A series of memoirs indicate that Imam Khomeini, the Muslim world leader, used to spend too much time for conducting research and study on daily basis.
Imam also used to spend several constant hours from every day to read books and explore knowledge.
Sources say Imam Khomeini, who left an enriched academic legacy, also started to write his dynamic thought on a paper if in a case he became tired of too much studying or reading books.
Family members say great Imam was always surrounded by books and sometime had not left his study chair for several hours from morning until the noon prayer.
In addition to reading first-hand Islamic sources regarding Islamic diciplines, Imam also used to read most of the books by contemporary scholars.
Imam Khomeini, who had well command over philosophy, mysticism, jurisprudence and Quran and Hadith sciences, has had showed a great amount of discipline and devised a well-organized plan to teach the students at seminaries or study circles.
In some cases, Imam was seen busy in reading and writing at 3. A. M in early dawn.
On several occasion, the late leader of the contemporary Muslim world did not use to sleep more than four hours out of 24 hours.
Imam, who led Islamic revolution to victory, never wasted time by going to unnecessary parties or programs, and made best use of each moment in his life.
Imam Khomeini has had well command over several disciplines of the Islamic sciences including the philosophy, mysticism, jurisprudence, poetry, Quranic interpretation, Islamic traditions and several other fields.
Imam Khomeini established a comprehensive system based on divine and human values in contemporary history.
The progressive Islamic-democratic government established by Imam brought development and prosperity for the nation in coming years.
The collapse of the Shah regime and the victory of the people’s voices brought about many changes in the world and particularly in the Middle East.
Regarding the encouragement for book reading, we also bring some statements by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The statements were delivered on various occasions.
A seminarian should not stop reading books. A seminarian should read books, different kinds of books. He should read books during his youth. Try your best to fill your minds during youth, and your minds have infinite capacities. I can still remember whatever I committed to memory during my youth. On the contrary, when you are old, whatever you learn does not firmly stick in your mind. You are young, so try your best to fill the valuable capacity of your minds with beneficial information, information that you need for promoting Islam: this information will prove useful.
I recommend for those who go to work on a daily basis--office employees, laborers, shop keepers, and farmers—to spend a portion of their time, even if just for half an hour, on reading when they get home. So many books can be read over a span of time during half-hour intervals! I have read through twenty volume book collections during these ten-minute, twenty-minute, quarter breaks; overall, I've probably read hundreds of books during these short intervals, and I know many people who have done the same. For instance, I read through an eight-volume set of books written by an Arab author. this was many years ago while I frequently travelled to Tehran, spending long hours on the bus. Well, I read almost all of the eight volumes, on those bus rides, which were about the history of literature, sciences, and Islamic teachings.
Statements made during an interview with the IRIB reporter at the Sixth International Book Fair; May 11, 1993
I can remember Hadith (sayings of the Prophet (pbuh)) I read as a teenager, and I took notes of them. I had a small notebook where I wrote down all my notes. I don’t remember the narrations of Hadith I read yesterday or last week, unless there is a reminder. But I can remember the ones I read in those days; I can remember them completely. You should appreciate your youth. Whatever you read today, will remain with you and will never escape your mind. The teen years are the best for reading and learning. It’s a golden age that cannot be compared to any other time. I used to read many books, [as a teen] since there so were many books available in our home. My father had a vast library collection, which was good for me. Of course, I also had my own books, and I would borrow books, too. There was a small bookstore close to our home which would lend out books; novels and other books I have read, I borrowed from that little bookstore. (February 03, 1998)