Draft:Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini
Template:جعبه اطلاعات شخصیت Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini, with the official name Sayyid Ahmad Mostafavi, was the second son of Sayyid Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran system. Ahmad Khomeini played a significant role in organizing his father's relations with officials in the years before and after the Revolution. He passed away on 25 Esfand 1373 SH at the age of 49 in the city of Tehran.
Birth and Childhood
Haj Ahmad Aqa Khomeini was born on 24 Esfand 1324 SH in the lap of a pious lady (Mrs. Saqafi). The wife of His Holiness the Imam (Peace Be Upon Him) recalls Ahmad Aqa from childhood as follows: "He was a very calm and obedient boy; sometimes I would tell the girls: I shouldn't have to tell this five - six-year-old boy what to do or not to do within a month, but you girls, who are very mischievous, I have to command and forbid several times a day. Ahmadjan was calm and engaged in his own work and play."
When he reached the age of seven, he was sent to Ohadi School for education. He himself says: "On the first day they sent me to school, I ran away! Later, with the teacher's beating, I was forced to attend class. Until the sixth grade, I was beaten by many teachers." The Imam was very careful about his upbringing and education from childhood. "He was aware of who he associated with and who his friends were."
Hojjat al-Islam Sayyid Hassan Khomeini adds, quoting his father (Haj Ahmad Aqa): "My father said: I was so young that I didn't have the ability to read, and the Imam would seat me beside himself. He would be busy reading, and I would play with his books."
Haj Ahmad Aqa spent his elementary and high school years in Qom. During his studies, he became interested in sports, especially football. Among his friends from this period is Mr. Kazem Rahimi, who has interesting memories of his sports practices. Haj Ahmad Aqa himself says: "Around that time, we gradually started local football matches. Because we were so interested in the match, on the night before the match until morning, in the winter season, we would come to the window and stare at the sky to see if it would rain or not? If it rained, it was as if a mountain had fallen on our heads that we couldn't have the match the next day. We would go from this neighborhood to that neighborhood for matches in football, volleyball, track and field, and similar sports. Whenever we won, we would get beaten by the host, and sometimes we would escape a few minutes before the end of the game. When I finished the elementary period, meaning the sixth grade, and entered the seventh grade; I became a member of the football, basketball, and volleyball teams and was one of the popular players in high school."
After obtaining his diploma, Haj Ahmad Aqa came to Tehran and the Shahin team invited him to play. He also accepted the team's invitation to leave Iran at that time, about which he says: "But I was not selected, rightfully I was not selected, because others were better than me."
Seminary Education
After obtaining a diploma from Hakim Nezami High School in Qom, he began his seminary studies upon the indication and explanation of Imam Khomeini. Hojjat al-Islam Mohtashami says in this regard: "In any case, Hajj Ahmed Aqa returned from نجف to Qom in the year 1345 SH and, upon the recommendation of His Holiness the Imam, entered the clergy and, so to speak, seriously began seminary studies. However, the stage where he officially and seriously entered was after a message the Imam sent from Najaf to Qom, saying: 'Tell Ahmed and say: "My advice to you is to become a seminary student and study; if you do this, I will pay your expenses, but if you do not become a student and do not study, you must go and take care of yourself, and I will not provide any financial assistance to you."' Of course, this was at a time when Hajj Ahmed Aqa had already entered the clerical profession and was engaged in studies."
From the very beginning of his studies in the seminary, he engaged in learning علوم اسلامی like an ordinary student, with simplicity and disregarding the status of being a leader's son. Ayatollah Taheri Khorramabadi reports from this period: "After the تبعید of the Imam to نجف, Mr. Hajj Sayyid Ahmed Aqa, while studying—meaning he was truly a studying student—I often saw him sitting on the ground in مدرسه فیضیه like an ordinary student, discussing with his study partner, like an ordinary student. This was amazing to us on one hand, and on the other hand, because he was the Imam's son, we knew this was expected of him. It was not such that he would take the title of being a leader's son for himself, establish privileges for himself, be separate from others in discussion and debate, and differ from others."
He adds further: "While he was a serious seminary student and studied like other serious students, he was a point of hope for all friends and enthusiasts of the Imam at that time. We all witnessed that the Imam's son, although not under his father's shadow and far from his father, was engaged in lessons and debate like other students. At the same time, he had a simple life; during those times, I frequently went to his residence."
Hajj Ahmed Aqa passed the higher levels (Sutuh) course after a few years. As he himself stated, he began seminary lessons seriously after his first trip to Najaf: "I studied the Surface level courses with Messrs. Abtahi and Sadeghi, Mohammad Fazel, and Mr. Soltani." Hojjat al-Islam Mohammadali Rahmani, one of Hajj Ahmed Aqa's friends, says: "When the Imam's distinguished son entered نجف اشرف around the year 1345 SH, he wore civilian clothes. We visited him in the outer section of His Holiness the Imam's household, knowing him as the Imam's second son. From that time, we heard that upon the recommendation of His Holiness the Imam, he returned to Iran; apparently, problems had arisen for continuing university studies. His Holiness the Imam had said that he wished him to wear clerical robes and fully enter seminary studies. Of course, at that time he had studied some preliminary seminary lessons, and I heard this in the outer section of His Holiness the Imam's house in Najaf from the late Ayatollah Hajj Aqa Mustafa Khomeini, who said: 'Our Ahmed also went to engage in studies and don the clerical attire,' and they were very happy."
During his trips to Najaf, he attended the lessons of Imam Khomeini and his brother, Ayatollah Martyr Hajj Aqa Mustafa Khomeini. It is narrated from him that he studied the book Al-Kubra fi al-Mantiq with His Holiness the Imam himself. After a few years, he completed the Surface level course and began Kharij lessons. In the year 1356 SH, when he departed for Najaf (his last trip), he attended the Asfar lessons of Ayatollah Rezvani along with a number of students. During this stay, they had reached the end of the two volumes of Kifayah when the Martyrdom of his brother left it incomplete. After the Revolution, he tried to complete his unfinished studies. Ayatollah Morteza Pasandideh mentions him as someone who is versed in politics and has good education.
Among the study partners of the Imam's Remnant during his education, one can mention Messrs. Hojjat al-Islam Sajadi Isfahani, Hojjat al-Islam Mr. Vahedi, Sheikh Mohammad Fazel Golpayegani, Mr. Alavi Isfahani, Mr. Mirbehbahani, Mr. Mohammad Shariati, Sheikh Ghorbanali Habibollahi, and Hojjat al-Islam سید محمد خاتمی. Among the other study partners of the late Hajj Ahmed Aqa was the son of Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Sadeghi Lavasani.
Hojjat al-Islam Mohtashami explains: "I came to Iran in 1347 and stayed in Qom for a few months. There, I observed that Haj Ahmad Aqa was studying very seriously. His study partner was Aqa Mohammad-Reza Lavasani, the son of Ayatollah Lavasani, who was the Representative of the Imam in Iran. This means that, in practice, the Imam and Ayatollah Lavasani began their seminary studies together. The children of these two dignitaries also began their seminary studies together after 50 or 60 years."
Marriage and Children
Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini married the daughter of Ayatollah Soltani Tabatabai on 11/7/1348, and the outcome of this marriage was three sons named: Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, Seyyed Yaser Khomeini, and Seyyed Ali Khomeini, all of whom are clerics.
During Ruhollah Khomeini's Exile in Iraq
Following the arrest of Ruhollah Khomeini on 15 Khordad 1342 and his exile to ترکیه, Ahmad secretly traveled to the city of Najaf in عراق via آبادان in late 1344 through an illegal route, accompanied by one of his friends named Kazem.
ساواک had been informed of his potential travel and was waiting to hear from the Passport Office regarding his application for departure to عراق in response to the directive dated 19/8/1344 by General Nassiri, the Chief of سازمان اطلاعات و امنیت کشور.
This top-secret directive stated:
"19/8/44 – Top Secret To: Chief of Country General Police Force (Information Department) Regarding: Ahmad Mostafavi Khomeini son of Ruhollah. Please order that if the aforementioned requests the issuance or renewal of a passport and exit permit, before any action, notify this organization. From the Chief of the State Organization for Intelligence and Security. General Nassiri"
There exist several similar directives and instructions from the Chief of ساواک, the Third Department, the Ninth Department, and قم City SAVAK, regarding Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini's file.
SAVAK headquarters became aware of Ahmad's travel when an urgent telegram arrived from همدان SAVAK stating: "Yesterday Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini son of Ayatollah Khomeini entered from Iraq and ... has taken residence at Shahabuddin Eshraghi's house."
Below this telegram, SAVAK headquarters wrote: "Mr. Saberi, write to Qom SAVAK. This person returned from Iraq to Qom last week and after entering Qom went to Hamedan to meet Eshraghi. While Qom SAVAK did not provide information in this regard, he conducted these activities – order surveillance. His actions must be under exact observation; the purpose of his coming should be clarified."
Following this report and subsequent instructions, Qom SAVAK increased surveillance on the Imam's house and Ahmad's behaviors. However, a few months later, Ahmad again crossed the border secretly, and this time too, SAVAK learned of his travel at the border upon his return.
During his first stay in Najaf in the years (1344 and 1345), Ahmad continued completing his religious education under his father and brother and came to Iran secretly about 5 months later. On the return journey, he was arrested at Khosravi border and transferred to the security organization there. Documents and files in SAVAK indicate that he deceived the officers during his interrogations, his identity was not recognized by SAVAK at the border, and after release, he headed to Qom via Kermanshah and Hamedan.
After returning from Iraq, Ahmad engaged in studying religious sciences, visiting families of prisoners and exiles, transmitting the Imam's messages and recommendations to relatives, militants, and the Imam's legal representatives in Iran, and organizing affairs of the Imam's household in Qom. At the end of 1345, he departed for Iraq again, this time crossing the border secretly via Khorramshahr, and reached Najaf after one week. It was during this trip that he officially entered the clergy ranks and had the "turban" placed on his head by his father.
The third trip took place in 1352, and he had extensive conversations with his father, ranging from transmitting movement issues to raising questions regarding scientific lessons and seminary matters, etc., which he elaborated on during this trip. In لبنان, he met with امام موسی صدر to evaluate regional issues, the status of شیعیان, and the struggle they faced ahead. He contacted مصطفی چمران and other militant elements to discuss pursuing the goals of the Imam's movement in that region, received military training for a short period at شهید چمران's military base, and returned to Iran in late 1352.
After the death of Seyyed Mostafa Khomeini, the household and office of Imam Khomeini in Najaf Ashraf, benefiting from Ahmad who possessed long experience in struggle and organizing communications, and managing the Imam's household in Qom during the difficult years after the Imam's exile, quickly turned into a secure hub for responding to the communication needs of the movement and its leadership. In Najaf, Ahmad was able to fill the void left by Mostafa and was the carrier of his father's consecutive messages and the connection point of the vast communication network. During his years of residence in Iraq, he made friends who played a prominent role in advancing the Islamic Revolution of Iran, among whom one can refer to محمد منتظری son of آیتالله حسینعلی منتظری or شیخ محمد حسین شریعتی Ardastani, known as Sheikh al-Sharia, a trusted advisor to Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini and Ayatollah Khomeini's household before and after the Revolution.
During Ruhollah Khomeini's Exile in Paris
Following the exile of Ruhollah Khomeini from Najaf to Paris, Ahmad was alongside his father. Ruhollah Khomeini explicitly stated in his will that Ahmad was the advisor for that journey.
Sayyid Ahmad left Baghdad for Paris with his father in Mehr 1357.
In Paris, Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini, in addition to precise planning for organizing the affairs of the Imam's household and office in Neauphle-le-Château, and holding timely press interviews, exercised great care and meticulousness in translating the Imam's interviews and messages and preventing their distortion, and was responsible for establishing extensive and necessary communications between various groups and Ruhollah Khomeini.
Entry into Iran with Ruhollah Khomeini
On 12 Bahman 1357 Solar Hijri, he returned to Tehran with Ruhollah Khomeini on the Flight of Revolution and was stationed at Alavi School and Refah in Tehran. In Esfand of the same year, he departed for Qom with his father.
Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini departed for Qom with his father on 10 Esfand 1357 and provided the necessary means and grounds for guiding the affairs of the revolution, organizing the affairs of Ruhollah Khomeini's household and office, and securing conditions for extensive communications with the people and officials who visited Ayatollah Khomeini in Qom daily in successive shifts. He was responsible for transferring Mr. Khomeini's orders to the relevant centers.
The one-year period of Khomeini's residence in Qom between Esfand 57 and Bahman 1358, until he was transferred to Tehran Heart Hospital (Shahid Rajai) due to a heart condition, was a difficult period of fundamental transformations in Iran's political and social system. During this period, the Islamic Republic referendum, the Assembly of Experts for Constitution election, and the first term Islamic Consultative Assembly election were held.
After the Revolution and During Ruhollah Khomeini's Leadership
Ruhollah Khomeini wrote in his description of him:
"I take the Almighty, Present, Avenging God as witness that Ahmad, from the day he was engaged in managing my affairs in the outer court in my assistance until now that I am writing this paper, has not taken a step or written a word contrary to my speech and writing, and with strange meticulousness in all my speeches or writings, has tried not to alter even a word, but sometimes a letter, which in his opinion needs correction, without my permission[1]."
During the War
News of the war reached Ruhollah Khomeini through Ahmad, and in addition, conveying Khomeini's secret and public messages regarding military affairs, communicating with the Supreme Defense Council and military commanders, participating in council sessions, and planning meetings for Army, IRGC, and Basij fighters with the Commander-in-Chief were among his other responsibilities.
Sayyid Ahmad Khomeini After Ruhollah Khomeini's Death
After his father's death, Ahmad Khomeini, with his own vote and opinion, paved the way for the selection of Sayyid Ali Khamenei as Leader. Based on Sayyid Ali Khamenei's opinion, he became a member of the Expediency Discernment Council, Supreme National Security Council, and Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. His membership in the aforementioned institutions continued until his death. He was also a member of the central board of trustees of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee. Around this time, he published a long text named Ranj-nameh regarding the justification for the dismissal of Hossein-Ali Montazeri from the Deputy to the Supreme Leader.
In the last two years of his life, he preferred seclusion and solitude and went to a remote house in a desert wilderness (in the Kushk-e Nasrat area between Tehran and Qom), taking a few individuals with him. Before leaving, he would say: "Although I do not intend for anyone to come there, but whenever you had work regarding the Imam's works, definitely come and do not let my seclusion deter you."
Death
On the morning of 21 Esfand 1373, news of his hospitalization was published. Subsequent reports indicated that a sudden cardiac and respiratory condition while asleep caused complete cardiac and respiratory arrest for moments, and this matter led to a stroke. After five days, the medical team's efforts were unsuccessful, and "Ahmad Khomeini" passed away on the evening of 25 Esfand 1373.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Sahifeh Imam, Vol. 20, p. 442.