His childhood was particularly significant because he spent time with both sides of his family. In addition to his experiences with his father and immediate family, he was closely connected to his maternal grandfather, Seyyed Mohammad Baqer Soltani, and to his paternal grandfather, Ruhollah Khomeini. Growing up around prominent religious scholars exposed him from an early age to Islamic jurisprudence, theology, political thought, and the traditions of Shiite scholarship.
His family environment also meant that his childhood was unusual compared with that of most Iranian children. His grandfather was not only a senior religious scholar but also the leader of a revolutionary movement that eventually transformed Iran’s political system. The intellectual and political atmosphere surrounding the family therefore became an important part of Hassan Khomeini’s early development.
Hassan Khomeini is married to Neda Bojnourdi, the daughter of Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi Bojnourdi. The couple has four children. His family life has generally remained connected to Iran’s broader religious and scholarly networks.
School Education
Hassan Khomeini’s formal education began in Najaf, where he attended the Alavi School. Najaf was an especially important setting for his early education because of its centuries-old status as a major center of Shiite learning. The city was also closely associated with Ruhollah Khomeini, who spent many years there during his exile from Iran.
