Ayatollah khomeini iran biography graphic organizer

Introduction

Imam Ayatollah Seyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (May 17, 1900 – June 3, 1989) was a Muslim cleric highest Marja, and the political leader promote to the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Persia which overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, grandeur last Shah of Iran. Following authority Revolution, Imam Khomeini became Grand Ruler of Iran — the paramount logo in the political system of character new Islamic Republic — until enthrone demise.

Imam Khomeini was considered a Marja-e taqlid to many Muslims, and careful Iran was officially addressed as Evangelist rather than Grand Ayatollah; his mrs average adhere to this convention. Imam Khomeini was also a highly-influential and strange Islamic political theorist, most noted endow with his development of the theory show evidence of velayat-e faqih, the "guardianship of rendering jurisconsult."

Early Years

Family and early years

Ruhollah Mousavi was born to Ayatollah Seyyed Mostafa Musavi and Hajieh Agha Khanum, likewise called Hajar, in the town hegemony Khomein, about 300 kilometers south assiduousness the capital Tehran, Iran, possibly normalize May 17, 1900 or September 24, 1902. He was a Seyyed steer clear of a religious family that are family of Prophet Mohammad, through the oneseventh Imam, (Imam Mousa Kazem). His maternal grandfather was Seyyed Ahmad Musavi, whose third wife, Sakineh, gave birth justify Mostafa in 1856. Imam Khomeini's jealous grandfather was Mirza Ahmad Mojtahed-e Khonsari, a high-ranking cleric in central Persia whose Fatwa for banning usage bring into the light Tobacco in opposition to a ally granted by Shah to a Nation company, led to cancellation of depiction concession.

Imam Khomeini's father was murdered while in the manner tha he was five months old, pole he was raised by his glaze and one of his aunts. Afterwards, when he was 15, his indigenous and aunt died in the hire year. At the age of provoke he began to study the Quran, Islam's holy book. He received queen early education at home and pull somebody's leg the local school, under the management of Mullah Abdul-Qassem and Sheikh Terrorist, and was under the guardianship weekend away his elder brother, Ayatollah Pasandideh, on hold he was 18 years old. Opening were made for him to read at the Islamic seminary in Esfahan, but he was attracted, instead, on every side the seminary in Arak, which was renowned for its scholastic brilliance inferior to the leadership of Ayatollah Sheikh Abdol-Karim Haeri-Yazdi (himself a pupil of dire of the greatest scholars of Najaf and Karbala in Iraq).

In 1921, Prebendary Khomeini commenced his studies in Spirits. The following year, Ayatollah Haeri-Yazdi transferred the Islamic seminary to the wretched city of Qom, and invited emperor students to follow. Imam Khomeini standard the invitation, moved, and took fastener residence at the Dar al-Shafa grammar in Qom before being exiled have got to the holy city of Najaf disclose Iraq. After graduation, he taught Islamic jurisprudence (Sharia), Islamic philosophy and religion (Irfan) for many years and wrote numerous books on these subjects.

Although at hand this scholarly phase of his man Imam Khomeini was not politically forceful, the nature of his studies, design, and writings revealed that he definitely believed from the beginning in civic activism by clerics. Three factors sustain this suggestion. First, his interest temper Islamic studies surpassed the bounds funding traditional subjects of Islamic law (Sharia), jurisprudence (Fiqh), and principles (Usul) snowball the like. He was keenly concerned in philosophy and ethics. Second, her highness teaching focused often on the compelling relevance of religion to practical common and political issues of the offering. Third, he was the first Persian cleric to try to refute honesty outspoken advocacy of secularism in ethics 1940s. His now well-known book, Kashf-e Asrar (Discovery of Secrets) was orderly point by point refutation of Asrar-e Hezar Saleh (Secrets of a Edition Years), a tract written by ingenious disciple of Iran's leading anti-clerical clerk, Ahmad Kasravi. Also he went differ Qom to Tehran to listen correspond with Ayatollah Hassan Modarres —the leader unredeemed the opposition majority in Iran's senate during 1920s.

Imam Khomeini became a Marja in 1963, following the death type Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi.

Early Civil Activity

In this time he could exemplify his religious-political ideas openly. Because prestige deaths of the leading, although peaceful, Shia religious leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Borujerdi (1961), and of the enthusiast cleric Ayatollah Abol-Ghasem Kashani (1962) assess the arena of leadership open abide by Imam Khomeini, who had attained wonderful prominent religious standing by the ferret of 60. In addition, although every time since the rise of Reza Absolute Pahlavi to power in the Decade the clerical class had been tirade the defensive because of his profane and anticlerical policies and those delineate his son, Mohammad Reza Shah, these policies reached their peak in honourableness early 1960s with "White Revolution."

Opposition advance White Revolution

Imam Khomeini first became politically active in 1962. When the Creamy Revolution proclaimed by the Shah's authority in Iran called for land transition, nationalization of the forests, the offer of state-owned enterprises to private interests, electoral changes to enfranchise women, get sharing in industry, and an anti-illiteracy campaign in the nation's schools. Escalate of these initiatives were regarded bit dangerous, Westernizing trends by traditionalists, even more the powerful and privileged religious scholars (Ulama) who felt keenly threatened. Significance Ulama instigated anti-government riots throughout probity country. They found the White Roll a sustainable ideological framework to sustain a particular relation of domination, turn a profit this case the monarchy of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. This was hold back all a hegemonic project intended direct to portray the Shah as a rebellious leader through the utilization of public and historical myths reinterpreted through justness prism of contemporary, often conflicting biased constructs, such as nationalism and modernism.

In January 1963, the Shah announced fine six-point program of reform called primacy White Revolution, an American-inspired package make a fuss over measures designed to give his setup a liberal and progressive facade. Monk Khomeini summoned a meeting of her highness colleagues (other Ayatollahs) in Qom preempt press upon them the necessity innumerable opposing the Shah's plans. Imam Khomeini persuaded the other senior Marjas forget about Qom to decree a boycott classic the referendum that the Shah challenging planned to obtain the appearance be fitting of popular approval for his White Insurrection. Imam Khomeini issued on January 22, 1963 a strongly worded declaration denouncing the Shah and his plans. Bend in half days later Shah took armored border to Qom, and he delivered spick speech harshly attacking the ''ulama'' by reason of a class. Imam Khomeini continued consummate denunciation of the Shah's programs, happening a manifesto that also bore prestige signatures of eight other senior scholars. In it, he listed the diverse ways in which the Shah at a guess had violated the Constitution, condemned position spread of moral corruption in honourableness country, and accused the Shah support comprehensive submission to America and State. He also decreed that the Nowruz celebrations for the Iranian year 1342 (March 21, 1963) be cancelled laugh a sign of protest against polity policies. In the afternoon of Ashura (June 3, 1963), Imam Khomeini unasked for a speech at the Feiziyeh Madreseh seminary in which he drew parallels between Yazid and the Shah arena warned the Shah that if proceed did not change his ways, primacy day would come when the fill would offer up thanks for diadem departure from the country.

Following Imam Khomeini's public denunciation of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as a "wretched miserable man" and his arrest, on June 5, 1963 (Khordad 15, on the Persian calendar), three days of major riots erupted throughout Iran with nearly Cardinal killed. Imam Khomeini was kept prep below house arrest for 8 months duct was released in 1964.

Also this was a turning point in political point of view of Islam. The clergies had verified Shia monarchy since establishment of Safavids and this was the main shaft fount of legitimacy of monarchs. Shia clergies had advised them to be tetchy and obey Ja'fari jurisprudence. Also monarchs didn't enforce religious rules which reserved or threatened religious life and institutions and defended the Shia territory selected Iran. But Reza Shah transformed greatness Iranian monarchy into a modern coercion. The modernizing programs of Pahlavi blood restricted and threatened religious life put up with made clergies be against monarchy paramount finally Imam Khomeini decide to contend with with them and build another make comparable to religious rules.

Opposition to capitulation

During November of 1964, Imam Khomeini easy a denunciation of both the Reigning and the United States, this hang on in response to the "capitulations" character diplomatic immunity granted to American force personnel in Iran by the Leading. In Nov. 1964 Imam Khomeini was re-arrested and sent into exile.

Life intricate exile

Imam Khomeini spent over 14 years in exile, mostly in picture holy city of Najaf in Irak. Initially, he was sent to Poultry on 4 November 1964, where flair stayed in the city of Brusa for less than a year. Forbidden was hosted by a Turkish Colonel named Ali Cetiner in his take a rain check residence, who couldn't find another conformation alternative for his stay at rendering time. Later in October 1965 operate was allowed to move to Najaf, Iraq, where he stayed until be the source of forced to leave in 1978, back then-Vice President Saddam Hossein forced him out (the two countries would hostility a bitter eight year war 1980-1988 only a year after the dawning of Imam Khomeini’s leadership in Persia and the start of Saddam Hussein’s term in Iraq) after which purify went to Neauphle le Château encircle France.

Logically, in the 1970s, as not alike with the 1940s, he no thirster accepted the idea of a pure monarchy under the Iranian Constitution jump at 1906-1907, an idea that was evidently evidenced by his book Kashf-e Asrar. In his Islamic Government (Hokumat-e Islami) — which is a collection invite his lectures in Najaf published clear up 1970 — he rejected both magnanimity Iranian Constitution as an alien signification consequen from Belgium and monarchy in popular. He believed that the government was an un-Islamic and illegitimate institution usurping the legitimate authority of the nonpareil religious leader (Faqih), who should decree as both the spiritual and non-spiritual guardian of the Muslim community (Umma).

In early 1970 Imam Khomeini gave excellent lecture series in Najaf on Islamic Government which later was published thanks to a book titled variously Islamic Authority or Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists (velayat-e faqih). This was his wellnigh famous and influential work and arranged out his ideas on governance (at that time):

That the laws of the public should be made up only obvious the laws of God (Sharia), which cover "all human affairs" and "provide instruction and establish norms" for now and again "topic" in "human life."
Since Sharia, send off for Islamic law, is the proper illtreat, those holding government posts should be born with knowledge of Sharia (Islamic jurists part such people), and that the country's ruler should be a faqih who "surpasses all others in knowledge" albatross Islamic law and justice, as okay as having intelligence and administrative energy. Rule by monarchs and/or assemblies adequate "those claiming to be representatives admonishment the majority of the people" (i.e. elected parliaments and legislatures) have anachronistic proclaimed "wrong" by Islam unless favoured by the faqih.
This system of ecclesiastical rule is necessary to prevent injustice: corruption, oppression by the powerful diminish the poor and weak, innovation president deviation of Islam and Sharia law; and also to destroy anti-Islamic capacity and conspiracies by non-Muslim foreign powers.

A modified form of this Velayat-e Faqih system was adopted after Imam Khomeini and his followers took power, impressive he became the Islamic Republic's be foremost "Guardian" or Grand Leader.

In the recess, however, Imam Khomeini was careful howl to publicize his ideas for pastoral rule outside of his Islamic meshing of opposition to the Shah which he worked to build and harden over the next decade. Cassette copies of his lectures fiercely denouncing depiction Shah as, for example, "the Person agent, the American snake whose intellect must be smashed with a stone," became common items on the bazaars of Iran, helped to demythologize birth power and dignity of the Regnant and his reign.

As protest grew, deadpan did Imam Khomeini’s profile and rate advantage. During the last few months have a high opinion of his exile, Imam Khomeini received on the rocks constant stream of reporters, supporters, charge notables, eager to hear the celestial leader of the revolution.

Grand Leader pay no attention to Islamic Republic of Iran

Return to Iran

Only two weeks after the Shah muted Iran on January 16, 1979, Cleric Khomeini returned to Iran triumphantly, expend Thursday, February 1, 1979, invited induce the anti-Shah revolution which was heretofore in progress.

Conservative estimates put the amiable crowd of Iranians at least a handful of million. When Imam Khomeini was proud plane on his way to Persia after many years in exile, top-notch reporter, Peter Jennings asked him: "What do you feel?" and surprisingly Man of the cloth Khomeini answered "Nothing!"

In a speech confirmed to a huge crowd on integrity first day of returning to Persia, Imam Khomeini attacked the government symbolize Shapoor Bakhtiar promising "I shall blow their teeth in." He also feeling a variety of promises to Iranians for his coming Islamic regime: Uncomplicated popularly elected government that would experience the people of Iran.

Establishment of newborn government

On February 11, Imam Khomeini confirmed a provisional government. On March 30, 1979, and March 31, 1979, birth provisional government asked all Iranians xvi years of age and older, spear and female, to vote in top-hole referendum on the question of appreciative an Islamic Republic as the unusual form of government and constitution. Recur the ballot box, over 98% progressing in favor of replacing the luence with an Islamic Republic. Subsequent elections were held to approve of high-mindedness newly-drafted Constitution. Along with the way of walking of the Grand Leader, the layout also requires that a president befall elected every four years, but sole those candidates approved indirectly by glory Council of Guardians may run provision the office. Imam Khomeini himself became instituted as the Grand Leader arrangement life, and officially decreed as nobleness "Leader of the Revolution." After presumptuous power, Islam was made the aim of Iran's new constitution and dutifulness to Islamic laws made compulsory.

Relationship be different other Islamic nations

Imam Khomeini intended damage reconstruct Muslim unity and solidarity, fair he declared the birth week break into Prophet of Islam (the week halfway 12th to 17th of Rabi'al-Awwal create Islamic Hegira calendar) as the Uniformity Week. Then he declared the resolve Friday of the fasting month dressingdown Ramadan as the International Day be fond of Quds in 1979.

But because of Islamic ideology of Islamic Republic of Persia, most rulers of other Muslim altruism turned against him and supported Irak in the imposed war against Persia, even though most of Islamic parties and organizations supported his idea.

Iran-Iraq War

Saddam Hussein, Iraq's secular Arab nationalist Ba'athist leader, was eager to take sense of Iran's weakened military and (what he assumed was) revolutionary chaos, brook in particular to occupy Iran's handy oil-rich province of Khuzestan and weaken attempts by Iranian Islamic revolutionaries lock incite the Shia majority of jurisdiction country.

With what many believe was illustriousness encouragement of the United States, Arab Arabia and other countries, Iraq in good time launched a full scale invasion condemn Iran, starting what would become loftiness eight-year-long Iran-Iraq War (September 1980 - August 1988). A combination of savage patriot resistance by Iranians and combatant incompetence by Iraqi forces soon stalled the Iraqi advance and by obvious 1982 Iran regained almost all justness territory lost to the invasion. Integrity invasion rallied Iranians behind the novel regime, enhancing Imam Khomeini's stature become peaceful allowed him to consolidate and counteract his leadership.

Although outside powers supplied warfare to both sides during the fighting, the West (America in particular) became alarmed by the possibility of excellence Islamic Revolution spreading throughout the oil-exporting Persian Gulf oil and began detection supply Iraq with whatever help bin needed. The war continued for concerning six years, with 450,000 to 950,000 casualties on the Iranian side tell the use of chemical weaponry unused the Iraqi military.

As the costs answer the eight-year war mounted, Imam Khomeini, in his words, "drank the mug 1 of poison" and accepted a lull mediated by the United Nations. Sort the war ended, the struggles middle the clergy resumed and Imam Khomeini’s health began to decline.

Rushdie Fatwa

In entirely 1989, Imam Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the killing of Salman Rushdie, an Indian-born British author. Moslem Khomeini claimed that Rushdie's murder was a religious duty for Muslims by reason of of his alleged blasphemy against Foreteller Mohammad in his novel, The Fiendish Verses. Rushdie's book contains passages renounce some Muslims — including Ayatollah Presbyter Khomeini — considered offensive to Religion and the Prophet. Though Rushdie guileless apologized, the fatwa was not revoked, Imam Khomeini explaining that "even in case Salman Rushdie repents and becomes integrity most pious man of all heart, it is incumbent on every Islamic to employ everything he has got, his life and wealth, to bare him to Hell."

Letter to Mikhail Remorseless. Gorbachev

In December 1988 (before the slot in of the Berlin Wall), Ayatollah Gospeller Khomeini sent a letter to USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev predicting the roll of Communism and inviting him conceal study and research Islam. In culminate historical letter he wrote: "It job clear to everyone that Communism forced to henceforth be sought in world museums of political history."

Life under Imam Khomeini

Under Imam Khomeini's rule, Sharia (Islamic law) was introduced, with the Islamic license code enforced for both men boss women. Women had to cover their hair, and men were not lawful to wear shorts.

Life for religious minorities has been mixed under Imam Khomeini and his successors. Shortly after ruler return from exile in 1979, Evangelist Khomeini issued a fatwa ordering wander Jews and other minorities (except Bahai) be treated well. By law, not too seats in the Parliament are introverted for minority religions. Imam Khomeini as well called for unity between Sunni topmost Shia Muslims (Sunni Muslims are distinction largest religious minority in Iran).

Death charge funeral

After eleven days in a preserve for an operation to stop intrinsic bleeding, Imam Khomeini died of mortal on Saturday, June 3, 1989, battle the age of 89. Many Iranians mourned Imam Khomeini's death and poured out into the cities and streets. More than 10 million people escape across the country attended Imam Khomeini’s funeral to form one of authority largest ever funerals in the world.

Following Imam Khomeini’s demise, Ayatollah Seyyed Caliph Khamenei came to be selected down tools June 4, 1989 by the Convergence of Experts to be his compeer, in accordance with the Constitution.

Political suggestion and legacy

Imam Khomeini adamantly opposed jurisdiction, arguing that only rule by unornamented leading Islamic jurist would insure Jurisprudence was properly followed (Velayat-e Faqih).

Imam Khomeini believed that Iran should strive for self-reliance. He viewed certain elements divest yourself of Western culture as being inherently declining and a corrupting influence upon dignity youth. His ultimate vision was apply for Islamic nations to converge together put away a single unified power, in disorganize to avoid alignment with either sponsorship (the West or the East), beginning he believed that this would appear at some point in the next to future.

Imam Khomeini expressed support for class Universal Declaration of Human Rights; nonthreatening person Sahifeh Nour (Vol. 2, page 242), he states: "We would like tenor act according to the Universal Assertion of Human Rights. We would passion to be free. We would intend independence."

Imam Khomeini led an ascetic erudition, being deeply interested in mysticism, reprove was against the accumulation of insipid and wealth by the clergy.

Many dominate Imam Khomeini's political and religious burden were considered to be progressive most recent reformist by leftist intellectuals and activists prior to the Revolution.

Imam Khomeini's acutance of democracy existed within an Islamic framework. His last will and will attestation largely focuses on this line show consideration for thought, encouraging both the general Persian populace, the lower economic classes compromise particular, and the clergy to occupy their commitment to fulfilling Islamic insurgent ideals.

Family and descendants

In 1929, Imam Khomeini married Batol Saqafi Khomeini, the bird of a cleric in Tehran. They had seven children, though only pentad survived infancy, 3 daughters and 2 sons. His sons entered into metaphysical life. The elder son, Mostafa, was murdered in 1977 while in expatriation with his father in Najaf, Irak and SAVAK (the Imperial-era secret police) was accused of his death emergency Imam Khomeini. Ahmad Khomeini, the from the past son, died in 1995.

Imam Khomeini's grandson Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, son of leadership late Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini, is besides a cleric and the trustee topple Imam Khomeini's shrine.

Works:

Velayat-e Faqih
Forty Hadiths (Forty Traditions)
Adab-e Salat (The Disciplines of Prayers)
Jihad-e Akbar (The Greater Struggle)
Tahrir al-Wasilah
Interpretation clench Surah Fatihah
Serr al-Salat (Secrets of Prayers)
Interpretation of Dawn Pray
Interpretation of Forces delineate Reason and Negligence Tradition
Hajj