Ayatollah Khomeini

Ayatollah Khomeini
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Name	Ruhollah Khomeini
Honorific prefix	Ayatollah
Birth date	24 September 1902
Birth place	Khomeyn, Markazi Province, Qajar Persia
Death date	3 June 1989
Death place	Tehran, Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Known for	Leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, first Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Occupation	Shia cleric, politician, author
Alma mater	Qom seminary, Najaf

Ayatollah Khomeini was an Iranian Shia cleric, revolutionary leader, and the principal architect of the 1979 Iranian Revolution who became the first Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He rose from seminary scholarship in Qom and Najaf to a central role opposing the Pahlavi monarchy under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, culminating in the overthrow of the Shah and the establishment of a theocratic state. His writings and sermons influenced Islamic movements across Middle East politics, eliciting both fervent support and international controversy.

Early life and education

Born in Khomeyn in Markazi Province during the era of Qajar Iran, he was raised in a clerical family connected to the Twelver Shia religious establishment. He received elementary instruction in religious studies in local maktabs and later studied fiqh and usul in the prominent seminaries of Arak, Qom, and Najaf, where he studied under notable scholars including Abdul-Karim Ha'eri Yazdi and engaged with the scholarly networks tied to the Marja'iyya system. His formative period coincided with major regional events such as the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran (1941) and the emergence of modern political currents exemplified by figures like Mohammad Mossadegh and institutions such as the National Front.

Religious career and scholarly work

As a marja' and teacher in the Qom Seminary, he produced commentaries on Islamic jurisprudence and gnosis, publishing treatises and sermons that interacted with texts from scholars such as Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi and earlier theologians referenced in the Najaf tradition. He authored works addressing Vilayat-e Faqih and the role of clerical authority, engaging with concepts developed in seminaries in Iraq and Iran. His scholarly output included tafsir, collectanea of hadith interpretation, and juridical opinions that circulated in the networks of Hawza education and among students from South Asia, Lebanon, and Kuwait.

Political activism and opposition to the Pahlavi regime

His opposition to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi intensified following policies associated with the White Revolution and perceived secularization tied to figures in the Pahlavi state. He criticized the Shah's ties with United States policy, military advisers such as those from CIA contingents, and events like the 1971 celebration of the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire. He faced arrest and periods of exile, including displacement to Turkey and Iraq, where he maintained correspondence with dissidents linked to groups such as the Tudeh Party of Iran, Fada'iyan-e Islam, and nationalist activists like Shapour Bakhtiar. His network included clerical allies in Qom and activists across urban centers including Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz.

1979 Revolution and establishment of the Islamic Republic

During the mass movement that culminated in 1979, diverse forces—trade unionists, student groups from University of Tehran, bazaari merchants, and clerical circles—coalesced against the Shah, leading to the collapse of the Pahlavi regime and the flight of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to Egypt. Returning from exile amid events involving Black Friday and strikes coordinated by labor organizations, he became the focal leader endorsed by revolutionary bodies including the Assembly of Experts and the Council of the Islamic Revolution. The new constitution institutionalized principles he advocated, creating the office of Supreme Leader and establishing institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

Leadership as Supreme Leader

As Supreme Leader, he presided over state structures and revolutionary institutions, influencing policy during crises like the Iran–Iraq War against Saddam Hussein's Iraq and during domestic confrontations with groups such as the People's Mujahedin of Iran. His tenure saw the consolidation of republican organs like the Presidency of Iran and the judiciary shaped by jurists linked to the Guardian Council. He mediated power among figures including Abolhassan Banisadr, Mohammad-Ali Rajai, and later political actors embedded in the clerical establishment. Internationally, his directives affected relations with states including United States, Soviet Union, and regional actors such as Saudi Arabia and Syria.

Policies, ideology, and legacy

His ideological framework emphasized Velayat-e Faqih as the basis for political authority vested in jurists, critiques of Western influence exemplified by opposition to United States policy, and support for anti-imperialist movements across Lebanon, Palestine, and Afghanistan. Policies under his leadership included cultural and legal reforms impacting institutions like the Islamic Revolutionary Courts and educational policies in University of Tehran. His legacy is reflected in enduring institutions—the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Basij Resistance Force, and the shaping of Iran’s foreign policy toward groups such as Hezbollah—and remains contested by reformists, conservatives, and international observers including bodies such as the United Nations and human rights organizations. His death in 1989 prompted succession by figures within the clerical hierarchy and spawned continuing debates about clerical rule, state authority, and the future trajectory of Iranian politics.

Category:People of the Iranian Revolution Category:Iranian clerics Category:Supreme Leaders of Iran