Following the blow dealt to Ayatollah Mr. Hakim (because of his support for the people of Iran in the border dispute between Iran and Iraq that led to his being exiled to Baghdad), the people of Iraq out of fear and terror for the ruthless reprisals of the Ba'thist regime (of Iraq) keep their distance from the late ayatollah and left him in isolation. Mr. Hakim confined himself to his home and resolved never to step out of his house and to shun social gatherings. Imam Khomeini came to the conclusion that this decision of Mr. Hakim was in favor of the Iraq regime because the further he distanced himself from the society, the lesser would be his importance for the people; and the lesser his importance, the lesser the chances of people reacting in his favor. Thus, on June 14, 1969, he went to meet the late Ayatollah (Hakim) in his residence in the town of Kufa. In his talks with the Ayatollah, he convinced him that seclusion and house-confinement was not in the interest and that the Shiite religious authority and leader should in all situations be with the people and not severe his relations with the people. Imam Khomeini then asked him to take up residence in the holy city of Najaf which has a religious authority to it instead of residing in Kufa and also to allow free access to the people to meet him in his home. This proposal of the Imam was to an extent accepted by late Mr. Hakim. Thus although he continued to reside in Kufa but on Fridays of every week he would show up in Najaf and have the honor of performing pilgrimage of His Holiness Imam Ali’s (AS) shrine.
Taken from: An Examination of Imam Khomeini’s Movement, vol. 1