Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
Iran: The World's First Islamic Republic
Becoming Ayatollah
Raised in a family that believed they were descendants of the prophet Muhammed, Ruhollah Khomeini was known in his village for being a great memorizer of religious and classic poetry. In 1920, his older brother sent him to study with Ayatollah Yadzi Ha'iri. After Ha'iri died, Ayatollah Boroujerdi became Ruhollah's mentor. Neither Boroujerdi or Ha'iri believed religion should play a part in the government. While the current shah decreased the amount of power held by religious leaders, Ruhollah's mentors and other religious leaders urged their students to remain silent. He turned to teaching and his students later became his supporters. After Ayatollah Boroujerdi died on March 31, 1961, Ruhollah became an ayatollah. He was seen by Shi'ites as Marja-e Taqlid, a person to be imitated.
Rise to Power
In Iraq, he developed the Velayat-e faqeeh theory. He taught his theory, which involved the clergy leading a state founded on Islamic principles, to other Iranians and also made videos that were smuggled into Iran. Ayatollah became the leader of opposition of the shah.
Protests in Khomeini's defense happened in 1978 and were put down violently. The Iranian government gave Khomeini a choice: stay in Iraq and give up all political activity or leave that country. Khomeini moved to Paris.
Two months later, in 1979, in the midst of more protests in Khomeini's defense, the shah was forced to leave Iran. Khomeini was recognized as Iran's new leader and was called Supreme Leader.
Ayatollah's Regime
Rushdie fatwa
In response to Salman Rushdie's book criticizing the prophet Muhammed as a false prophet, Khomeini ordered a fatwa calling for his death.
Western Ideas
Unlike the shah, Khomeini considered the USA his worst enemy and an enemy of the Islamic faith. Anyone found to be involved with western ideas of democracy was killed.
Iranian Hostage Crisis
After the USA allowed the shah's admission, 52 Americans at the American Embassy were taken hostage for 444 days. The crisis only ended under Reagan's administration.
Fall of Ayatollah
Shortly after releasing the fatwa, in June of 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini died. Before his death, he started an eight year war in Iraq in an attempt to spread his theory of a clergy-led government. His Islamic state of Iran continues today.
Bibliography
"Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.