AYATOLLA KHOMEINI
Religion/Politics
Born: 1900
Khomein, west central Iran
Died: June 3, 1989

Ayatolla Khomeini once said, "The author of the Satanic Verses book, Salman Rushdie, which is against Islam, the prophet, and the Koran, and all those involved in its publication who were aware of its content, are sentenced to death. I ask all Moslems to execute them wherever they find them."

Ayatolla (Ruhollah) Khomeini's family name was Hendi. He attended religious schools and then became a teacher of religion and philosophy. He received the religious title of Ayatollah in the 1950s and took on the name Khomeini from his birthplace. Outspoken in his opposition to the Shah of Iran for adultering Islam, he was arrested and exiled to Iraq in 1964. From there he worked to overthrow the Shah's government. Triumphant in January 1979, the Shah of Iran went into exile and Khomeini returned to become the source of political authority. With him Iran returned to traditionalist Islamic values, customs and laws.