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7/28/2019 Ruhollah Khomeini http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/ruhollah-khomeini 1/34 Ruhollah Khomeini From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Khomeini) This article has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page(December 2007) Ruhollah Khomeini 1st Supreme Leader of Iran In office December 3, 1979 June 3, 1989 Succeeded by  Ali Khamenei Born 24 September 1902 KhomeinMarkazi ProvinceIran Died June 3, 1989 (aged 86) TehranIran Religion Shia Islam Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini (Persian: (help·info), ullāh Mūsawī Khumaynī ) (September 24, 1902 [1][2] June 3, 1989) was a senior Shi'a Muslim cleric, Islamic philosopher and marja (religious authority), and the political leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , the last Shah of Iran. Following the revolution, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader —the paramount political figure of the new Islamic Republic until his death. Khomeini was a marja al-taqlid , ("source of imitation") and important spiritual leader to many Shia Muslims who developed the innovative theory

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Page 1: Ruhollah Khomeini

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Ruhollah KhomeiniFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Khomeini)

This article has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality.Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page. (December 2007)

Ruhollah Khomeini

1st Supreme Leader of IranIn office

December 3, 1979 – June 3, 1989

Succeeded by  Ali Khamenei

Born24 September  1902Khomein, Markazi Province, Iran

DiedJune 3, 1989 (aged 86)Tehran, Iran

Religion Shia Islam

Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini (Persian: (help·info),

Rūḥullāh Mūsawī Khumaynī ) (September 24, 1902[1][2] – June 3, 1989) was

a senior Shi'a Muslim cleric, Islamic philosopher and marja (religious

authority), and the political leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which

saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran.

Following the revolution, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader 

—the paramount political figure of the new Islamic Republic until his death.

Khomeini was a marja al-taqlid , ("source of imitation") and importantspiritual leader to many Shia Muslims who developed the innovative theory

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of velayat-e faqih, the "guardianship of the jurisconsult (clerical authority)"

that provided the theological basis for his rule of Iran. He was named

Time' s Man of the Year in 1979 and also one of Time magazine's 100 most

influential people of the 20th century. Internationally he also had great

influence, and has been called "the virtual face of Islam in Western popular 

culture."[3]

Contents

[hide]

1 Early life 

2 Teacher and scholar  

2.1 Political aspects 

2.2 Literature and poetry 

3 Early political activity 

3.1 Opposition to the White Revolution 

3.2 Opposition against capitulation 

4 Life in exile 

5 Supreme leader of Islamic Republic of Iran 

5.1 Return to Iran 

5.2 Establishment of new government 

5.3 Islamic constitution and its opposition 

5.4 Hostage crisis 

5.5 Relationship with other Islamic and non-aligned countries 

5.6 Iran-Iraq War  

5.7 Rushdie fatwa 

6 Life under Khomeini 

6.1 Suppression of enemies and opposition 

6.2 Minority religions 

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6.3 Emigration and economy 

7 Death and funeral 

7.1 Successorship 

8 Political thought and legacy 

9 Appearance, habits 

10 Mystique 

11 Family and descendants 

12 Works 

13 See also 

14 References 

15 Bilbliography 

16 External links 

[edit] Early life

 A young Khomeini

Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini was born to Mustafa Musawi[4] and Hajiyah

 Aga Khanum in the town of Khomein,[5] about 300 kilometers (180 miles)

south of Tehran, on[6] September 24, 1902.[1][2] His family claims to be

descendants of Muhammad through the seventh of the Twelve Imams,

Musa al-Kazim;[5] thus, Khomeini is considered a sayyid . Several of his

close ancestors were dedicated to Islamic studies: his father and both of 

his grandfathers were all Shia clerics.[7] Khomeini's paternal grandfather,

Sayid Ahmad Musawi Hindi, spent many years in India before returning to

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Persia to purchase a home in Khomein that his family would own until the

late twentieth century.[4][8]

,[9] Many historians today believe his father may have been the victim

of a local dispute.[10][11][12]

Khomeini's mother and one of his auntsproceeded to raise him until 1918, when both of them died.[13] 

Ruhollah Khomeini began to study the Qur'an, Islam's holiest book,

and elementary Persian at age six.[14] The following year, he began to

attend a local school, where he learned math, science, geography, and

other traditional subjects.[13] Throughout his childhood, he would

continue his religious and secular education with the assistance of

his relatives, including his mother's cousin, Ja'far,[13] and his

elder brother, Morteza Pasandideh.[15] 

 After World War I, arrangements were made for him to study at the Islamic

seminary in Esfahan, but he was attracted, instead, to the seminary in

 Arak, under the leadership of  Ayatollah  Abdul Karim Haeri Yazdi.[16] In

1920, Khomeini moved to Arak and commenced his studies.[17] The

following year, Ayatollah Haeri Yazdi transferred the Islamic seminary to

the holy city of Qom, southwest of Tehran, and invited his students to

follow. Khomeini accepted the invitation, moved,[15] and took up residence

at the Dar al-Shafa school in Qom.[18] Khomeini's studies included Islamic

law (sharia) and jurisprudence (fiqh)[14], but by that time, Khomeini had also

acquired an interest in poetry and philosophy (irfan). So, upon arriving in

Qom, Khomeini sought the guidance of Mirza Ali Akbar Yazdi, a scholar of 

philosophy and mysticism. Yazdi died in 1924, but Khomeini would

continue to pursue his interest in philosophy with two other teachers,

Javad Aqa Maleki Tabrizi and Rafi'i Qazvini.[19][20] However, perhaps

Khomeini's biggest influences were yet another teacher, Mirza Muhammad

'Ali Shahabadi,[21] and a variety of historic Sufi mystics, including Mulla

Sadra and Ibn Arabi.[20]

[edit] Teacher and scholar 

Muslim scholar 

Name: Ruhollah Musawi Khomeini

Title: Imam Khomeini

Birth: 24 September  1902[1][2]

Death: June 3, 1989 (aged 86)

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Region: Iran and Iraq

Maddhab: Shia Islam

Main

interests:Fiqh, Irfan, Islamic philosophy, Islamic ethics, Hadith, politics

Notableideas:

Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists, Dynamic Fiqh

Works:Islamic Government, Tahrir-ol-vasyleh, Forty Hadith,  Adab asSalat

Influences:Mulla Sadra,  Abdol-Karim Haeri-Yazdi, Hassan Modarres, Mohammad-Ali Shah Abadi

Influenced:Mohammad Beheshti, Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Morteza Motahhari, 

 Ali Khamenei,  Akbar Hashemi, Fazel Lankarani

Ruhullah Khomeini was a lecturer at Najaf and Qum seminaries for 

decades before he was known in the political scene. He soon became a

leading scholar of Shia Islam.[22] He taught political philosophy[23], Islamic

history and ethics. Several of his students (e.g. Morteza Motahhari) later 

became leading Islamic philosophers and also marja. As a scholar and

teacher, Khomeini produced numerous writings on Islamic philosophy, law,

and ethics.[24] He showed an exceptional interest in subjects like philosophy 

and gnosticism that not only were usually absent from the curriculum of 

seminaries but were often an object of hostility and suspicion. [25]

[edit] Political aspects

 Although during this scholarly phase of his life Khomeini was not politically

active, the nature of his studies, teachings, and writings suggest that he

believed early on in the importance of political involvement by clerics.

Khomeini studied not only traditional subjects like Islamic jurisprudence

(fiqh al-shari`ah), and principles (usul ), but also philosophy and ethics. Histeaching often focused on the importance of religion to practical social and

political issues of the day. He was the first Iranian cleric to try to refute the

outspoken advocacy of secularism in the 1940s. His first book, Kashf al-

 Asrar (Uncovering of Secrets) [26] published in 1942, was a point-by-point

refutation of  Asrar-e hazar salih (Secrets of a Thousand Years), a tract

written by a disciple of Iran's leading anti-clerical historian, Ahmad Kasravi.[27] In addition, he went from Qom to Tehran to listen to Ayatullah Hasan

Mudarris- the leader of the opposition majority in Iran's parliament during

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1920s. Khomeini became a marja in 1963, following the death of Grand

 Ayatollah Seyyed Husayn Borujerdi.

Khomeini held a moderate standpoint vis-à-vis Greek Philosophy and

regarded Aristotle as the founder of logic.

[28]

He was also influenced byPlato's philosophy. About Plato he said: "In the field of divinity, he has

grave and solid views ...". [29] On the other hand, Khomeini attacks the

philosophy of Descartes and regards it as weak. Among Islamic

philosophers, Khomeini was mainly influenced by Avicenna and Mulla

Sadra.[30]

[edit] Literature and poetry

 Apart from philosophy, Khomeini was also interested in literature and

poetry. His poetry collection was released after his death. Since hisadolescent years, Khomeini has composed mystic, political and social

poetry.

“"We" and "I" are both from reason

That are used as ropes to bind

In mass of those who are drunk

Neither "I" is nor "We" to find [31] ”

His poetry works were published in three collections The Confidant, The

Decanter of Love and Turning Point and Divan.[32]

[edit] Early political activity

 At the age of 60, Khomeini found the arena of leadership open following

the deaths of Ayatollah Sayyed Husayn Borujerdi (1961), the leading,

although quiescent, Shiite religious leader; and Ayatollah Abol-GhasemKashani (1962), an activist cleric. The clerical class had been on the

defensive ever since the 1920s when the secular, anti-clerical modernizer 

Reza Shah Pahlavi rose to power. The "White Revolution" of Reza's son

Muhammad Reza Shah, was a further challenge to the ulama.[33]

[edit] Opposition to the White Revolution

In January 1963, the Shah announced the "White Revolution," a six-point

program of reform calling for land reform, nationalization of the forests, the

sale of state-owned enterprises to private interests, electoral changes to

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enfranchise women and allow non-Muslims to hold office, profit-sharing in

industry, and a literacy campaign in the nation's schools. All of these

initiatives were regarded as dangerous, Westernizing trends by

traditionalists, especially by the powerful and privileged Shiite ulama 

(religious scholars).[34]

Khomeini and his son Mustafa

 Ayatollah Khomeini summoned a meeting of the other senior marjas of 

Qom and persuaded them to decree a boycott of the referendum on the

White Revolution. On January 22, 1963 Khomeini issued a strongly

worded declaration denouncing the Shah and his plans. Two days later the

Shah took an armored column to Qom, and delivered a speech harshlyattacking the ulama as a class.

Khomeini continued his denunciation of the Shah's programs, issuing a

manifesto that bore the signatures of eight other senior Iranian Shia 

religious scholars. In it he listed the various ways in which the Shah had

allegedly violated the constitution, condemned the spread of moral

corruption in the country, and accused the Shah of submission to America

and Israel. He also decreed that the Nowruz celebrations for the Iranian

year 1342 (which fell on March 21, 1963) be canceled as a sign of protestagainst government policies.

On the afternoon of 'Ashura (June 3, 1963), Khomeini delivered a speech

at the Feyziyeh madrasah drawing parallels between the infamous tyrant

Yazid and the Shah, denouncing the Shah as a "wretched, miserable

man," and warning him that if he did not change his ways the day would

come when the people would offer up thanks for his departure from the

country.[35]

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On June 5, 1963, (15 of Khordad), two days after this public denunciation

of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Khomeini was arrested. This

sparked three days of major riots throughout Iran and led to the deaths of 

some 400. That event is now referred to as the Movement of 15 Khordad.[36] Khomeini was kept under house arrest for 8 months and released in

1964.

[edit] Opposition against capitulation

During November 1964, Khomeini denounced both the Shah and the

United States, this time in response to the "capitulations" or diplomatic

immunity granted by the Shah to American military personnel in Iran [37] [38].

The famous "capitulation" law (or "status-of-forces agreement") would

allow members of the U.S. armed forces in Iran to be tried in their ownmilitary courts. Khomeini was arrested in November 1964 and held for half 

a year. Upon his release, he was brought before Prime Minister Hasan Ali

Mansur, who tried to convince Khomeini that he should apologize and drop

his opposition to the government. Khomeini refused. In fury, Mansur 

slapped Khomeini's face.[39] Two weeks later, Mansur was assassinated on

his way to parliament. Four members of the Fadayan-e Islam were later 

executed for the murder.

 Advisers to the Shah recommended executing the ayatollah perhaps, anaccidental death. The Shah refused and sent Khomeini into exile to

Turkey. "Former royalist officials now living in London, Paris and Los

 Angeles still grumble about the decision not to kill Khomeini in 1964."[40]

[edit] Life in exile

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 Ayatollah Khomeini in his Exile

 Ayatollah Khomeini at Neauphle-le-Chateau

Khomeini spent more than 14 years in exile, mostly in the holy Shia city of 

Najaf , Iraq. Initially he was sent to Turkey on 4 November  1964 where he

stayed in the city of Bursa for less than a year. He was hosted by a Turkish

Colonel named Ali Cetiner in his own residence, who couldn't find another 

accommodation alternative for his stay at the time.[12] Later in October 

1965 he was allowed to move to Najaf, Iraq, where he stayed until being

forced to leave in 1978, after then-Vice President Saddam Hussein forced

him out (the two countries would fight a bitter eight year war 1980-1988

only a year after the two reached power in 1979) after which he went to

Neauphle-le-Château in France on a tourist visa, apparently not seeking

political asylum, where he stayed for four months. According to Alexandrede Marenches, chief of External Documentation and Counter-Espionage

Service (now known as the DGSE), France would have suggested to the

shah to "organize a fatal accident for Khomeini"; the shah declined the

assassination offer, as that would have made Khomeini a martyr.

While in the 1940s Khomeini accepted the idea of a limited monarchy

under the Iranian Constitution of 1906-1907—as evidenced by his book

Kashf al-Asrar—by the 1970s he did not.

In early 1970 Khomeini gave a series of lectures in Najaf on Islamic

government, later published as a book titled variously Islamic Government  

or Islamic Government: Authority of the Jurist (Hokumat-e Islami: Velayat-

e faqih).

Main article: Hokumat-e Islami : Velayat-e faqih (book by Khomeini)

This was his most famous and influential work and laid out his ideas

on governance (at that time):

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That the laws of society should be made up only of the laws of God

(Sharia), which cover "all human affairs" and "provide instruction

and establish norms" for every "topic" in "human life." [41] 

Since Shariah, or Islamic law, is the proper law, those holdinggovernment posts should have knowledge of Sharia. Since Islamic

 jurists or faqih have studied and are the most knowledgeable in

Sharia, the country's ruler should be a faqih who "surpasses all

others in knowledge" of Islamic law and justice,[42] (known as a

marja`), as well as having intelligence and administrative ability.

Rule by monarchs and/or assemblies of "those claiming to be

representatives of the majority of the people" (i.e. elected

parliaments and legislatures) has been proclaimed "wrong" byIslam.[43] 

This system of clerical rule is necessary to prevent injustice,

corruption, oppression by the powerful over the poor and weak,

innovation and deviation of Islam and Sharia law; and also to

destroy anti-Islamic influence and conspiracies by non-Muslim

foreign powers. [44] 

 A modified form of this wilayat al-faqih system was adopted after 

Khomeini and his followers took power, and Khomeini was the Islamic

Republic's first "Guardian" or Supreme Leader .

 Ayatollah Khomeini in Turkey where it is prohibited to wear a religious turban

in government institutions

In the meantime, however, Khomeini was careful not to publicize his

ideas for clerical rule outside of his Islamic network of opposition to the

Shah which he worked to build and strengthen over the next decade.

Cassette copies of his lectures fiercely denouncing the Shah as (for 

example) "... the Jewish agent, the American snake whose head mustbe smashed with a stone", [45] became common items in the markets of 

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Iran, [46] helped to demythologize the power and dignity of the Shah

and his reign. Aware of the importance of broadening his base,

Khomeini reached out to Islamic reformist and secular enemies of the

Shah, despite his long-term ideological incompatibility with them.

 After the 1977 death of Dr. Ali Shariati, an Islamic reformist and

political revolutionary author/academic/philosopher who greatly

popularized the Islamic revival among young educated Iranians,

Khomeini became the most influential leader of the opposition to the

Shah perceived by many Iranians as the spiritual, if not political, leader 

of revolt. Adding to his mystique was the circulation among Iranians in

the 1970s of "an old Shia saying attributed to the Imam Musa al-Jafar."

Prior to his death in 799, al-Jafar was said to have prophesied that `A

man will come out from Qom and he will summon people to the right

path. There will rally to him people resembling pieces of iron, not to be

shaken by violent winds, unsparing and relying on God.` Khomeini

was said to match this description.[47]

 As protest grew so did his profile and importance. Although thousands

of kilometers away from Iran in Paris, Khomeini set the course of the

revolution, urging Iranians not to compromise and ordering work

stoppages against the regime.[48] During the last few months of his

exile, Khomeini received a constant stream of reporters, supporters,

and notables, eager to hear the spiritual leader of the revolution.[49]

[edit] Supreme leader of Islamic Republic of Iran

[edit] Return to Iran

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 Arrival of   Ayatollah Khomeini on February 1, 1979

Main article: Iranian Revolution

Khomeini had refused to return to Iran until the Shah left. On

January 16, 1979, the Shah did leave the country (ostensibly "on

vacation"), never to return. Two weeks later on Thursday,

February 1, 1979, Khomeini returned in triumph to Iran, welcomedby a joyous crowd estimated at least six million by the ABC News 

reporter, Peter Jennings who was reporting the event from

Tehran.

On the airplane on his way to Iran Khomeini was asked by

reporter Peter Jennings: "What do you feel in returning to Iran?"

Khomeini answered "Hich ehsâsi nadâram" (I don't feel a thing).

This statement is often referred to by those who oppose Khomeini

as demonstrating the ruthlessness and heartlessness of Khomeini. His supporters, however, attribute this comment as

demonstrating the mystic aspiration and selflessness of 

Khomeini's revolution.[citation needed ]

Khomeini adamantly opposed the provisional government of 

Shapour Bakhtiar , promising `I shall kick their teeth in. I appoint

the government. I appoint the government by support of this

nation."`[50][51] On February 11 [(Bahman 22)], Khomeini appointed

his own competing interim prime minister, Mehdi Bazargan,demanding `since I have appointed him, he must be obeyed.` It

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was ̀ God's government,` he warned, disobedience against which

was a `revolt against God.` [52]

[edit] Establishment of new government

 As Khomeini's movement gained momentum, soldiers began todefect to his side and Khomeini declared jihad on soldiers who did

not surrender. [53] On February 11 [(Bahman 22)], as revolt spread

and armories were taken over, the military declared neutrality and

the Bakhtiar regime collapsed.[54] On March 30, 1979, and March

31, 1979, a referendum to replace the monarchy with an Islamic

Republic passed with 98% voting yes (sic). [55]

[edit] Islamic constitution and its opposition

To comply with Wikipedia's quality standards, this section may needto be rewritten.Please help improve this article. The discussion page may contain suggestions.

 Although revolutionaries were now in charge and Khomeini was

their leader, many revolutionaries, both secular and religious, did

not approve and/or know of Khomeini's plan for Islamic

government by wilayat al-faqih, which involved rule by a marja` 

Islamic cleric -- i.e. by him.[56] Nor did the new provisional

constitution for the Islamic Republic, which revolutionaries had

been working on with Khomeini's approval, include a post of 

supreme Islamic cleric ruler.[57] At the same time, as the

undisputed leader of the revolution with enormous mass support,

Khomeini had considerable leaway to change the direction of the

revolution. In the coming months, Khomeini and his supporters

worked to suppress these former allies now becoming opponents,

and rewrite the proposed constitution. Newspapers were closed

and those protesting the closings attacked.[58] Opposition groups

such as the National Democratic Front and Muslim People'sRepublican Party were attacked and finally banned.[59] Through a

combination of popular support and questionable balloting pro-

Khomeini candidates gained an overwhelming majority of the

seats of the Assembly of Experts [60] which revised the proposed

constitution. The new constitution included a Islamic jurist

Supreme Leader of the country, and a Council of Guardians to

veto un-Islamic legislation and screen candidates for office,

disqualifying those found un-Islamic.

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In November 1979 the new constitution of the Islamic Republic

was passed by referendum. Khomeini himself became instituted

as the Supreme Leader (supreme jurist ruler), and officially

decreed as the "Leader of the Revolution." On February 4, 1980,

 Abolhassan Banisadr was elected as the first president of Iran.

Helping pass the controversial constitution was the Iran hostage

crisis.

[edit] Hostage crisis

Main article: Iran hostage crisis

On 22 October  1979, the Shah was admitted into the United

States for medical treatment for lymphoma. There was an

immediate outcry in Iran and on November 4, 1979, a groupof students, all of whom were ardent followers of Khomeini,

seized the United States embassy in Tehran, taking 63

 American citizens as hostage. After a judicious delay,

Khomeini supported the hostage-takers under the slogan

"America can't do a damn thing." Fifty two of the hostages

were held prisoner for 444 days — an event usually referred

to as the Iran hostage crisis. The hostage-takers justified this

violation of long-established international law as a reaction to American refusal to hand over the Shah for trial and

execution. On February 23, 1980, Khomeini proclaimed Iran's

Majlis would decide the fate of the American embassy

hostages, and demanded that the United States hand over 

the Shah for trial in Iran for crimes against the nation.

 Although the Shah died less than a year later, this did not end

the crisis. Supporters of Khomeini named the embassy a

"Den of Espionage", and publicized the weapons, electronic

listening devices, other equipment and many volumes of 

official and secret classified documents they found there.

Others explain the length of the imprisonment on what

Khomeini is reported to have told his president: "This action

has many benefits. ... This has united our people. Our 

opponents do not dare act against us. We can put the

constitution to the people's vote without difficulty, and carry

out presidential and parliamentary elections." [61] The new

theocratic constitution did successfully pass its referendum

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one month after the hostage-taking, which did succeed in

splitting its opposition -- radicals supporting the hostage

taking and moderates opposing it. [62][63]

See also: October Surprise [edit] Relationship with other Islamic andnon-aligned countries

Khomeini believed in Muslim unity and solidarity and the

export of Islamic revolution throughout the world.

"Establishing the Islamic state world-wide belong to the

great goals of the revolution." [64] He declared the birth

week of Muhammad (the week between 12th to 17th of 

Rabi' al-awwal) as the Unity week . Then he declared thelast Friday of Ramadan as International Day of Quds in

1979.

Despite his devotion to Islam, Khomeini also emphasised

international revolutionary solidarity, expressing support

for the PLO, the IRA, Cuba, and the South African anti-

apartheid struggle.

[edit] Iran-Iraq War 

Main article: Iran-Iraq War 

Shortly after assuming power, Khomeini began

calling for Islamic revolutions across the Muslim

world, including Iran's Arab neighbor Iraq, [65] the one

large state besides Iran with a Shia majority

population. At the same time Saddam Hussein, Iraq's

secular Arab nationalist Ba'athist leader, was eager 

to take advantage of Iran's weakened military and

(what he assumed was) revolutionary chaos, and in

particular to occupy Iran's adjacent oil-rich province

of Khuzestan, and, of course, to undermine Iranian

Islamic revolutionary attempts to incite the Shi'a

majority of his country.

With what many Iranians believe was the

encouragement of the United States, Saudi Arabia 

and other countries, Iraq soon launched a full scaleinvasion of Iran, starting what would become the

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eight-year-long Iran-Iraq War (September 1980 -

 August 1988). A combination of fierce resistance by

Iranians and military incompetence by Iraqi forces

soon stalled the Iraqi advance and by early 1982 Iran

regained almost all the territory lost to the invasion.

The invasion rallied Iranians behind the new regime,

enhancing Khomeini's stature and allowed him to

consolidate and stabilize his leadership. After this

reversal, Khomeini refused an Iraqi offer of a truce,

instead demanding reparation and toppling of 

Saddam Hussein from power.[66][67][68]

Outside powers supplied arms to both sides during

the war, but the West wanted to be sure the Islamic

revolution did not spread to other parts of the oil-

exporting Persian Gulf and began to supply Iraq with

whatever help it needed. Most military sales came

from the USSR and the USA, and also from France,

Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Most rulers of other Muslim

countries also supported Iraq out of opposition to the

Islamic ideology of Islamic Republic of Iran, which

threatened their own native monarchies. On the

other hand most Islamic parties and organizations

supported Islamic unity with Iran, especially the

Shiite ones.[citation needed ]

The war continued for another six years, with

450,000 to 950,000 casualties on the Iranian side

and at a cost estimated by Iranian officials to total

USD $300 billion.[69]

 As the costs of the eight-year war mounted,

Khomeini, in his words, “drank the cup of poison” and

accepted a truce mediated by the United Nations. He

strongly denied however that pursuit of overthrow of 

Saddam had been a mistake. In a `Letter to Clergy`

he wrote: `... we do not repent, nor are we sorry for 

even a single moment for our performance during the

war. Have we forgotten that we fought to fulfill our 

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religious duty and that the result is a marginal issue?

`[70]

 As the war ended, the struggles among the clergy

resumed and Khomeini’s health began to decline.[edit] Rushdie fatwa

Main article: The Satanic Verses controversy 

In early 1989, Khomeini issued a fatwa calling

for the assassination of Salman Rushdie, an

India-born British author. [13] Khomeini claimed

that Rushdie's assassination was a religious duty

for Muslims because of his alleged blasphemy 

against Muhammad in his novel, The Satanic 

Verses. Rushdie's book contains passages that

many Muslims – including Ayatollah Khomeini –

considered offensive to Islam and the prophet,

but the fatwa has also been attacked for violating

the rules of fiqh by not allowing the accused an

opportunity to defend himself, and because

"even the most rigorous and extreme of the

classical jurist only require a Muslim to killanyone who insults the Prophet in his hearing

and in his presence."[71]

Though Rushdie publicly apologized, the fatwa

was not revoked. Khomeini explained,

Even if Salman Rushdie repents and becomes

the most pious man of all time, it is incumbent on

every Muslim to employ everything he has got,

his life and wealth, to send him to Hell. [72]

Rushdie himself was not killed but Hitoshi

Igarashi, the Japanese translator of the book

The Satanic Verses, was murdered and two

other translators of the book survived attempted

assassinations. [73]

More of Khomeini's fataawa were compiled in

The Little Green Book, Sayings of Ayathollah

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Khomeini, Political, Philosophical, Social and 

Religious

[edit] Life under Khomeini

The neutrality of this article is disputed.Please see the discussion on the talk page.(December 2007)Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

In a speech given to a huge crowd after 

returning to Iran from exile February 1, 1979,

Khomeini made a variety of promises to Iranians

for his coming Islamic regime: A popularly

elected government that would represent the

people of Iran and with which the clergy would

not interfere. He promised that “no one shouldremain homeless in this country,” and that

Iranians would have free telephone, heating,

electricity, bus services and free oil at their 

doorstep. While many changes came to Iran

under Khomeini, these promises have yet to be

fulfilled in the Islamic Republic. [74][75][76][77][78][79]

Khomeini was more interested in the religious

devotion of Muslims than their material

prosperity -- six months after his first speech he

expressed exasperation with complaints about

the sharp drop in Iran's standard of living: `I

cannot believe that the purpose of all these

sacrifices was to have less expensive melons` [80]

Under Khomeini's rule, Sharia (Islamic law) was

introduced, with the Islamic dress code enforced

for both men and women by Islamic

Revolutionary Guards and other Islamic

groups[81] Women were forced to cover their hair,

and men were not allowed to wear shorts. The

Iranian educational curriculum was Islamized at

all levels with the Islamic Cultural Revolution; the

"Committee for Islamization of Universities"[82] 

carried this out thoroughly.

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[edit] Suppression of enemies andopposition

Opposition to the religious rule of the clergy or 

Islamic government in general was often metwith harsh punishments. In a talk at the Fayzieah

School in Qom, August 30, 1979, Khomeini

warned opponents: "Those who are trying to

bring corruption and destruction to our country in

the name of democracy will be oppressed. They

are worse than Bani-Ghorizeh Jews, and they

must be hanged. We will oppress them by God's

order and God's call to prayer."[83]

The Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his

family left Iran and escaped harm, but hundreds

of former members of the overthrown monarchy

and military met their end in firing squads, with

critics complaining of "secrecy, vagueness of the

charges, the absence of defense lawyers or 

 juries", or the opportunity of the accused "to

defend themselves." [84] In later years these were

followed in larger numbers by the erstwhile

revolutionary allies of Khomeini's movement --

Marxists and socialists, mostly university

students -- who opposed the theocratic regime.[85]

In the 1988 massacre of Iranian prisoners,

following the People's Mujahedin of Iran 

operation Forough-e Javidan against the IslamicRepublic, Khomeini issued an order to judicial

officials to judge every Iranian political prisoner 

and kill those who would not repent anti-regime

activities. Many say that thousands were swiftly

put to death inside the prisons.[86] The

suppressed memoirs of Grand Ayatollah

Hossein-Ali Montazeri reportedly detail the

execution of 30,000 political activists.[87]

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 Although many hoped the revolution would bring

freedom of speech and press, this was not to be.

The freedom of speech and press was much

more limited under Khomeini than it ever was

under the Monarchy. In defending forced closing

of opposition newspapers and attacks on

opposition protesters by club-wielding vigilantes

Khomeini explained, `The club of the pen and

the club of the tongue is the worst of clubs,

whose corruption is a 100 times greater than

other clubs.` [88]

[edit] Minority religions

Life for religious minorities has been mixed

under Khomeini and his successors. Earlier 

statements by Khomeini were antagonistic

towards Jews, but shortly after his return from

exile in 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa

ordering that Jews and other minorities (except

Baha'is) be treated well. [89] [90] In power,

Khomeini distinguished between Zionism as a

secular political party that enjoys Jewish

symbols and ideals and Judaism as the religion

of Moses.[91] As Haroun Yashyaei, a film

producer and former chairman of the Central

Jewish Community in Iran has quoted[92]:

By law, four seats in the parliament are reserved

for the three minority religions. Khomeini also

called for unity between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims

(Sunni Muslims are the largest religious minority

in Iran).[93]

Non-Muslim religious minorities, however, do not

have equal rights in Khomeini's Islamic Republic.

Senior government posts are reserved for 

Muslims. Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian

schools must be run by Muslim principals.[94] 

Compensation for death paid to the family of anon-Muslim was (by law) less than if the victim

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the Baha'is are not a sect but a party, which was

previously supported by Britain and now the

United States. The Baha'is are also spies just like

the Tudeh [Communist Party]. [101]

During the drafting of the new constitution the

wording intentionally excluded the Bahá'ís from

protection as a religious minority.[102]

Main article: Persecution of Bahá'ís

[edit] Emigration and economy

Many Shia Iranians have also left the

country. While the revolution has made Iran

more strict Islamically, an estimated "two to

four million entrepreneurs, professionals,

technicians, and skilled craftspeople (and

their capital)" have emigrated to other 

countries. Partly as a result, the economy

has not prospered in terms of inflation,

unemployment and living standards. [103] [104] 

The poor have also exhibited dissatisfaction.

 Absolute poverty rose by nearly 45% duringthe first 6 years of the Islamic revolution [105] 

and on several occasions the mustazafin 

have rioted, protesting the demolition of their 

shantytowns and rising food prices.

Disabled war veterans have demonstrated

against mismanagement of the Foundation

of the Disinherited.[106]

[edit] Death and funeral

 After eleven days in a hospital for an

operation to stop internal bleeding,

Khomeini died of heart attack on Saturday,

June 3, 1989, at the age of 86. [107] Iranians

poured out into the cities and streets to

mourn Khomeini's death in a "completely

spontaneous and unorchestrated outpouringof grief." [108] Iranian officials aborted

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Khomeini’s first funeral, after a large crowd

stormed the funeral procession, nearly

destroying Khomeini's wooden coffin in

order to get a last glimpse of his body. At

one point, Khomeini's body actually almost

fell to the ground, as the crowd attempted to

grab pieces of the death shroud. The

second funeral was held under much tighter 

security. Khomeini's casket was made of 

steel, and heavily armed security personnel

surrounded it. In accordance with Islamic

tradition, the casket was only to carry the

body to the burial site. Khomeini's grave isnow housed within a larger mausoleum

complex.

[edit] Successorship

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Montazeri, a major 

figure of the Revolution, was designated by

Khomeini to be his successor as Supreme

Leader. The principle of velayat-e faqih and

the Islamic constitution called for the

Supreme Ruler to be a marja or grand

ayatollah, and of the dozen or so grand

ayatollahs living in 1981 only Montazeri

accepted the concept of rule by Islamic

 jurist.[14] In 1989 Montazeri began to call for 

liberalization, freedom for political parties.

Following the execution of thousands of 

political prisoners by the Islamic

government, Montazeri told Khomeini ̀ your 

prisons are far worse than those of the Shah

and his SAVAK.`[109] After a letter of his

complaints was leaked to Europe and

broadcast on the BBC a furious Khomeini

ousted him from his position as official

successor.

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Writers in the West report that the

amendment made to Iran's constitution

removing the requirement that the Supreme

Leader to be a Marja, was to deal with the

problem of a lack of any remaining Grand

 Ayatollahs willing to accept "velayat-e

faqih."[110][111][112] However, others say the

reason marjas were not elected was

because of their lack of votes in the

 Assembly of Experts, for example Grand

 Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Golpaygani had

the backing of only 13 members of the

assembly. Furthermore, there were other marjas present who accepted "velayat-e

faqih"[113][114][115] Grand Ayatollah Hossein

Montazeri continued his criticism of the

regime and in 1997 was put under house

arrest for questioning the unaccountable

rule exercised by the supreme leader. [116][117]

[118] He was released in 2003.

[edit] Political thought andlegacy

Main article: Political thought and legacy of Khomeini 

See also: History of political Islam in

Iran

Wikisource has original text

related to this article:

 Author:Ruhollah

Khomeini 

Throughout his many writings and

speeches, Khomeini's views on

governance evolved. Originally

declaring rule by monarchs or otherspermissible so long as sharia law was

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followed [119] Khomeini later adamantly

opposed monarchy, arguing that only

rule by a leading Islamic jurist (a

marja`), would insure Sharia was

properly followed (wilayat al-faqih), [120] 

before finally insisting the ruling jurist

need not be a leading one and Sharia

rule could be overruled by that jurist if 

necessary to serve the interests of 

Islam and the "divine government" of 

the Islamic state. [121]

Khomeini's concept of Guardianship of 

the Islamic Jurists ( , velayat-e

faqih) [15] did not win the support of the

leading Iranian Shi'i clergy of the time.

Towards the 1979 Revolution, many

clerics gradually became disillusioned

with the rule of the Shah, although none

came around to supporting Khomeini's

vision of a theocratic Islamic Republic.

[122]

Whether Khomeini's ideas are

compatible with democracy and whether 

he intended the Islamic Republic to be a

democratic republic is disputed.

 According to the state-run Aftab News,[123] both ultraconservative (Mohammad

Taghi Mesbah Yazdi) and reformist

opponents of the regime ( Akbar Ganji 

and Abdolkarim Soroush) believe he did

not, while regime officials and

supporters like Ali Khamenei[124],

Mohammad Khatami and Mortaza

Motahhari[125] believe Khomeini intended

the Islamic republic to be democratic

and that it is so.[126] Khomeini himself 

also made statements at different times

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indicating both support and opposition

to democracy.[127]

One scholar, Shaul Bakhash, explains

this disagreement as coming fromKhomeini's belief that the huge turnout

of Iranians in anti-Shah demonstrations

during the revolution constituted a

`referendum` in favor of an Islamic

republic.[128] Khomeini also wrote that

since Muslims must support a

government based on Islamic law,

Sharia-based government will always

have more popular support in Muslim

countries than any government based

on elected representatives.[129]

Khomeini offered himself as a

"champion of Islamic revival" and unity,

emphasising issues Muslims agreed

upon - the fight against zionism and

imperialism - and downplaying Shia

issues that would divide Shia from

Sunni.[130] Khomeini strongly opposed

close relations with neither Eastern or 

Western Bloc nations, believing the

Islamic world should be its own bloc, or 

rather converge into a single unified

power.[131] He viewed Western culture as

being inherently decadent and a

corrupting influence upon the youth.

The Islamic Republic banned or 

discouraged popular Western fashions,

music, cinema, and literature.[132] In the

Western world it is said "his glowering

visage became the virtual face of Islam

in Western popular culture" and

"inculcated fear and distrust towards

Islam."[133] This has particularly been thecase in the United States where

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Khomeini and the Islamic Republic are

remembered for the American embassy

hostage taking and accused of 

sponsoring hostage-taking and terrorist

attacks,[134][135] and which continues to

apply economic sanctions against Iran.

Before taking power Khomeini

expressed support for the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights; in Sahifeh

Nour (Vol.2 Page 242), he states: "We

would like to act according to the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We would like to be free. We would like

independence." However once in power 

Khomeini took a firm line against

dissent, warning opponents of 

theocracy for example: "I repeat for the

last time: abstain from holding

meetings, from blathering, from

publishing protests. Otherwise I will

break your teeth."[136] Iran adopted an

alternative human rights declaration, the

Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in

Islam, in 1990 (one year after 

Khomeini's death), which diverges in

key respects from the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights.[citation needed ]

Many of Khomeini's political and

religious ideas were considered to be

progressive and reformist by leftist

intellectuals and activists prior to the

Revolution. However, once in power his

ideas often clashed with those of 

modernist or secular Iranian

intellectuals. This conflict came to a

head during the writing of the Islamic

constitution when many newspapers

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were closed by the government.

Khomeini angrily told the intellectuals:

Yes, we are reactionaries, and you are

enlightened intellectuals: Youintellectuals do not want us to go back

1400 years. You, who want freedom, 

freedom for everything, the freedom of 

parties, you who want all the freedoms,

you intellectuals: freedom that will

corrupt our youth, freedom that will

pave the way for the oppressor,

freedom that will drag our nation to the

bottom. [137]

In contrast to Khomeini's alienation from

Iranian intellectuals was his embrace of 

international revolution and Third World 

solidarity which "took precedence over 

Muslim fraternity, in an utter departure

from all other Islamist movements." Until

Khomeini's death the Iranian press -which was controlled by his supporters -

"devoted extensive coverage to non-

Muslim revolutionary movements (from

the Sandinistas to the African National

Congress and the Irish Republican

 Army) and downplayed the role of the

Islamic movements considered

conservative, such as the Afghan

mujahidin."[138]

Khomeini also emphasized the serious

nature of life: "Allah did not create man

so that he could have fun. The aim of 

creation was for mankind to be put to

the test through hardship and

prayer."[139]

[edit] Appearance, habits

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Khomeini is described as "slim," but

athletic and "heavily boned." He was

"fairly tall by the Iranian standards of his

day", at a height of 1.76 meters (5 ft 9

in).[140] He was known for his punctuality:

He's so punctual that if he doesn't turn

up for lunch at exactly ten past

everyone will get worried, because his

work is regulated in such a way that he

turned up for lunch at exactly that time

every day. He goes to bed exactly on

time. He eats exactly on time. And he

wakes up exactly on time. He changes

his frock every time he comes back

from the mosque. [141]

and for his aloof and stern demeanor.

He is said to have "variously inspired

admiration, awe, and fear from those

around him."[142] His practice of moving

"through the halls of the madresehsnever smiling at anybody or anything. ...

his practice of ignoring his audience

while he thought contributed to his

charisma." [143] He preached that `there

are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor 

in Islam.`[144]

Khomeini also adhered to traditional

beliefs of Islamic cleanliness, refusing toeat or drink in a restaurant unless he

knew for sure the waiter was a Muslim.[145]

[edit] Mystique

Even more famous was his mystique.

He benefited from the widespread

circulation of "an old Shia saying"attributed to the Imam Musa al-Kazim 

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who is said to have prophesied shortly

before his death in 799 that

`A man will come out from Qom and he

will summon people to the right path.There will rally to him people

resembling pieces of iron, not to be

shaken by violent winds, unsparing and

relying on God.` [146]

Khomeini was the first and only Iranian

cleric to be addressed as "Imam", a title

hitherto reserved in Iran for the twelve

infallible leaders of the early Shi'a.[147] He was also associated with the Mahdi  

or 12th Imam of Shia belief in a number 

of ways. One of his titles was Na'eb-e

Imam (Deputy to the [Twelfth Imam).

His enemies were often attacked as

taghut and mofsidin fi'l-arz (corrupters

of the earth), religious terms used for 

enemies of the Twelfth Imam. Many of the officials of the overthrown Shah's

government executed by Revolutionary

Courts were convicted of "fighting

against the Twelfth Imam". When a

deputy in the majlis asked Khomeini if 

he was the `promised Mahdi`, Khomeini

did not answer, "astutely" neither 

confirming nor denying the title.[148]

In late 1978 a rumour swept the country

that Khomeini's face could be seen in

the full moon.

Tears of joy were shed and huge

quantities of sweets and fruits were

consumed as millions of people jumped

for joy, shouting `I've seen the Imam in

the moon.` The event was celebrated inthousands of mosques with mullahs

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reminding the faithful that a sure sign of 

the coming of the Mahdi was that the

sun would rise in the West. Khomeini,

representing the sun, was now in

France and his face was shining in the

moon like a sun. People were ready to

swear on the Qur'an that they had seen

Khomeini's face in the moon. Even the

Tudeh Party [the party of "Scientific

Socialism"] shared in the [enthusiasm].

Its paper Navid wrote: `Our toiling

masses, fighting against world-

devouring imperialism headed by the

blood-sucking United States, have seen

the face of their beloved Imam and

leader, Khomeini the Breaker of Idols,

in the moon. A few pipsqueaks cannot

deny what a whole nation has seen with

its own eyes.` [149]

 As the revolution gained momentum,

even some non-supporters exhibited

awe, called him "magnificently clear-

minded, single-minded and

unswerving."[150] His image was as

"absolute, wise, and indispensable

leader of the nation"[151]

The Imam, it was generally believed,

had shown by his uncanny sweep to

power, that he knew how to act in ways

which others could not begin to

understand. His timing was

extraordinary, and his insight into the

motivation of others, those around him

as well as his enemies, could not be

explained as ordinary knowledge. This

emergent belief in Khomeini as a

divinely guided figure was carefully

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In 1929, (some say 1931[155]) Khomeini

married Batoul Saqafi Khomeini, the 11-

year-old[156] daughter of a cleric in

Tehran. By all acounts their marriage

was harmonious and happy.[157] They

had seven children, though only five

survived infancy. His daughters all

married into either merchant or clerical

families, and both his sons entered into

religious life. The elder son, Mustafa, is

rumored to have been murdered in

1977 while in exile with his father in

Najaf , Iraq and Khomeini accusedSAVAK of orchestrating it. Ahmad

Khomeini, Khomeini's younger son, died

in 1995 under mysterious

circumstances.

Khomeini's notable grandchildren

include:

Zahra Eshraghi, granddaughter,married to Mohammad Reza

Khatami, head of the Islamic Iran

Participation Front, the main

reformist party in the country, and is

considered a pro-reform character 

herself.

Hasan Khomeini, Khomeini's elder 

grandson Sayid Hasan Khomeini,

son of the Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini,

is a cleric and the trustee of 

Khomeini's shrine.

Husain Khomeini, (Sayid Husain

Khomeini) Khomeini's other 

grandson, son of Sayid Mustafa

Khomeini, is a mid-level cleric who isstrongly against the system of the

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Islamic Republic. In 2003 he was

quoted as saying:

Iranians need freedom now, and if they can only achieve it with

 American interference I think they would welcome it. As an Iranian, Iwould welcome it. [158] 

In that same year Husain Khomeini

visited the United States, where he

met figures such as Reza Pahlavi

II, the son of the last Shah. In that

meeting they both favored a secular  

and democratic Iran.

Later that year, Husain returned to

Iran after receiving an urgent

message from his grandmother.

 According to Michael Ledeen,

quoting "family sources", he was

blackmailed into returning. [16]

In 2006, he called for an American

invasion and overthrow of the

Islamic Republic, telling Al-Arabiyah

television station viewers, "If you

were a prisoner, what would you

do? I want someone to break the

prison [doors open]."[17].

Hussein is currently under house

arrest in the holy city of Qum.

 Another of Khomeini'sgrandchildren, Ali Eshraghi was

banned from the 2008

parliamentary elections after he

was considered "not sufficiently

loyal to the principles of Khomeini's

1979 Islamic revolution."[18].

[