Khomeini: Life of the Ayatollah - Softcover

Moin, Baqer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1845117905 ISBN 13: 9781845117900

Publisher: I.B. Tauris, 2009

Synopsis

When the Ayatollah Khomeini burst onto the international scene in the late 1970s, radical Islam became a factor of political life that would change the world. And with the Iranian Revolution that Khomeini led in 1978/79, religion once more moved center stage in world politics. Who was this frail octogenarian who became the inspiration for a new militant Islam? Khomeini was the most radical Muslim leader of this age. He launched an Islamic revival movement which quickly turned him into a hero for his supporters and a villain for his enemies. In the process, Khomeini became one of the seminal figures of the modern age. Still an enigma in the West, Khomeini transformed the Middle East and the world. But where did the man come from? What was his childhood and family background? How did the turbulent events in Iran during his youth shape Khomeini's politics? What changed him from an obscure traditional theologian into a competitive and vengeful radical set to reshape the Middle East? With radical political Islam now clearly central in all attempts to understand the international political scene today, this compelling biography of the man who started it all becomes essential reading for observers of the Middle East and world affairs.

About this title

About the Author:

Baqer Moin is a specialist on Iran and Islam and was for many years Head of the BBC's Persian Service. He was born into a religious family and studied theology at traditional schools in Iran's most important shrine city, Mashhad. He has written extensively on Islam, Iran and Afghanistan.

Review:

""This is an important account of how Khomeini the man and the seminal, historical phenomenon may well linger on as a notional inspiration for modern Iran."" (37,1,2000) --Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Journal of Peace Research

""In spite of the modesty of its author, the book is highly detailed and full of the insights only a well-informed author can bring."" --John King, BBC Arabic Service

""Khomeini is an important book, not only as a biography of Ayatollah Khomeini, but as an honest analysis of the intellectual and political forces that were responsible for the 1979 revolution...” --Mehrdad Kia, 4/00

About this edition

• Publisher: I.B. Tauris
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1845117905
• ISBN 13: 9781845117900
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368