knowledge of Sharia. Since Islamic jurists or faqīh have studied and are the most knowledgeable in Sharia, the country's ruler should be a faqīh who "surpasses all others in knowledge" of Islamic law and justice, (known as a marja'), as well as having intelligence and administrative ability. Rule by monarchs and/or assemblies of "those claiming to be representatives of the majority of the people" (i.e. elected parliaments and legislatures) has been proclaimed "wrong" by Islam. This system of clerical rule is necessary to prevent injustice, corruption, oppression by the powerful over the poor and weak, innovation and deviation of Islam and Sharia law; and also to destroy anti-Islamic influence and conspiracies by non-Muslim foreign powers. The theory in Shia Islam which holds that Islam gives a faqīh (Islamic jurist) custodianship over people. To form an Islamic government, Two things were needed: Overthrow of the Shah Establishment of Shi'i theocracy Khomeini had mooted this theory as early as the middle 1940s in his first book Kashf al-Asrar. From 1971 to 1975, Khomeini demonstrated vehement opposition to the 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire, and the changing of the Iranian calendar from Hijri to Imperial (Shahanshahi). During this era, the Shah considered exiling Khomeini, to India, because he believed doing so would make communication between Khomeini and his followers in Iran impossible, but for an unrevealed reason this plan was never executed. Khomeini was also faced with hostility from the Ba'ath regime, which began so hostile to his brand of Islam as the Shah. In November 1977, the Shah's overthrow began with the assassination of Khomeini's son, Mostafa, by SAVAK, although this is disputed, as SAVAK had many opportunities to eliminate Khomeini, but never did. France On September 24, 1978, according to a meeting held in New York City between Iraqi and Iranian foreign minister, Khomeini was forced by Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein to leave Najaf, although the Shah and Hussein had begun plans to expel Khomeini as early as 1975. Khomeini preferred to go to another Muslim country, and obtained a visa for Kuwait, but was turned back at the border because he had obtained the visa under the name “Ruhollah Mustafavi”. Khomeini’s next preference was to go to Syria – where some sources say he had intended to permanently reside even when he attempted to enter Kuwait – but the lingering influence of Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr in Iraqi and