Ruhollah Khomeini

Ayatollah Khomeini founded the first modern Islamic republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini (آیت‌الله روح‌الله خمینی in Persian ) ( May 17 , 1900 – June 3 , 1989 ) was an Iranian Shia cleric and the political and spiritual leader of the 1979 revolution that overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , the then Shah of Iran . He was considered a spiritual leader to many Shia Muslims and ruled Iran from the Shah's overthrow to his own death in 1989. Khomeini is considered by many as one of the most influential men of the 20th century , and was named Time Magazine 's Man of the Year in 1979 .

Syed Ruhollah Moosavi Khomeini ( , ; 24 September 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian religious leader and politician , and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , the Shah of Iran. Following the revolution and a national referendum, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader —a position created in the constitution as the highest ranking political and religious authority of the nation—until his death. Khomeini issued a secret but extraordinary order to execute thousands of political prisoners across Iran starting on 19 July 1988 and lasting about five months. Khomeini was a marja ("source of emulation", also known as a Grand Ayatollah ) in Twelver Shi'a Islam , but is most famous for his political role. In his writings and preachings he expanded the Shi'a Usuli theory of velayat-e faqih , the "guardianship of the jurisconsult (clerical authority)" to include theocratic political rule by Islamic jurists. In the Muslim world abroad he was described as the "virtual face in Western popular culture of Islam," known for his support of the hostage takers during the Iranian hostage crisis and his fatwa calling for the death of British citizen Salman Rushdie . Khomeini has been referred to as a "charismatic leader of immense popularity," considered a "champion of Islamic revival " by Shia scholars. Khomeini is usually known as Imam Khomeini inside Iran and amongst his followers internationally, and Ayatollah Khomeini amongst others.

( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Ayatollah Ruhollah Moosavi Khomeini ( , , 24 September 1902 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian Mujtahid , revolutionary, politician, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of the Pahlavi monarchy and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , the Shah of Iran who was supported by the United States. Following the revolution, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader , a position created in the constitution of the Islamic Republic as the highest-ranking political and religious authority of the nation, which he held until his death. He was succeeded by Ali Khamenei . Khomeini was a Mujtahid or faqih (an expert in Islamic law ) and author of more than 40 books, but he is primarily known for his political activities. He spent more than 15 years in exile for his opposition to the last Shah. In his writings and preachings he expanded the theory of velayat-e faqih , the "guardianship of the jurisconsult (clerical authority)", to include theocratic political rule by Islamic jurists . This principle was appended to the new Iranian constitution after being put to a referendum. In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini created the Basij Mostazafan , a voluntary mass movement of mainly young people. When the Iran–Iraq war started in 1980, Khomeini issued a Jihad fatwa and these were incorporated into the Iranian military.He was named Man of the Year in 1979 by American news magazine TIME for his international influence, and has been described as the "virtual face of Islam in Western popular culture" where he remains a controversial figure. He was known for his support of the hostage-takers during the Iran hostage crisis and for calling the US Government the " Great Satan ". Khomeini called the USSR the "Lesser Satan" and said that Iran should support neither. Khomeini held the title of Grand Ayatollah and is officially known as Imam Khomeini inside Iran and by his supporters internationally; he is generally referred to as Ayatollah Khomeini by others. Since the beginning of his rule, Khomeini attempted to establish good relations between Sunnis and Shias . Iran's course of economic development floundered under Khomeini's rule, and his pursuit of victory in the Iran–Iraq war ultimately proved futile. In 1982, there was an attempted military coup against Khomeini. Khomeini for a long time suffered from several kinds of cancer and had several heart attacks. He died of intestinal cancer and a heart attack in June 1989. Khomeini's gold-domed tomb in Tehrān’s Behesht-e Zahrāʾ cemetery has since become a shrine for his supporters. In 2009, a suicide bomber attacked the Mausoleum of Khomeini . After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Khamenei became the Supreme Leader of Iran in 1989. There have been rifts between Ali Khamenei and Ruhollah Khomeini's family. While Khomeini has often been described as a traditional cleric, he was a major innovator in Iran due to both his political theory and his religious-oriented populist strategy. Ayatollah Khomeini said, "Those intellectuals who say that the clergy should leave politics and go back to the mosque speak on behalf of Satan." Ruhollah Khomeini is legally considered "inviolable" in Iran, and people are regularly punished for insulting him. The New York Times . "Imam Khomeini Official Website | پرتال امام خمینی" . harammotahar.ir . The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought . The Search For Meaning: The Search For Meaning (reprint ed.). "The vicious schism between Sunni and Shia has been poisoning Islam for 1,400 years - and it's getting worse - Middle East - World" .

Iranian politician and religious leader (1900–1989) For other people named Khomeini, see Khomeini (name) . Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (born Ruhollah Mostafavi Musavi ; 17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian Islamic revolutionary, politician and religious leader who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death . He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the Iranian Revolution , which overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and ended the Iranian monarchy . Khomeini was born in Khomeyn , in what is now Iran's Markazi province . His father was murdered in 1903 when Khomeini was two years old. He began studying the Quran and Arabic from a young age and was assisted in his religious studies by his relatives, including his mother's cousin and older brother. Khomeini was a high ranking cleric in Twelver Shi'ism , an ayatollah , a marja' ("source of emulation"), a Mujtahid or faqīh (an expert in sharia ), and author of more than 40 books. He spent more than 15 years in exile for his opposition to the last shah. In 1970, in his writing and preaching, he began expanding on the theory of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist to include theocratic political rule by Islamic jurists . He was Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1979 for his international influence, and Khomeini has been described as the "virtual face of Shia Islam in Western popular culture", where he was known for his support of the hostage takers during the Iran hostage crisis , his fatwa calling for the murder of British Indian novelist Salman Rushdie , and for referring to the United States as the " Great Satan " and the Soviet Union as the " Lesser Satan ". Following the revolution, Khomeini became the country's first supreme leader, a position created in the constitution of the Islamic Republic as the highest-ranking political and religious authority of the nation, which he held until his death. Most of his period in power was taken up by the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–1988. A cult of personality is said to have developed around Khomeini after the Iranian Revolution, and Khomeini is officially known as Imam Khomeini inside Iran and by his supporters internationally. His funeral was attended by up to 10 million people, or 1/6 of the population, the largest funeral at the time and one of the largest human gatherings in history. In Iran, his gold-domed tomb in Tehran's Behesht-e Zahrāʾ cemetery has become a shrine for his adherents, and he is legally considered "inviolable", with Iranians regularly punished for insulting him. His supporters view him as a champion of Islamic revival and anti-imperialism. Critics accuse him of human rights violations (including his ordering of attacks against demonstrators, execution of thousands of political prisoners , war criminals and prisoners of the Iran–Iraq War). There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a template (see the help page ). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought . Fundamentalism: The Search for Meaning (Reprint ed.). Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran .

Supreme Leader of Iran from 1979 to 1989 "Khomeini" redirects here. Personal Family Death and state funeral Books Islamic Government Tahrir al-Wasilah Kashf al-Asrar Forty Hadith Islam and Revolution The Greatest Jihad Iranian Revolution Life in exile 1963 demonstrations Contact with the United States Return to Iran 1st Supreme Leader of Iran 1979 Islamic Republic referendum Interim Government of Iran (1979) Hostage crisis Iran–Iraq War Satanic Verses controversy Legacy Khomeinism Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order Fajr decade Homafaran Allegiance Imam Khomeini International Airport v t e Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 – 3 June 1989) was an Iranian cleric , politician and revolutionary who founded the Islamic Republic of Iran and served as its first supreme leader from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was the main leader of the Iranian Revolution , which overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and transformed Iran into a theocratic Islamic republic . Born in Khomeyn , in what is now Iran's Markazi province , his father was murdered when Khomeini was two years old. He began studying the Quran and Arabic from a young age assisted by his relatives. Khomeini became a high ranking cleric in Twelver Shi'ism , an ayatollah , a marja' ("source of emulation"), a mujtahid or faqīh (an expert in fiqh ), and author of more than 40 books. His opposition to the White Revolution resulted in his state-sponsored expulsion to Bursa in 1964. Nearly a year later, he moved to Najaf , where speeches he gave outlining his religiopolitical theory of Guardianship of the Jurist were compiled into Islamic Government . After the success of the Iranian Revolution, Khomeini served as the country's de facto head of state from February 1979 until his appointment as supreme leader in December of that same year. Khomeini was Time magazine's Man of the Year in 1979 for his international influence and in the next decade was described as the "virtual face of Shia Islam in Western popular culture". He was known for his support of the hostage takers during the Iran hostage crisis ; his fatwa calling for the murder of British Indian novelist Salman Rushdie for Rushdie's description of Islamic prophet Muhammad in his novel The Satanic Verses , which Khomeini considered blasphemous; pursuing the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in the Iran–Iraq War ; and for referring to the United States as the " Great Satan " and Israel as the " Little Satan ". The subject of a pervasive cult of personality , Khomeini held the title Ayatollah and is officially known as Imam Khomeini inside Iran and by his supporters internationally. His state funeral was attended by up to 10 million people, one fifth of Iran's population, and is considered the second-largest funeral in history. In Iran, he is legally considered "inviolable"—insulting him is punishable with imprisonment; his gold-domed tomb in Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra cemetery has become a shrine for his adherents. His supporters view him as a champion of Islamic revival , independence , anti-imperialism , and resistance to foreign influence in Iran. Critics have criticized him for anti-Western and anti-Semitic rhetoric, anti-democratic actions, human rights violations including the 1988 execution of thousands of Iranian political prisoners , and for using child soldiers extensively during the Iran–Iraq War for human wave attacks. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought . Fundamentalism: The Search for Meaning (Reprint ed.). Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran . "How a 13-year-old boy became the first modern suicide bomber" . gq-magazine.co.uk .