Shah Karim al-Husayni (Arabic: شاه كريم الحسيني, romanized: Shāh Karīm al-Ḥusaynī; born 13 December 1936; known as Aga Khan IV (Persian: آقا خان چهارم, romanized: Āqā Khān Chāram)[2][3] is the 49th and current imam of Nizari Isma'ilis. He has held the position of Imam and the title of Aga Khan since 11 July 1957[4] when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Aga Khan III. The Aga Khan claims direct lineal descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali,[5][6] who is considered an Imam by Nizari Isma'ilis, and Ali's wife Fatima, Muhammad's daughter from his first marriage. Aga Khan IV is also known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Isma'ili followers.
Ismailis gave Ali and their Imams a near-divine status. His grandfather, Aga Khan III, states in his memoirs that the Shias had a "need (for) Divine guidance"[7] after the Prophet of Islam's death, this need being fulfilled by the Imamate. According to the Aga Khan III as mentioned in his memoirs, he has actual "Divine power, guidance, and leadership (authority)."[8] The Institution of Imamate has continued to present day with the Aga Khan IV as the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Community. The Aga Khan is a business magnate with British and Portuguese citizenship,[9][10][11] as well as a racehorse owner and breeder.[11][12]
Aga Khan's net worth has been estimated over $13.3 billion.[13]Forbes describes the Aga Khan as one of the world's fifteen richest royals.[14] He is the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest private development networks in the world.
Since his ascension to the Imamate of the Nizari Ismailis in 1957, the Aga Khan has been involved in complex political and economic changes which have affected his followers, including the independence of African countries from colonial rule, the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, the independence of Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan from the former Soviet Union and the continuous turmoil in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Aga Khan IV became the first faith leader to address the Joint Session of the Parliament of Canada on 27 February 2014.[15]
^"1957 Aga Khan IV Ceremonial Installation: Presentation of "Sword of Justice" Signified Ismaili Imam's Role as "Defender of Faith"". Simerg. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
^"His Highness the Aga Khan". Archived from the original on 6 November 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2011.
^"Aga Khan IV". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
^"World View – Aga Khan". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
^Morris, H. S. (1958). "The Divine Kingship of the Aga Khan: A Study of Theocracy in East Africa". Southwestern Journal of Anthropology. 14 (4): 454–472. doi:10.1086/soutjanth.14.4.3628938. JSTOR 3628938. S2CID 160596479.
^"The Aga Khan's Direct Descent From Prophet Muhammad: Historical Proof". Ismaili Gnosis Research Team. 9 July 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
^Maugham Somerset W. (1954). The Memoirs Of Aga Khan (1954). pp. 178 - 2nd Paragraph.
^Maugham Somerset W. (1954). The Memoirs Of Aga Khan (1954). pp. 178 - 3rd Paragraph.
^"Portugal granted national citizenship to Prince Aga Khan". Observador. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
^Zachary, G. Pascal (9 July 2007). "The Aga Khan, a jet-setter who mixes business and Islam". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^ abMinahan, James (1998). Miniature Empires: A Historical Dictionary of the Newly Independent States. Greenwood Press. p. 256. ISBN 978-0313306105.
^Wood, Greg (6 October 2008). "port Horse racing Zarkava's triumph brings a new high for Aga Khan". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
^"How the Fourth Aga Khan Balances Spiritual Muslim Leadership with a Multi-billionaire Lifestyle". Vanity Fair. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
^Serafin, Tatiana (7 July 2010). "World's Richest Royals". Forbes. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
^Rizwan Mawani (3 March 2014). "A Relationship of Mutual Respect and Admiration: His Highness the Aga Khan Becomes First Faith Leader to Address Joint Session of Canadian Parliament". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
Karīm al-Ḥusaynī; born 13 December 1936; known as AgaKhanIV (Persian: آقا خان چهارم, romanized: Āqā Khān Chāram) is the 49th and current imam of Nizari...
title has been the 49th Imām, Prince Shah Karim al-Husseini, AgaKhanIV (born 1936). AgaKhan claims to be a direct descendant of Muhammad, the last prophet...
Prince Rahim AgaKhan (Persian: رحیم آغا خان; born 12 October 1971) is the second of the AgaKhanIV’s four children. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, he...
1963), also previously known as Princess Inaara Aga Khan, was the second wife of the AgaKhanIV, the 49th Imam of the Nizari branch of the Shia Imami...
Princess Zahra AgaKhan (born 18 September 1970) is the eldest child of AgaKhanIV and his first wife, Princess Salimah AgaKhan. Princess Zahra attended...
Cloppenburg, The Limited. In 2013, she married Prince Rahim AgaKhan, the eldest son of AgaKhanIV, at the Château de Bellerive in Switzerland. Upon her marriage...
fashion model and an ex-wife of the 49th Ismaili Shia Imam, the IVAgaKhan Prince Karim AgaKhan. Princess Salimah was born at New Delhi, British India, as...
Prince Amyn Muhammad AgaKhan (Persian: امین محمد آغا خان, Urdu: امین محمد آغا خان; born 12 September 1937) is the brother of AgaKhanIV, Imam of the Nizari...
Prince Aly Muhammad AgaKhan (Arabic: علي محمد آغا خان; born March 7, 2000) is a British cinematographer, the fourth child of AgaKhanIV and his second wife...
Prince Sadruddin AgaKhan (17 January 1933 – 12 May 2003) was a French-born statesman and activist who served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees...
The AgaKhan Palace was built by Sultan Muhammed Shah AgaKhan III in the city of Pune, India. The palace was an act of charity by the spiritual leader...
The AgaKhan Development Network (AKDN) is a network of private, non-denominational development agencies founded by the AgaKhan, with the primary focus...
The AgaKhan Foundation (AKF) is a private, not-for-profit international development agency, which was founded in 1967 by Shah Karim Al Hussaini, Aga Khan...
AgaKhanIV and is part of the AgaKhan Development Network. AgaKhan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) was founded in 1984 and is a part of Aga Khan...
schools. Founded in 1983 by Prince AgaKhanIV, AgaKhan University (AKU) stands as one of the agencies within the AgaKhan Development Network. In 1964, plans...
Shāh; 2 November 1877 – 11 July 1957), known as AgaKhan III (Persian: آقا خان سوم, romanized: Āqā Khān Suwwūm), was the 48th imam of the Nizari Ism'aili...
romanized: Ḥasan ʿAlī Shāh; 1804–1881), known as AgaKhan I (Persian: آقا خان اوّل, romanized: Āqā Khān Awwal), was the 46th imam of the Nizari Isma'ilis...
Habibeh AgaKhan (born Yvonne Blanche Labrousse; 15 February 1906 – 1 July 2000) was the fourth and last wife of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, AgaKhan III....
romanized: Āqā ʿAlī Shāh; 1830–1885), known as AgaKhan II (Persian: آغا خان دوّم, romanized: Āghā Khān Duwwūm), was the 47th imam of the Nizari Isma'ili...
The AgaKhan affair was a political scandal in Canada involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In 2017, Trudeau was found guilty of violating sections...
The AgaKhan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is an agency of the AgaKhan Development Network (AKDN), a family of institutions created by AgaKhanIV with distinct...
The Mausoleum of AgaKhan is the mausoleum of AgaKhan III, Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, who died in 1957. The mausoleum is located at Aswan along the Nile...
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