Ayatollah Khomeini facts for kids
Ayatollah Khomeini was born Ruhollah Mustafavi Khomeini on September 24, 1902, in Khomein, which is in central Iran. He passed away on June 3, 1989. He was also known as 'Imam Khomeini'. He became a very important political leader during the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979.
Khomeini was also a poet. His poems are collected in a book called Imam Divan. He died in Tehran at the age of 87.
Khomeini's Political Journey
On June 5, 1964, Khomeini was arrested and sent away from Iran. This is called being in exile. He lived in Iraq, Turkey, and then France. While in France, Khomeini gave many speeches against Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was the last king, or Shah, of Iran.
On January 16, 1979, Shah Pahlavi left Iran. Just two weeks later, on February 1, Khomeini returned to Iran. Many people were very happy to see him.
Khomeini had a traditional religious education in Qom, a city in Iran. When he lived in Najaf, a holy city in Iraq, he talked about Islamic ideas for Government. During this time, he developed his idea of velayat-e faqih, which means "government by a religious scholar."
On February 11, 1979, Khomeini chose his first prime minister, Mehdi Bazargan. On March 30, 1979, people in Iran voted in a special election called a referendum. As a result, Iran changed from a monarchy (ruled by a king) to an Islamic Republic. After this big change, Khomeini became the Supreme Leader of Iran.
Controversy Over a Book
In early 1989, Khomeini issued a religious decree, called a fatwa, about a book named The Satanic Verses. This decree caused a lot of debate and concern around the world. The author of the book, Salman Rushdie, was never harmed. However, the Japanese translator of the book was killed in 1991.
Gallery
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A boy who liked Khomeini
Images for kids
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Ruhollah Khomeini's birthplace at Khomeyn
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Khomeini as a student with his friends (second from right)
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Khomeini in 1938
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Khomeini in exile at Bursa, Turkey without clerical dress
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Khomeini at Najaf
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Khomeini in the 1970s
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Ayatollah Khomeini in front of his house at Neauphle-le-Chateau in a media conference
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Khomeini in 1978
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Khomeini and the interim prime minister, Mehdi Bazargan
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Khomeini with people
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Carpet given to Khotan mosque by Ayatollah Khomeini
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Ruhollah Khomeini with Ahmad Khomeini and Mohammad-Ali Rajai
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Mourning men in residence of Khomeini around his seat area, Jamaran, 4 June 1989.
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Khomeini and his successor, Ali Khamenei
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Khomeini in the 1980s
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Khomeini and a child.
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See Also
In Spanish: Ruhollah Jomeiní para niños
