Khadijeh Saqafi

Khadijeh Saqafi (aka Ghods Iran Saqafi) (1913 – 21 March 2009) was the wife of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Saqafi was known as the "mother of the Islamic Revolution" within Iran.

Early life

Saqafi was the daughter of Hajj Mirza Tehrani a respected cleric. originally from Thaqif tribe in Arabia ,

Marriage and later years

Saqafi married Ruhollah Khomeini in 1929. She gave birth to seven children with Khomeini during her life, though only five survived childhood. Her son, Mostafa, died in Iraq in 1977, while a second son, Ahmad, died of cardiac arrest in 1995 at the age of 50.

Saqafi, who largely stayed out of the Iranian public's eye, has been described as a strong supporter of her husband's opposition to the Shah of Iran. Former President of Iran Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, referred to Saqafi as the "closest and most patient" supporter for her husband."

Death

Saqafi died on 21 March 2009, in Tehran after a long illness at the age of 96. Thousands of people attended her funeral, including the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and then President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Saqafi was buried next to her husband at his Mausoleum in Behesht-e Zahra. She was survived by her three daughters.