The family did not hold a specific surname before 1921, they would normally go byHindi, which meant "fromIndia", since their grandfather had migrated from there. However, after the1921 Persian coup d'état, whenReza Shah passed a law ordering all Iranians to take a surname;Ruhullah chose for himself the surname Khomeini (from Khomeyn), whilst his brother Morteza chosePasandideh (transl. Pleasant), and Nur al-Din chose Hindi.[8]
The lineage of the Khomeini family is as follows:[9]
Ahmad Hindi (1800-1869) was the son of Din Ali Shah and great-great grandson of Zayn al-'Abidin al-Musavi, he was analim. He left India, escaping colonial rule in 1830, migrating toNajaf, and then finally settling in Khomeyn in 1834.
Mustafa Musawi (1862–1903) was the son of Ahmad Hindi, he was a cleric, and was killed months after the birth of his son Ruhollah, over his activism targeting wealthy landowners.[10]
Morteza Pasandideh (1893–1996)[11] was the son of Mustafa Musawi, he was a scholar and poet.
Nur al-Din Hindi (1898–1986) was the son of Mustafa Musawi, he was an alim and lead the prayers in the Abbas shrine. He is buried in the Husayn shrine.
Ruhollah Khomeini (1900–1989) was the son of Mustafa Musawi, he was an Iranian politician, revolutionary, and cleric. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which saw the overthrow of the last Shah of Iran,Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Following the revolution, Khomeini became the country's Supreme Leader, a position created in the constitution of the Islamic Republic as the highest-ranking political and religious authority of the nation, which he held until his death.
Ahmad Khomeini (1946–1995) was the son of Ruhollah Khomeini, he was the main assistant of his father before, during and after the Iranian Revolution. He acted as the link between his father and the officials and people. He had several decision-making positions.
Hussain Khomeini (born 1959) is the son of Mostafa Khomeini, he is a cleric, and is considered aliberalsecularist and an outspoken critic of thetheocratic government in Iran.
Hassan Khomeini (born 1972) is the son of Ahmad Khomeini, he is a cleric and was appointed caretaker of the Mausoleum of Khomeini in 1995 where his grandfather and father are buried. He pursued a political career in 2015, and ran for theAssembly of Experts in the2016 election. His nomination, however was rejected by theGuardian Council.
Yasser Khomeini is the son of Ahmad Khomeini, he is a cleric and orator.
Ahmad Khomeini (born 1997) is the son of Hassan Khomeini. He is a cleric. It is said that he is often targeted, for being the son of Hassan Khomeini, someone Iran's conservative institutions are suspicious of due to their perceived sympathy for reformers.[12]
^Algar, Hamid (2010). "A short biography". In Koya, Abdar Rahman (ed.).Imam Khomeini: Life, Thought and Legacy. Islamic Book Trust. p. 19.ISBN978-9675062254.
^Algar, Hamid (2010). "A short biography". In Koya, Abdar Rahman (ed.).Imam Khomeini: Life, Thought and Legacy. Islamic Book Trust. p. 20.ISBN978-9675062254.
