Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini (21 September 1902 - 04 June 1989) was a senior Shi`a (Shi'ite)
Muslim cleric, Islamic philosopher and Marja (religious authority), and the political leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah (
king) of
Iran.
Following the revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini became Supreme Leader of
Iran—the paramount symbolic political figure of the new Islamic Republic until his
death. Khomeini was known as an anti-colonial leader who created the post-colonial state, Islamic Republic of Iran after a referendum.
Ayatollah Khomeini was a Marja al-Taqlid, ("source of imitation") and important spiritual leader to many Shi'a Muslims.
He was named
Time's Man of the Year in 1979 and also one of Time magazine'
s 100 most influential people of the 20th century.