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Historical Figure

Ruhollah Khomeini

Islamic Scholars, Jurists & Sufi Teachers

Ruhollah Mostafavi Khomeini was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989. He was born on 17 May 1900 in the city of Khomeyn, in what is now Iran's Markazi province, and died on 3 June 1989. A high-ranking cleric in Twelver Shi'ism, he became an ayatollah, a marja', a mujtahid and a faqih, and he authored more than 40 books. After a state-sponsored expulsion to Bursa in 1964 he moved to Najaf nearly a year later, where speeches outlining his religiopolitical theory of Guardianship of the Jurist were compiled into the book Islamic Government. He led the Iranian Revolution, which overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, ended the Pahlavi era and transformed the country into an Islamic republic, and the policies he implemented came to be known as Khomeinism.

Facts
Life
Lifespan or Floruit
1900 to 1989 1
Manner of Death
Died of natural causes 1
Identity
Gender
Male 1
Classification
Veneration Status
Officially Recognized or Venerated 1
Attestation
Historicity
Historically attested 1
Ruhollah Khomeini
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Connections

Attributed Works

Source Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist (Wikipedia)

Belongs to Tradition

Islam, Religions
Source Ruhollah Khomeini (Wikipedia)

Revered In

Islam, Religions
Source Ruhollah Khomeini (Wikipedia)
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Source Ruhollah Khomeini (Wikipedia)

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Source Ruhollah Khomeini (Wikipedia)Article text
Quote, Article text
Nearly a year later, he moved to Najaf, where speeches he gave outlining his religiopolitical theory of Guardianship of the Jurist were compiled into the book Islamic Government.
Sources
1. Ruhollah Khomeini (Wikipedia)
  • Lead, first sentence
    Ruhollah Mostafavi Khomeini (17 May 1900, 3 June 1989) was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the first supreme leader of Iran from 1979 until his death in 1989.
  • Lead, second paragraph
    Born in the city of Khomeyn, in what is now Iran's Markazi province, Khomeini's father was murdered when he was two years old.
  • Death and funeral section
    After spending eleven days in Jamaran hospital, he died on 3 June 1989 after suffering five heart attacks in ten days.
  • Lead, sentence beginning 'In Iran, he is legally considered'
    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.
  • Belongs to Tradition: Islam, Lead, second paragraph [belongs-to-tradition]
    Khomeini became a high-ranking cleric in Twelver Shi'ism, an ayatollah, a marja' ("source of emulation"), a mujtahid, a faqīha (expert in fiqh), a hafiz, and authored more than 40 books.
  • Revered In: Islam, Lead, sentence beginning 'The subject of a pervasive cult'
    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.
View the Source
Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist (Wikipedia)
Attributed Works: Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), Lead
Quote, Attributed Works: Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), Lead
In a series of lectures in 1970, Khomeini advanced the idea of guardianship in its "absolute" form as rule of the state and society.
View the Source

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