Nur ad-Din’s troops defended against their charge and led a counterattack, pushing the crusaders into a swamp, and they were massacred “like victims before the altar.”

 

It is possible that Nur ad-Din was only feigning a retreat in order to draw the crusaders into an ambush, but abandoning a siege when a relief army arrived was a standard tactic and Nur ad-Din presumably had no way of knowing the crusaders would follow him. William’s assertion that this was a reckless move is further evidence of this. “Only the Armenian Thoros, who had forseen the Turkish maneuver and had not set off in pursuit, escaped from the disaster”. Mleh also avoided capture. Konstantinos Kalamanos, Hugh, Raymond, Bohemund, and Joscelin were captured and imprisoned in Aleppo. According to Ibn al-Athir, 10,000 crusaders were killed.

Aftermath

Nur ad-Din resumed the siege and captured Harim a few days later. With Amalric absent in Egypt, all three crusader states were now without their rulers, but Nur ad-Din did not want to attack Antioch itself for fear of provoking a Byzantine response, as the Principality was technically an Imperial fief. To his critics he replied, “I would rather have Bohemund as a neighbor than the King of the Greeks!”.Nur ad-Din went on to besiege and capture Banias. Amalric abandoned Egypt and marched north with Thierry of Alsace to relieve Nur ad-Din’s pressure on Antioch. Bohemund was released from captivity in 1165 but Raymond remained in prison until 1173.

August 12-1164 – Battle of Harim: Nur ad-Din Zangi defeats the Crusader armies of the County of Tripoli and the Principality of Antioch

August 12,30 BC – Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, commits suicide, allegedly by means of an asp bite.

Cleopatra VII Philopator (Greek: Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ; Late 69 BC – August 12, 30 BC), known to history as Cleopatra, was the last active pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, only shortly survived by her son, Caesarion as pharaoh. The name Cleopatra is derived from the Greek name Κλεοπατρα (Kleopatra) which meant “glory of the father” in the feminine form, derived from κλεος (kleos) “glory” combined with πατρος (patros) “of the father” (the masculine form would be Kleopatros Κλεοπατρος).

Cleopatra was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great’s death during the Hellenistic period. The Ptolemies, throughout their dynasty, spoke Greek[5] and refused to speak Egyptian, which is the reason that Greek as well as Egyptian languages were used on official court documents such as the Rosetta Stone. By contrast, Cleopatra did learn to speak Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, Isis.

Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes, and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom she married as per Egyptian custom, but eventually she became sole ruler. As pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. She later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler in name.

After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar’s legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (later known as Augustus). With Antony, she bore the twins Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus (her unions with her brothers had produced no children). After losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian’s forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC.[8] She was briefly outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh by his supporters but soon killed on Octavian’s orders. Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus.

To this day, Cleopatra remains a popular figure in Western culture. Her legacy survives in numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature and other media, including William Shakespeare’s tragedy Antony and Cleopatra, Jules Massenet’s opera Cléopâtre and the 1963 film Cleopatra.

August 12,30 BC – Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last ruler of the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty, commits suicide, allegedly by means of an asp bite.

August 12: International Youth Day (International)

On 17 December 1999, in its resolution 54/120, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day.

The theme of International Youth Day 2014 is “Youth and Mental Health.”

Youth with mental health conditions can often experience stigma and discrimination, which in turn can lead to exclusion and/or discourage people from seeking help for fear of being negatively ‘labelled’.

The observance of International Youth Day raise the awareness on this important topic, as well as highlight the experiences of brave, young individuals who have chosen to speak out about these issues with the objective of overcoming stigma and discrimination to ensure that young people with mental health conditions can lead full and healthy lives free from isolation and unnecessary shame, and openly seek the services and support they need.

August 12: International Youth Day (International)

August 11,1952 – Hussein is proclaimed King of Jordan

Hussein bin Talal (Arabic: حسين بن طلال‎, Ḥusayn bin Ṭalāl; 14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein’s rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict. He recognized Israel in 1994, becoming the second Arab head of state to do so (after Anwar Sadat in 1978/1979).

Hussein claimed to be a descendant of the prophet Muhammad through his belonging to the ancient Hashemite family.

King Hussein was born in Amman on 14 November 1935 to King Talal bin Abdullah and Princess Zein al-Sharaf bint Jamil. After completing his elementary education in Amman, he was educated at Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt. He proceeded to Harrow School in England, where he befriended his second cousin Faisal II of Iraq. He pursued further study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

On 20 July 1951, Prince Hussein traveled to Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque with his grandfather, King Abdullah I, where a Palestinian assassin opened fire on Abdullah and his grandson. Abdullah was killed, but the 15-year-old Hussein survived the assassination attempt, and according to witnesses, pursued the gunman. Witnesses reported that the gunman turned his weapon on the young prince, who was saved when the bullet was deflected by a medal on his uniform which had been given to him by his grandfather.

Hussein was appointed Crown Prince of Jordan on 9 September 1951. Abdullah’s eldest son, Talal, became King of Jordan, but thirteen months later was forced to abdicate owing to his mental state (European and Arab doctors diagnosed schizophrenia). King Talal’s son, Crown Prince Hussein, was proclaimed King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 11 August 1952, succeeding at the age of 16. A Regency Council was appointed until he came of age. He was enthroned on 2 May 1953.

just before his death, Hussein made a change to his will revising the law of succession, which earlier had designated his brother Hassan successor, in favour of his eldest son Abdullah. He abruptly returned to the U.S. clinic on 25 January 1999 for further treatment undergoing a failed bone marrow transplant after which he returned to Jordan.

On 7 February 1999, King Hussein died of complications related to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was, at the time of his death, one of the longest-serving leaders in international politics. He had been the King of Jordan for over 46 years, during which he was an important actor in various Middle East conflicts. Just prior to his death, during an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour Hussein expressed his opinion that a peaceful resolution would eventually be reached in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

King Hussein’s funeral was held on 8 February 1999 in the presence of all five of his sons, foreign dignitaries and statesmen, and an estimated 800,000 Jordanians. The UN General Assembly held an Emergency Special Session in “Tribute to the Memory of His Majesty the King of Jordan” on the same day.

 

King Hussein was succeeded as king by his eldest son Abdullah II of Jordan.

August 11,1952 – Hussein is proclaimed King of Jordan

August 11,1947 – Muhammad Ali Jinnah, gives a speech to the Constituent Assembly

1947 – Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founding father of Pakistan, gives a speech to the Constituent Assembly, the contents and meaning of which remain contentious today.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah delivering the opening address to the Constitutional Assembly on 11 August 1947

 

Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 11th August Speech is one of the most notable speeches made by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founding father of Pakistan and known as Quaid-e-Azam (Great Leader) to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.  While Pakistan was created as a result of what could be described as Indian Muslim nationalism, Jinnah was once an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity. When the Partition of India finally occurred, Jinnah, soon-to-be Governor General of the Dominion of Pakistan, outlined his vision of Pakistan in an address to the Constituent Assembly, delivered on 11 August 1947. He spoke of an inclusive and impartial government, religious freedom, rule of law and equality for all.

Many intellectual qoute this speech to prove that jinnah was a secular person,while,this speech reflects that M.A Jinnah was very much aware of the rights given to minorities by Islam.

 

 

August 11,1947 – Muhammad Ali Jinnah, gives a speech to the Constituent Assembly

August 11,1957 – Prince Karim Husseini Aga Khan IV inherits the office of Imamat

Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan (IV) (Persian: شاه کریم حسینی، آقاخان چهارم‎) (Aga Khan is also transliterated as Aqa Khan and Agha Khan), NPk, NI, KBE, CC, GCC, GCIH, GCM was born on December 13, 1936, in Geneva, Switzerland. He is a British business magnate, racehorse owner and breeder,as well as being the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailism, a denomination of Ismailism within Shia Islam consisting of an estimated 5-15 million adherents (under 10% of the world’s Shia Muslim population).He has held this position of Imam, under the title of Aga Khan IV, since July 11, 1957,when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III. The Aga Khan claims to be a direct descendant of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad through Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, considered the first Imam in Shia Islam, and Ali’s wife Fatima az-Zahra, Muhammad’s daughter from his first marriage. As the Imam of Nizari Ismailism, the Aga Khan IV is considered by his followers to be the proof or hujjah of God on earth as well as infallible and immune from sin (just as an Imam is viewed in most other denominations of Shia Islam). He is further considered by his followers to be the carrier of the eternal Noor of Allah (“Light of God”) – a concept unique to certain denominations of Shia Islam. In 1986 the Aga Khan ordained the current version of the Ismailia Constitution – an ecclesiastical decree[18] affirming to Nizari Ismailis his “sole right to interpret the Qur’an and provide authoritative guidance on [all] matters of faith”and formalising his sole discretion, power and authority for the governance of Nizari Ismaili jamats (places of worship) and institutions.

 

 

 

 

August 11,1957 – Prince Karim Husseini Aga Khan IV inherits the office of Imamat

August 10,1943 –birthday-Shafqat Rana, Pakistani cricketer

Shafqat Rana (born August 10, 1943, Simla, India) is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in five Tests from 1964 to 1969.

“Shafqat Rana was a very good right-handed batsman, strong on the drive and cut, who was not given that many opportunities in a broken career in which he played five Tests in six years. The highlight was an appearance against New Zealand in 1969-70 when he made a career-best 95, and a total of 167 runs, in the third Test at Lahore, and 65 at Dhaka where rioting caused the abandonment of the game.”

He made his first-class debut in 1959-60, and toured England with the Pakistan Eaglets in 1963. He toured Australia and New Zealand with the Pakistan team in 1964-65, scoring 182 runs at 18.20 and not playing in any of the Tests. He later toured England in 1971, scoring 228 runs at 17.53, also without playing a Test.

He played his last first-class match in 1978-79. His highest score was 174 for Lahore against Sargodha in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in 1968-69 at Lahore.

August 10,1943 –birthday-Shafqat Rana, Pakistani cricketer

August 9,International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection. It was first pronounced by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1994, marking the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, in 1982.

History

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was first pronounced by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995–2004). In 2004, the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade, from 2005–2015, with the theme of “A Decade for Action and Dignity”. People from different nations are encouraged to participate in observing the day to spread the UN’s message on indigenous peoples. Activities may include educational forums and classroom activities to gain an appreciation and a better understanding of indigenous peoples.

By resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People. The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

August 9,International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

August 9,833 – death-Al-Ma'mun, Iraqi caliph (b. 786)

Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Maʾmūn ibn Harūn (also spelled Almamon, Al-Maymun, Al-Ma’moon,and el-Mâmoûn (Arabic: ابوجعفر عبدالله المأمون‎, Persian: ابوجعفر عبدالله مامون‎) ( 15 September 786 – 9 August 833) was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833. He succeeded his brother al-Amin who was killed during the siege of Baghdad (813)

In 802 Harun al-Rashid, father of al-Maʾmūn and al-Amin, ordered that al-Amin succeed him, and al-Ma’mun serve as governor of Khurasan and as caliph after the death of al-Amin. In the last days of Harun’s life his health was declining and saw in a dream Musa ibn Jafar sitting in a chamber praying and crying, which made Harun remember how hard he had struggled to establish his own caliphate. He knew the personalities of both his sons and decided that for the good of the Abbasid dynasty, al-Maʾmūn should be caliph after his death, which he confided to a group of his courtiers. One of the courtiers, Fadl ibn Rabi’ did not abide by Harun’s last wishes and convinced many in the lands of Islam that Harun’s wishes had not changed. Later the other three courtiers of Harun who had sworn loyalty to Harun by supporting al-Maʾmūn, namely ‘Isa Jarudi, Abu Yunus, and Ibn Abi ‘Umran found loopholes in Fadl’s arguments, and Fazl admitted Harun had appointed al-Maʾmūn after him, but, he argued, since Harun was not in his right mind, his decision should not be acted upon. Al-Maʾmūn was reportedly the older of the two brothers, but his mother was a Persian woman while al-Amin’s mother was a member of the reigning Abbasid family. After al-Rashid’s death in 809, the relationship between the two brothers deteriorated. In response to al-Ma’mun’s moves toward independence, al-Amin declared his own son Musa to be his heir. This violation of al-Rashid’s testament led to a succession struggle. al-Amin assembled a massive army at Baghdad with ‘Isa ibn Mahan at its head in 811 and invaded Khorasan, but al-Maʾmūn’s general Tahir ibn al-Husayn (d. 822) destroyed the army and invaded Iraq, laying siege to Baghdad in 812. In 813 Baghdad fell, al-Amin was beheaded, and al-Maʾmūn became the undisputed Caliph.

Death

Al-Tabari (v.32, pp. 224–231) recounts how Al-Ma’mun was sitting on the river bank telling those with him how splendid the water was. He asked what would go best with this water and was told a specific kind of fresh dates. Noticing supplies arriving, he asked someone to check whether such dates were included. As they were, he invited those with him to enjoy the water with these dates. All who did this fell ill. Others recovered, but Al-Ma’mun died. He encouraged his successor to continue his policies and not burden the people with more than they could bear. This was on 9 August 833.

 

Al-Ma’mun died near Tarsus. The city’s major mosque (Tarsus Grand Mosque), contains a tomb reported to be his. He was succeeded not by his son, Al-Abbas ibn al-Ma’mun, but by his half-brother, al-Mu’tasim.

August 9,833 – death-Al-Ma'mun, Iraqi caliph (b. 786)