Origins
As a young scholar, Khomeini quickly gained prominence with his strict self-discipline and intense spiritual presence. He authored numerous works, including Kashf' al-Asrar (Unveiling the Mysteries), a 1941 work published in the same year the Allies enlisted the young Mohammad Reza Pahlevi to serve as their surrogate in Iran. Highly critical of the way Reza Pahlevi's father had persecuted of Muslim clergy and his government's subservience to foreign powers, the book earned Khomeini wide public attention.

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