s ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Iran ian ▁em igr ants ▁and ▁business ▁people ▁it ▁rapidly ▁developed ▁into ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁leading ▁Islam ic ▁cent res ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁world . ▁ ▁Many ▁leading ▁Iran ian ▁the olog ians ▁and ▁polit icians ▁( including ▁Ay atol lah ▁Be hes ht i , ▁Ay atol lah ▁Moh amm ad ▁M oj t ah ed ▁Sh ab est ari ▁or ▁Moh amm ad ▁K hat ami ) ▁have ▁spent ▁time ▁( o ften ▁years ) ▁here , ▁have ▁encountered ▁and ▁studied ▁Western ▁sciences ▁and ▁philosophy ▁and ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁understanding ▁of ▁Islam . ▁ ▁History ▁During ▁a ▁meeting ▁at ▁Atlantic ▁Hotel ▁( H amb urg ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Iran ian ▁residents ▁of ▁Germany ▁discussed ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁establish ▁their ▁own ▁religious ▁center . ▁A ▁letter ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁late ▁Grand ▁Ay atol lah ▁Se yy ed ▁Hus ay n ▁Bor uj erd i ▁asking ▁him ▁for ▁help ; ▁Grand ▁Ay atol lah ▁agreed ▁with ▁the ▁plan ▁and ▁don ated ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁R ial s ▁to ▁the ▁center . ▁The ▁construction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁it ▁was ▁completed . ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁Ay atol lah ▁Moh amm ad ▁Be hes ht i ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁center . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁the ▁centre ▁played ▁a ▁significant ▁role ▁in ▁bringing ▁about ▁the ▁political ▁rising