Ruhollah Khomeini

Supreme Leader of Iran from 1979 to 1989

  • Fame79.5
  • Momentum6.3
  • Politicians rank#128
Source-basedStable
  • Fame79.5
  • Momentum6.3
  • Politicians rank#128
  • Wikipedia154.6K
Lived 1902–1989, aged 87
PoliticiansPolitician
  • Wikipedia
    117 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Era
    1902–1989
    Aged 87
  • Known for
    All Three of Us
    2015
Summary
Updated 2026-08-31

He led the 1979 revolution that toppled the Shah and turned Iran into an Islamic republic, then ruled it as supreme leader for a decade—issuing the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, branding the U.S. the "Great Satan," and presiding over the hostage crisis and the Iran–Iraq War.

Biography

About

Born in Khomeyn in 1900, Ruhollah Khomeini lost his father to murder at age two and grew up steeped in Quranic study, eventually rising to become a high-ranking Twelver Shi'a cleric—an ayatollah, author of over forty books, and expert in Islamic jurisprudence. His opposition to the Shah's White Revolution sent him into exile in 1964, first to Turkey, then to Najaf, where he developed his theory of Guardianship of the Jurist and laid the intellectual ground for theocratic rule. When the revolution succeeded in 1979, he returned as de facto head of state, then supreme leader by year's end. His d…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Ruhollah Khomeini

Ruhollah Khomeini
said
These people who want freedom, who want our youths to be free, write effusively about the freedom of our youth. What freedom do they want? ...
Excerpted from "Speech at Feyziyeh Theological School" (August 24, 1979). English translation in Barry Rubin and Judith Colp Rubin,
Ruhollah Khomeini
said
Allah did not create man so that he could have fun. The aim of creation was for mankind to be put to the test through hardship and prayer.
Broadcast by radio Iran from Qom on 20 August 1979. Quoted in "The Spirit of Allah: Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution" (1986), by Amir
Ruhollah Khomeini
said
The great prophet of Islam in one hand carried the Koran and in the other a sword; the sword for crushing the traitors and the Koran for guidance.
1979
Ruhollah Khomeini
said
We have sacrificed much blood and many martyrs. Islam has sacrificed blood and martyrs.
1979
Ruhollah Khomeini
said
We do not fear giving martyrs. ... Whatever we give for Islam is not enough and is too little. Our lives are not worthy.
1979
By the numbers

Score breakdown

The six component signals behind the Fame score, and their ranks across the leaderboards.

Fame
Stable
79.5
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Momentum6.3
Historical29.6
Now attention3.1
Source confidence70.0
Completeness70.0
Global rank
Country rank
Category rank
#128
Receipts

Sources

  • Wikipedia
    wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
    High confidence
  • Wikidata
    wikidata · wikidata.org
    High confidence
  • Pantheon 2.0
    database · pantheon.world
    High confidence