His Highness Aga Khan IV, Prince Karim al-Hussaini, was born on 13 December 1936, in Geneva, son of the late Prince Aly Khan and Princess Tajuddawlah, née Joan Yarde-Buller. He spent his early childhood in Nairobi, Kenya.
On 11 July 1957, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III as the 49th Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community. At that time he was still an undergraduate at Harvard university. He led the Ismaili community for 67 years, a period of enormous change.
In the context of his role as Imam, Aga Khan IV’s concern was to interpret the faith for the Ismaili Muslim community and to take a lead in improving their quality of life as well that of the people amongst whom they live.
To this end, and guided by the ethical principles of Islam, he established the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of private, international, non-denominational agencies, working to improve living conditions and opportunities for people in some of the poorest and most vulnerable parts of the developing world.
The title “His Highness” was granted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1957 following the practice of earlier British monarchs who had accorded the same title to Aga Khans I, II and III.
The hereditary title “Aga Khan” (meaning “Commanding Chief”) is an honorific title given by the 19th-century Persian Qajar monarch, Fath Ali Shah (r. 1797-1834), to the 46th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan I (r. 1817-1881).
Upon his accession to the Imamat, Aga Khan IV took a year away from his studies to visit his dispersed community, and then returned to education and graduated from Harvard University in 1959 with a BA Honors Degree in Islamic history.
Aga Khan IV is survived by his four children: Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim (now HH Aga Khan V), Prince Hussain (from his first marriage to Princess Salimah, née Sarah Frances Croker Poole) and Prince Aly Muhammad (from his second marriage to Princess Inaara, née Gabriele Renate Thyssen); his brother Prince Amyn Muhammad and their half sister Princess Yasmin; as well as four grandchildren.
In his private life, Aga Khan IV was an accomplished skier. He also inherited the race horse stables that had been a family concern for five generations. He also had a passion for yachting and was one of the founders of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in northern Sardinia which he developed as a model of environmentalism.
As the leader of his community, he pioneered development agencies in the fields of health, education and income generation and went on to create the first responsible press in East Africa with the founding of The Nation newspaper as early as 1959. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) today employs approximately 96,000 people and is active in 30 countries. In the field of education, the AKDN has established the Aga Khan University (with faculties in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UK) and the University of Central Asia (with campuses in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan), as well as over 200 schools (including the Aga Khan Academies in Africa and Asia) and more than 700 health facilities (including nursing schools, hospitals and associated facilities). Annually the AKDN generates electricity for 10 million people, provides healthcare to 5 million people, educates 2 million students and hosts 5 million visitors at its parks and gardens.
Through the work of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), Aga Khan IV established a museum dedicated to Muslim civilisations, the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, and founded one of the largest architectural prizes, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, now in its 16th cycle, distributing prizes totalling USD $1 million, triennially.
The Ismaili Imamat’s collaboration with national governments, international public agencies and non-governmental organisations stems from a common purpose and shared values and objectives to improve the quality of life of those most in need. Although having no territory, the Ismaili Imamat has diplomatic relations with various countries and partnerships with many international and national organisations.
In recognition of his exceptional efforts and contributions to human development and improving the social condition of societies globally, Aga Khan IV received numerous decorations, honorary degrees, and awards from institutions and nations across the world. He was also made an honorary citizen of Canada.
At the invitation of the Government of Portugal, Aga Khan IV established the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat (global headquarters) in Lisbon in 2018.
Ismaili Muslims, commonly known as the Ismailis, belong to the Shia branch of Islam. The Shia form one of the two major interpretations of Islam, the Sunni being the other.
The Ismailis live in over 35 different countries, mainly in Central, East and South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia, and number approximately 12 to 15 million.
Throughout their 1,400 year history, the Ismailis have been led by a living, hereditary Imam from the time of the first Imam Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him).
Upon his accession, Aga Khan IV reminded Ismailis to give their secular loyalty to the states in which they lived, and their spiritual loyalty to Islam and its Shia Imami Ismaili persuasion (tariqa). He also enjoined them to embrace pluralism by building bridges of peace and understanding; and generously sharing their time, talents, and material resources to improve the quality of life of the societies and communities amongst whom they live.
Ismailis affectionately refer to their incumbant spiritual leader by the title “Mawlana Hazar Imam” (Our Revered Present and Living Imam).
