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רוח-אללה: ח׳ומייני והמהפכה האסלאמית
The former editor of Iran's largest-selling daily newspaper analyzes the personality of the Ayatollah Khomeini and examines the meaning of the Islamic revolution for Iran and the world at large
341 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 4, 2024
Delighted to rediscover I still enjoy reading history, especially when following the insane details of the Islamic Revolution. A story covering the bizarre set of circumstances leading to pro-western constitutional democrats, atheist communist terror groups and Shi’ite religious fundamentalists marching under the same banner; the power of marginal land reform and women’s rights to inspire revolutionary anti-government sentiment; and the exploits of Motorihay-e-Allah (Allah’s Motorised Ones).
Amir Taheri's history feels complete despite its immediacy and reads like a thriller/horror despite the wealth of information imparted. Structured as a biography of Khomeini it broadens in scope as it approaches the revolution. The attention placed on his early life introduces a western reader to a totally alien world of Shi’ite clergy and broader Iranian societal structure and provides key context for Iranian attitudes and Khomeini’s action and manipulation subsequently.
Chronicling Khomeini we see the transformation of a sombre, fatherless child, fond of poetry into mass manipulator, capable of ordering the deaths of thousands. While astounding, Taheri makes it feel horrifyingly inevitable. Particularly disturbing is an almost cynical quote bragging only Islam can make young men beg for death in its name. The book captures the fanaticism of the man but also his cunning and pride. Khomeini repeatedly disrespected, Shi’ite contemporaries, Iranian royalty, and foreign dignitaries in person; weaponised vehement antisemitism and bigotry within his teachings to whip up support; and authorised an extrajudicial murder as early as 1965. This combined with a focus on Khomeini’s use of sophistry and deception when dealing with all external actors paints a picture of a true despotic genius pulling strings and emerging to execute a coup in the most extraordinary of circumstances.
Alongside the Ayatollah’s story, the book details the many moving pieces of revolution, these seem simultaneously to thread the eye of a needle while sliding quite irresistibly to violence and revolution;
-Without the Shah’s liberalising reform plans and policies, the clergy never would have unified behind any Ayatollah.
-The campaign of terror depended upon the expertise and temporary alliance of the Fedaiyan-e-Khalq and Mojahedin etc, an alliance which greatly exacerbated the scale of summary executions following the capture of power.
-The mass movement in the cities depended immensely on frankly stunning complacency and ignorance to “Islamic Government” from liberals and the lumpenproletariat.
-Even President Carter’s ascension to the White House may have indirectly precluded the Shah from crushing the revolution in its infancy.
The overarching conviction of the author that only Khomeini could’ve nurtured and ridden such a tiger is persuasively put. Yet the scale and number of factors leading to revolution left me with some doubts as to the critical importance of Khomeini and I am eager to read more broadly and especially some texts with greater distance from Khomeini’s life and death.
Amir Taheri's history feels complete despite its immediacy and reads like a thriller/horror despite the wealth of information imparted. Structured as a biography of Khomeini it broadens in scope as it approaches the revolution. The attention placed on his early life introduces a western reader to a totally alien world of Shi’ite clergy and broader Iranian societal structure and provides key context for Iranian attitudes and Khomeini’s action and manipulation subsequently.
Chronicling Khomeini we see the transformation of a sombre, fatherless child, fond of poetry into mass manipulator, capable of ordering the deaths of thousands. While astounding, Taheri makes it feel horrifyingly inevitable. Particularly disturbing is an almost cynical quote bragging only Islam can make young men beg for death in its name. The book captures the fanaticism of the man but also his cunning and pride. Khomeini repeatedly disrespected, Shi’ite contemporaries, Iranian royalty, and foreign dignitaries in person; weaponised vehement antisemitism and bigotry within his teachings to whip up support; and authorised an extrajudicial murder as early as 1965. This combined with a focus on Khomeini’s use of sophistry and deception when dealing with all external actors paints a picture of a true despotic genius pulling strings and emerging to execute a coup in the most extraordinary of circumstances.
Alongside the Ayatollah’s story, the book details the many moving pieces of revolution, these seem simultaneously to thread the eye of a needle while sliding quite irresistibly to violence and revolution;
-Without the Shah’s liberalising reform plans and policies, the clergy never would have unified behind any Ayatollah.
-The campaign of terror depended upon the expertise and temporary alliance of the Fedaiyan-e-Khalq and Mojahedin etc, an alliance which greatly exacerbated the scale of summary executions following the capture of power.
-The mass movement in the cities depended immensely on frankly stunning complacency and ignorance to “Islamic Government” from liberals and the lumpenproletariat.
-Even President Carter’s ascension to the White House may have indirectly precluded the Shah from crushing the revolution in its infancy.
The overarching conviction of the author that only Khomeini could’ve nurtured and ridden such a tiger is persuasively put. Yet the scale and number of factors leading to revolution left me with some doubts as to the critical importance of Khomeini and I am eager to read more broadly and especially some texts with greater distance from Khomeini’s life and death.
August 21, 2014
You'll read this and leave knowing much more about a certain time, place and culture. Some of the details -- like Taheri's 'no music' dictum -- will stick with you forever.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews