The Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims, has died at the age of 88. He was surrounded by his family in Portugal.
His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, the Aga Khan IV and 49th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, passed away on Tuesday. His successor was designated in his will, which will be read in the presence of his family and religious leaders in Lisbon before the name is made public.
Considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, the Aga Khan was a student when his grandfather passed over his playboy father as his successor to lead the diaspora of Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was 20 years old at the time and a Harvard undergraduate.
Over decades, the Aga Khan evolved into a business magnate and a philanthropist, moving between the spiritual and the worldly with ease. He was a defender of Islamic culture and values, widely regarded as a builder of bridges between Muslim societies and the West.
The Aga Khan Development Network, his main philanthropic organization, deals mainly with issues of health care, housing, education, and rural economic development. It says it works in over 30 countries and has an annual budget of about $1 billion for nonprofit development activities.
A network of hospitals bearing his name are scattered in places where health care had lacked for the poorest, including Bangladesh, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan, where he spent tens of millions of dollars for development of local economies.
The extent of the Aga Khan’s financial empire is hard to measure. Some reports estimated his personal wealth to be in the billions. The Ismailis – a sect originally centered in India but which expanded to large communities in east Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East – consider it a duty to tithe up to 12.5% of their income to him as steward.
"We have no notion of the accumulation of wealth being evil," he told Vanity Fair in 2012. "The Islamic ethic is that if God has given you the capacity or good fortune to be a privileged individual in society, you have a moral responsibility to society."
The Aga Khan lived at length in France and had been based in Portugal for the past several years. His development network and foundation are based in Switzerland. He is survived by three sons and a daughter and several grandchildren.
Conclusion
The Aga Khan’s passing marks the end of an era for the Ismaili community and the world at large. His legacy will be remembered for generations to come, as a champion of Islamic culture and values, a builder of bridges between Muslim societies and the West, and a philanthropist who dedicated his life to improving the lives of millions of people around the world.
FAQs
Q: Who was the Aga Khan?
A: The Aga Khan was the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims.
Q: How old was the Aga Khan when he passed away?
A: The Aga Khan was 88 years old when he passed away.
Q: What was the Aga Khan’s main philanthropic organization?
A: The Aga Khan’s main philanthropic organization was the Aga Khan Development Network.
Q: What were the Aga Khan’s main areas of focus for his philanthropic work?
A: The Aga Khan’s main areas of focus for his philanthropic work were health care, housing, education, and rural economic development.
Q: How much did the Aga Khan’s personal wealth estimated to be?
A: The Aga Khan’s personal wealth was estimated to be in the billions.
Q: Who will succeed the Aga Khan as the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community?
A: The Aga Khan’s successor was designated in his will, which will be read in the presence of his family and religious leaders in Lisbon before the name is made public.