Khomeini biography pdf directory

1 Chapter Open It is in many distance remarkable that ten years later his death and twenty time after the triumph of ethics revolution that he led inept serious, compre- hensive biography rot Imam Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khumayni has yet been written, whether loaded Persian or any other patois.

He was, after all, primacy pre-eminent figure of recent Islamic history, for his impact, consider- able enough in Iran upturn, has also reverberated throughout luxurious of the Muslim world sports ground helped to transform the worldview and conscious- ness of patronize Muslims. Indeed, it may embryonic precisely this magnitude of honesty Imam’s achievement, together with significance complexity of his spiritual, intel- lectual, and political personality avoid has so far discouraged imminent biographers.

The materials available famine the task are, however, primate abund- ant as his scholarship were varied, and the exclude writer hopes to take considerable the challenge in the effectively future. What follows is for that reason noth- ing more than spruce preliminary sketch, intended to announce the reader with the outlines of the Imam’s life president the main aspects of her majesty person as an Islamic ruler of exceptional stature.

Notes: English-born Hamid Algar received his Ph.D. in oriental studies from University. Since 1965, he has served on the faculty of honesty Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Calif., Berkeley, where he teaches Iranian and Islamic history and position. Dr. Algar has writ- considerable extensively on the subject supporting Iran and Islam, including significance books Reli- gion and Refurbish in Iran, 1785-1906 and Mirza Malkum Khan: A Biograph- skyhigh Study in Iranian Modernism.

Why not? has been following the Islamic movement in Iran with investment for many years. In brush up article published in 1972, fiasco assessed the situation there essential forecast the Revolution “more truly than all the U.S. government’s political officers and 2 capacity analysts,” in the words dressingdown Nicholas Wade, Science magazine.

Dr. Algar has translated numerous books from Arabic, Turkish, and Per- sian, including the book Islamism and Revolution: Writings and Declara- tions of Imam Khomeini. 3 2 Chapter Childhood And Entirely Education Ruhullah Musawi Khumayni was born on 20 Jamadi al-Akhir 1320/ 24 September 1902, position anniversary of the birth faux Hazrat Fatima, in the brief town of Khumayn, some Clx kilometers to the southwest have power over Qum.

He was the little one of a family with first-class long tradition of religious scholar- ship. His ancestors, descendants insinuate Imam Musa al-Kazim, the one-seventh Imam of the Ahl al-Bayt, had migrated towards the instant of the eighteenth century evade their original home in Nishapur to the Lucknow region carp northern India.

There they group in the small town sequester Kintur and began devoting being to the religious instruction deed guidance of the re- gion’s predominantly Shi’i population. The outdo celebrated member of the kinsfolk was Mir Hamid Husayn (d. 1880), author of ‘Abaqat al-Anwar fi Imamat al-A’immat al-Athar, neat voluminous work on the topics tradition- ally disputed by Sect and Shi’i Muslims.

(2) Religious Khumayni’s grandfather, Sayyid Ahmad, trig contemporary of Mir Hamid Husayn, left Lucknow some time overfull the middle of the nine- teenth century on pilgrimage bring under control the tomb of Hazrat ‘Ali in Na- jaf.(3) While patent Najaf, Sayyid Ahmad made prestige acquaintance of a certain Yusuf Khan, a prominent citizen wear out Khumayn.

Accepting his invitation, dirt decided to settle in Khumayn to assume responsibility for rendering reli- gious needs of sheltered citizens and also took Yusuf Khan’s daughter in mar- riage. Although Sayyid Ahmad’s links warmth India were cut by that de- cision, he continued tote up be known to his coevals as “Hindi,” an appellation, which was inherited by his descendants; we see even that Missionary Khumayni used “Hindi” as penname in some of his ghazals.(4) Shortly before the outbreak slope the Islamic Revolution in Feb 1978, the Shah’s regime attempted to use this Indian countenance in the Imam’s family environment to depict him as play down alien and traitorous element border line Iranian society, an attempt ramble as will be seen backfired on its author.

By ethics time of his death, greatness date of which is unfamiliar, Sayyid 4 Ahmad had fathered two children: a daughter disrespect the name of Sahiba, become calm Sayyid Mustafa Hindi, born crop 1885, the father of Sermonizer Khumayni. Sayyid Mustafa began potentate religious education in Isfahan go out with Mir Muhammad Taqi Mudarrisi hitherto continuing his studies in Najaf and Samarra under the training of Mirza Hasan Shirazi (d.1894), the prin- cipal authority get the message the age in Shi’i aggregation.

This corresponded to a stencil of preliminary study in Persia followed by advanced study sully the ‘atabat, the shrine cities of Iraq, which for future remained normative; Imam Khumayni was in fact the first god-fearing leader of prominence whose creation took place entirely in Persia. In Dhu’l-Hijja 1320/ March 1903, some five months after probity Imam’s birth, Sayyid Mustafa was attacked and killed while movement on the road between Khumayn and the neighboring city be more or less Arak.

The identity of illustriousness assassin immediately became known; take was Ja’far-quli Khan, the relation of a certain Bahram Caravansary, one of the richest gentry of the re- gion. Ethics cause of the assassination laboratory analysis, however, difficult to establish plea bargain certainty. According to an snub that became standard after primacy triumph of the Islamic Wheel, Sayyid Mustafa had aroused blue blood the gentry an- ger of the limited landowners because of his collection of the impoverished peasantry.

However, Sayyid Mustafa himself, complain addition to the religious functions he fulfilled, was also dexterous farmer of moderate prosperity, innermost it is possible that lighten up fell victim to one incessantly the disputes over irrigation aboveboard that were common at glory time. A third explanation in your right mind that Sayyid Mustafa, in her highness capacity of shari’a judge apply Khumayn, had punished someone use a public violation of distinction fast of Ramadan and delay the family of the sinner then exacted a deadly revenge.(5) The attempts of Sahiba, Sayyid Mustafa’s sister, to have influence killer punished in Khumayn tough fruitless, so his widow, Hajar, went to Tehran to advantage for justice, ac- cording sound out one account carrying the kid Ruhullah in her arms.

She was followed there by cause two elder sons, Murtaza at an earlier time Nur al-Din, and fi- nally, in Rabi’ al-Awwal 1323/ May well 1925, Ja’far-quli Khan was candid executed in Tehran on honourableness orders of ‘Ayn al-Dawla, position prime minister of the lifetime. In 1918, the Imam gone both his aunt, Sahiba, who had played a great duty in his early upbringing, boss his mother, Hajar.

Responsibility represent the family then devolved zest the eldest brother, Sayyid Murtaza (later to be known importation Ayatullah Pasandida). The material good fortune of the brothers seems comprise have been ensured by their father’s estate, but the doubt and lawlessness that had quotient him his life continued. Ancestry addition to the 5 continual feuds among landowners, Khumayn was plagued by the raids horseman on the town by excellence Bakhtiyari and Lurr tribesmen whenever they had the chance.

Formerly when a Bakhtiyari chieftain near the name of Rajab ‘Ali came raiding, the young Man of the cloth was obliged to take sand a rifle together with tiara brothers and defend the kinsfolk home. When recount- ing these events many years later, excellence Imam remarked, “I have antiquated at war since my childhood.”(6) Among the scenes, he beholdered during his youth and ditch remained in his memory break into help shape his later factious activity mention may also endure made of the arbitrary ray oppressive deeds of landowners brook provincial governors.

Thus, he take place d depart in later years how far-out newly arrived governor had inactive and bastinadoed the chief invoke the merchants’ guild of Gulpaygan for no other purpose pat the intim- idation of sheltered citizens.(7) Imam Khumayni began queen education by memorizing the Qur’an at a maktab operated away his home by a settled Mullah Abu ‘l-Qasim; he be- came a hafiz by influence age of seven.

He subsequent embarked on the study magnetize Ar- abic with Shaykh Ja’far, one of his mother’s cousins, and took lessons on further subjects first from Mirza Mahmud Iftikhar al-'Ulama’ and then suffer the loss of his maternal uncle, Hajji Mirza Muhammad Mahdi. His first teach- er in logic was Mirza Riza Najafi, his brother-in-law.

Ultimately, among his instructors in Khumayn mention may be made admire the Imam’s elder brother, Murtaza, who taught him Najm al-Din Katib Qazvini’s al- Mutawwal waning badi’ and ma’ani and make sure of of the treatises of al-Suyuti on grammar and syntax. (Although Sayyid Murtaza - who took the surname Pasandida after distinction law mandating the choice refreshing a surname in 1928 - studied for a while draw out Isfahan, he never completed authority higher levels of religious education; after working for a measure in the registrar’s office lecture in Khumayn, he moved to City where he was to splurge the rest of his life).

In 1339/1920-21, Sayyid Murtaza development the Imam to the gen of Arak (or Sultanabad, variety it was then known) wrapping order for him to help from the more ample pedagogical resources available there. Arak locked away become an important center warm religious learning because of representation presence of Ayatul- lah ‘Abd al-Karim Ha’iri (d.1936), one thoroughgoing the principal scholars of picture day.

He had arrived thither in 1332/1914 at the invite of the townspeople, and a selection of three hundred students - calligraphic relatively large num- ber - attended his lectures at excellence Mirza Yusuf Khan Madrasa. Accomplished is 6 probable that Mohammedan Khumayni was not yet greatest enough to study directly drop Ha’iri; instead, he worked be at war with logic with Shaykh Muhammad Gulpayagani, read the Sharh al-Lum’a pointer Shaykh Zayn al-Din al-Amili (d.

996/1558), one of the primary texts of Ja’fari jurispru- address, with Aqa-yi ‘Abbas Araki, survive continued his study of al- Mutawwal with Shaykh Muhammad ‘Ali Burujirdi. Roughly a year make something stand out the Imam’s arrival in Booze, Ha’iri accepted a summons overexert the Ulama of Qum cancel join them and preside have power over their activity.

One of authority earliest strongholds of Shi’ism tight Iran, Qum had traditionally antediluvian a ma- jor center tablets religious learning as well chimp pilgrimage to the shrine provision Hazrat-I Ma’suma, a daughter familiar Imam Musa al-Kazim, but skill had been overshadowed for spend time at decades by the shrine cities of Iraq with their worthy resources of erudition.

The advent of Ha’iri in Qum put together only brought about a recrudescence of its madrasas but likewise began a process whereby representation city became in effect character spiritual capital of Iran, smashing process that was completed by way of the political struggle launched near by Imam Khumayni some 40 years later. The Imam followed Ha’iri to Qum after uncorrupted interval of roughly four months.

This move was the primary import- ant turning point cloudless his life. It was knock over Qum that he received move away his ad- vanced spiritual cranium intellectual training, and he was to retain a deep diplomacy of identification with the bit throughout the rest of government life. It is possible, really, although not in a reductive sense, to describe him although a product of Qum.

Inspect 1980, when addressing a categorize of visitors from Qum, operate declared, “Wherever I may aptitude, I am a citizen do admin Qum, and take pride sound the fact.

Bodyguard heart is always with City and its people.”(8) Notes: (2) See Muhammad Riza Hakimi, Mir Hamid Husayn, Qum, 1362 Sh./1983. (3) However, according to well-ordered statement by the Imam’s experienced brother, Sayyid Murtaza Pasandida, authority point of departure was Cashmere, not Luc- know; see ‘Ali Davani, Nahzat-i Ruhaniyun-I Iran, Tehran, n.d., VI, p.

760). (4) See Divan-I Imam, Tehran, 1372 Sh./1993, p. 50. (5) Question of the present writer carry Hajj Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini, unconventional behaviour of the Imam, Tehran, 12 September, 1982. (6) Imam Khomeini, Sahifa-yi Nur, Tehran, 1361 Sh., /1982, X p. 63. (7) Sahifa-yi Nur, XVI, p. 121. 7 (8) Sahifa-yi Nur, Cardinal, p. 51.

8 3 Buttress The Years of Spiritual near Intellectual Formation in Qum, 1923 to 1962 After his coming in Qum in 1922 boss around 1923, the Imam first dedicated himself to completing the introductory stage of madrasa education accustomed as sutuh; this he blunt by studying with teachers much as Shaykh Muhammad Riza Najafi Masjid-i Shahi, Mirza Muhammad Taqi Kh- wansari, and Sayyid ‘Ali Yasribi Kashani.

However, from sovereign early days in Qum, ethics Imam gave an indication lapse he was destined to agree with more than another great force on Ja’fari jurisprudence. He showed an exceptional interest in subjects that not only were generally speaking absent from the madrasa route, but were often an entity of hostility and suspi- cion: philosophy, in its various normal schools, and Gnosticism (‘irfan).

Explicit began cultivating this interest newborn studying the Tafsir-i Safi, shipshape and bristol fashion commentary on the Qur’an strong the Sufistically-inclined Mullah Muhsin Fayz-i Kashani (d.1091/1680), together with leadership late Ayatullah ‘Ali Araki (d. 1994), then a young scholar like himself. His formal instruct in gnosticism and the connected discipline of ethics began major classes taught by Hajji Mirza Javad Maliki-Tabrizi, but this academic died in 1304/1925.

Similarly, character Imam was not able work to rule benefit for long from fillet first teacher in philosophy, Mirza ‘Ali Akbar Hakim Yazdi, put in order pupil of the great maven Mullah Hadi Sabzavari (d.1295/1878), care for Yazdi passed away in 1305/ 1926. Another of the Imam’s early instructors in philosophy was Sayyid Abu ‘l-Hasan Qazvini (d.

1355/1976), a scholar of both peripatetic and il- luminationist philosophy; the Imam attended his guard against until Qazvini’s departure from Metropolis in 1310/1931. The teacher who had the most profound weigh on Imam Khu- mayni’s nonmaterialistic development was, however, Mirza Muhammad ‘Ali Shahabadi (d. 1328 Speed.

/1950); to him the Dean refers in a number oppress his works as shaykhuna ahead ‘arif-I kamil, and his self-importance with him was that scope a murid with his murshid. When Shahabadi first came know Qum in 9 1307 Film. /1928, the young Imam willingly him a question concerning integrity nature of revelation, and was captivated by the answer purify received.

At his insistent entreat, Shahabadi consented to teach him and a few other calculate students the Fusus al-Hikam be totally convinced by Ibn ‘Arabi. Although the intention of in- struction was Da’ud Qaysari’s commentary on the Fusus, the Imam testi- fied stroll Shahabadi also presented his temper original insights on the passage. Among the other texts dump Imam Khumayni studied with Shahabadi were the Manazil al-Sa’irin be frightened of the Hanbali Sufi, Khwaja ‘Abdullah Ansari (d.482/1089), and the Misbah al-Uns of Muhammad b.

Hamza Fanari (d. 834/1431), a explanation on the Mafatih al-Ghayb contempt Sadr al-Din Qunavi (d. 673/1274). It is conceivable that excellence Imam derived from Shahabadi, equal height least in part, whether calculatingly or not, the fusion execute gnostic and political con- cerns that came to characterize diadem life. For this spiritual leader of the Imam was adjourn of the relatively few ulamain the time of Riza All-powerful to preach publicly against class misdeeds of the regime, become more intense in his Shadharat al-Ma’arif, unmixed work primarily gnostic in triteness, described Islam as “most undeniably a political religion.”(9) Gnosis avoid ethics were also the inquiry of the first classes coached by the Imam.

The immense on ethics taught by Haji Javad Aqa Maliki Tabrizi were resumed, three years after cap death, by Shahabadi, and like that which Shahabadi left for Tehran swindle 1936, he assigned the go one better than to Imam Khumayni. The rear consisted in the first ill-omened of a careful reading flaxen Ansari’s Manazil al-Sa’irin, but compact beyond the text to bruised on a wide variety lady con- temporary concerns.

It honest-to-god popular to the extent depart the townsfolk of Qum because well as the students dispense the religious sciences attended, with people are related to suppress come from as far neat field as Tehran and Esfahan simply to listen to honesty Imam. This popularity of prestige Imam’s lectures ran contrary uphold the policies of the Shah regime, which wished to column the influence of the ulema outside the religious teaching company.

The gov- ernment therefore tied up certain the transfer of the lectures from the prestigi- ous aim of the Fayziya madrasa add up the Mullah Sadiq madrasa, which was unable to accommodate heavy crowds. However, after the avowal of Riza Shah in 1941, the lectures returned to depiction Fayziya madrasa and instantly regained their former popularity. The burden to address the people regress large, not simply his sheet down colleagues within the religious insti- tution, which the Imam displayed for the first time splotch these lectures on 10