Khomeini

by Baqer Moin

Book Overview

The Ayatollah Khomeini was the most radical Muslim leader of this age. In transforming himself from a traditional Muslim theologian into the charismatic Iranian ruler who took on the world, Khomeini launched an Islamic revival movement that, with the collapse of communism, quickly evolved for some as the centre-piece in the pantheon of western demonology, and for others as the inspiration for spiritual and political rebirth. Whether viewed as a hero...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312264909
• ISBN13: 9780312264901
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.51 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Loved this Objective book!

This is one of the only, and one of the best biographies about Khomeini written in the English language. it is obvious that the people who gave this book 1 star did so because of how they feel about khomeini, not because of what they think of the book. Moin's book is well researched and referenced. It is not a propoganda tool, seriously! how ridiculous! It is a great book that serves a great function- to actually give a thoroughly researched, well investigated, heavily footnoted, comprehensive discription regarding the life of, whether you like it or not, one of the most influential and powerful figures in modern history. So, you can now do one of several things: be a baby and not read the book and rate it one star anyways since it is about khomeini, and you have linked him to evil and death, or you can read the book, and say it was terrible because you dont believe what Moin is saying because it flies in the face of all you thought you ever knew, even though you are not head of bbc persian, OR you can read the book with an open mind. If you choose the latter, you will come out of the experience with actually factual knowledge regarding the life of Khomeini. I read the book, and i thought it was very objective. I actually wondered what Moin's personal view on Khomeini was. I still do not know. That is how objective the book is. If you are an Iranian ex-pat, i dare you to read it. But only if you are ready to take a look at the facts, and not all the propoganda they have been feeding YOU.

To Replace the Rule of Man with the Rule of God

A very well-written biography on a rather unknown man in the West (which is odd, considering the effect he has had on the latter part of the 20th Century). As other reviewers have noted, this book is more than just a biography of Khomeini. It is also the story of an evolving Iran in the 20th Century, and can be read for that reason alone. But, from the humble roots of Khomeini's ancestors, to the man who became known as the "Imam," the book tells the often fantastic tale of Khomeini's remarkable, yet ultimately destructive, life. Now, I must say first that I despise the man Khomeini for the things he has done to this once rich and beautiful country, full of intelligent people and beautiful history. But, after reading this objectively written book, I have grown to respect the man - not for his horrible ideas, and not for his brutal nature, but because of the things he was able to accomplish, however horrible and misguided they were. As the jacket notes, Khomeini helped overthrow the rule of man and replace it with the rule of God (according to him, of course). This seems backwards when considering the modern revolutions, where dynastic kings and divine monarchs were tossed out (with their arbitrary rule) in favor of the rule of man, law and justice. What's remarkable is that Khomeini was able to do this while wearing the robe of a cleric. Unlike other dictators like Saddam, Mao, Stalin, or even Castro, Khomeini did not strut around as a tough-guy in military fatigues. he did not openly carry a weapon nor did he openly rule as a "thug." Rather, he appeared holy and worked hard at keeping that image. In fact, there is no doubt that Khomeini was probably a very deeply religious person who truly believed he was instituting the rule of Allah on Earth. It is this aspect of Khomeini that sets him apart from other dictators (although the bloody aftermath and the arbitrary and brutal rule he imposed keep him firmly in the dictator category). The author does a great job of explaining, throughout Khomeini's life, with examples and contemporaneous reports, how he was able to use propaganda, the spiritual nature of Persian society, unhappiness with the Shah, perceived influence by the Brits and Americans, and the power he attained as a religious leader, to overthrow the regime and put in place his "rule by God." Of course, he had the help of the Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah once he got the ball rolling, but the story of the man and his Religious Revolution is quite fascinating. The author includes excerpts of Khomeini's writings (some of which are no more than spiritual poems, others give hints to his eventual rule and treatment of women). The author also includes anecdotal evidence of Khomeini's hatred for the Western world while he was in exile in Turkey and France. The book also does a good job of detailing the moves of Khomeini's rivals and enemies, showing you just how close his Revolution was to failing, etc. A few times you wonder why the Shah

Factual account of Khomeini's political/ religious career

Baqer Moin has the information to take you through all the twists and turns the Ayatolla took on the way to establishing his vision of an Islamic State in Iran. The author spends a lot of good words on Khomein's mysticism. From other books about Muslims I had gotten the impression that followers of Islamic mystics tended to be mellower and generally wished to get along with the outside world. But this is a false impression with regard to the Ayatolla, if you believe the author's analyis of His mysticism. --- "For Khomeini the mystic, when Man reaches a sense of unity with God, his anger becomes that of God." (page 296).

A history of 20th century Iran!

This biography of Ruhollah Khomeini (1902 - 1989) is not just a biography. It also is an excellent introduction to the theological and intellectual, as well as political, currents of 20th century Iran. I was struck by how different Baqer Moin's `view from inside Islam' is from others' `view from outside Islam.' One can glimpse the feelings, frustrations, and motivations of a people caught in a world where they were losing control over their own fates. The first chapters of this book are mind-bogglingly informative, telling the story of how a Western-influenced elite futilely tried to create a secular state atop a deeply traditional Shiite society. Ultimately the elites were so out of touch that they lost control; Iranian Shiism and its religious leaders channeled popular discontent and were able to control the directions in which Iran would evolve. Baqer Moin brilliantly documents Ruhollah Khomeini's development over a lifetime, explaining him in terms of Shiite theology, mysticism, and law - not to mention as power politician and demagogue. He states: "Khomeini established his credentials as a prominent religious leader before moving on to the political arena in order to both strengthen his standing within the religious establishment and widen his power base in general." As Moin also points out: "Khomeini was, in a sense, one of the few to have reached the stature of a leading jurisprudent, the highest level of theoretical mysticism and also to have become a highly-regarded teacher of Islamic philosophy. He was unique in being at the same time a leading practitioner of militant Islam." Ultimately the author documents a fanatic firmly convinced that he is the representative of God on earth, using his religious position to command absolute authority. Khomeini's deep debt (usually unrecognized) to Islamic mysticism is fully explored. Were his ideas mysticism run amok? Did his mystic dreams merge into megalomania? Was Khomeini a `heretic?' Baqer Moin (a former Islamic seminarian from Iran) makes a strong case that, in his last years, Khomeini's brand of fundamentalism was diametrically contrary to classical Shiism -- and in many ways un-Islamic. Moin definitely paints a somewhat darker picture of everyday Iranian Islamic life than does, for example, Ann Armstrong, in her more sympathetic portraits. (This book, incidentally, is cited in Karen Armstrong's "The Battle for God", her recent work about international fundamentalism). Though the author carefully examines the Grand Ayatollah's motivations, one is left with an understanding that never seems to go deeper than the intellectual. I suspect that this is not Moin's fault, but a reflection of Khomeini's cerebral inhumanity. By the time the cleric first got into serious trouble with the Shah's regime (initially imprisoned -- then exiled first to Turkey, next to Iraq, and finally to France) he was already in his 60's. (Khomeini `the old man' was wily, successful, and brilliant

Informative and insightful biography of Komeiny

Baquer Moin, an Iranian Cleric himself, traces an extremely interesting portrait of Khomeini personality and career as a political and religious leader. The model used by Baquer Moin to analyse Khomeini's life and achievements is based on the division of the Iranian leader's experience in there main parts: mystic, jurisprudence (that is Islamic law) and the politics: three cornerstones, of Khomeini career. Mysticism as the one fundamental drive in the formation of a religious leader who becomes one with God, jurisprudence or knowledge of the Islamic law and its application to modern world and politics as the art of transforming the role of the Iranian clergy.This book explain how the Iranian clergy, after five century of collaboration with the conservative Iranian monarchy and 50 years of opposition to the modernising monarchy of the Palavi, has turned itself in the ruling power in control of Iranian State and society.Furthermore, the book analyses and explains an otherwise difficult figure for most westerns, and contribute to the understanding of Khomeini popularity in Iran and abroad, despite the many shortcomings of the Islamic regime he inspired and built.