The Greatest Muslim of the Modern Age

Ayatollah Khomeini explains Islam is NOT a Religion of Peace

Ruhollah Khomeini was born in Kohmeyn in Iran in 1900. He was a brilliant religious scholar and in the early 1920s rose to become an ayatollah, a term for a leading Shia scholar. He was arrested in 1962 for his outspoken opposition to the pro-Western regime of the Shah and was exiled in 1964. In 1979, Khomeini returned to Iran after the Shah's government collapsed. There was a national referendum and Khomeini won a landslide victory. 40 million Iranians can't be wrong about who a true Muslim is. He declared an Islamic republic and was appointed Iran's political and religious leader for life. Sharia was introduced across the country.

He humiliated the US government when students attacked the US Embassy and took US citizens hostage. Some remained imprisoned for over a year effectively destroying Jimmy Carter and enabling the Republicans to hold the presidency for the next 12 years.

In September 1980, Saddam Hussein launched a surprise invasion of Iran. The resulting war lasted eight years and as many as a million people were killed. Iran made extensive use of child soldiers - as many as 100,000 died carrying their plastic Keys to Paradise for which they received 72 virgins on tap on arrival in heaven even though many were pre-pubescent. They were often used as human mine-clearers with chances of survival very poor. The war ended in stalemate.

In February 1989 Khomeini provoked international controversy by issuing a fatwa, ordering Muslims to kill the writer Salman Rushdie for his novel discussing the The Satanic Verses some of Muhammad's revelations that were later revealed to be from Satan, not Allah.

Khomeini died on 4 June 1989. He stands with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as the two leaders of Muslim countries in the 20th century who almost singlehandedly radically changed their society and culture. As we can hardly categorise Ataturk as a Muslim the laurels of "the Greatest Muslim" must go to Khomeini. Khomeini expressed himself with great clarity in a speech entitled Islam is not a Religion of Pacifists:

Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males, provided they are not disabled or incapacitated, to prepare themselves for the conquest of [other] countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world. … But those who study Islamic Holy War will understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole world. … Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those [who say this] are witless. Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Does this mean that Muslims should sit back until they are devoured by [the unbelievers]? Islam says: Kill them [the non-Muslims], put them to the sword and scatter [their armies]. Does this mean sitting back until [non-Muslims] overcome us? Islam says: Kill in the service of Allah those who may want to kill you! Does this mean that we should surrender [to the enemy]? Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to Paradise, which can be opened only for the Holy Warriors! There are hundreds of other [Qur'anic] psalms and Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet] urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all this mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim. - Holy Terror: Inside the World of Islamic Terrorism, Adler & Adler, 1987, pp. 241-3.

Pope Francis, Prince Charles, President Bush, President Obama, Tony Blair, David Cameron, Malcolm Turnbull, Waleed Aly all say Islam is a Religion of Peace though only Waleed claims to be a Muslim. Khomeini was the most respected Shia cleric and scholar of his time and was appointed Supreme Leader of Iran for life and he's quoting the Quran and the sayings of Muhammad not just wishful thinking.