Aga Khan IV dies at 88; son Rahim al-Hussaini ascends as spiritual leader

BySSZee Media

Feb 6, 2025 #Aga Khan, #Global Development, #Imam, #Muslim tradition, #News, #News Entertainment, #News Of The World, #Rahim al-Hussaini, #Spiritual Leadership

Rahim al-Hussaini, 53, has ascended as the 50th hereditary imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, following the passing of his father, Prince Karim al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV. According to reports, the Ismaili community confirmed that his succession was designated in his father’s will, in line with historical Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim traditions.

Aga Khan IV passed away on Tuesday in Lisbon at the age of 88, surrounded by family. He was a Harvard undergraduate when he assumed the spiritual leadership at just 20. Aga Khan IV dedicated his life to philanthropy, steering billions in tithes from his followers toward healthcare, housing, and education initiatives in developing nations.

Born in October 1971, Prince Rahim, the eldest son of Aga Khan IV and British model Sarah Croker Poole, grew up in Geneva and Paris. Educated in literature at Brown University and later in business in Barcelona, he joined the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), taking an active role in its governance. The AKDN, an influential philanthropic network founded in 1967, operates across more than 30 countries, tackling healthcare, education, and rural economic challenges, with an annual nonprofit development budget of approximately $1 billion.

Prince Rahim, who serves on the boards of several AKDN agencies, has closely followed the work of the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the community’s social governance institutions. His leadership comes at a time when the Ismaili community, numbering between 12 and 15 million people, looks to its new spiritual guide for continuity and direction.

Aga Khan IV, regarded by his followers as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, was revered as a bridge between Muslim societies and the West. Avoiding political entanglements, he focused on advancing Islamic culture, establishing an architecture prize, and funding Islamic design programs at MIT and Harvard. His restoration of ancient Islamic structures further cemented his legacy.

“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,” he told Vanity Fair in 2012.

His wealth, amassed in part through the community’s tradition of tithing up to 12.5% of their income, was estimated in the billions, though exact figures remain elusive. Despite this, his fortune was largely channeled into development projects, including hospitals in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Tajikistan, where he significantly contributed to economic growth.

Treated as a head of state, Aga Khan IV was granted the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth in 1957, just weeks after unexpectedly being named successor by his grandfather. The decision bypassed his father, Aly Khan, in favor of a young leader attuned to the modern world. Reflecting on the sudden responsibility, he later said, “I was an undergraduate who knew what his work for the rest of his life was going to be. I don’t think anyone in my situation would have been prepared.”

Born on December 13, 1936, near Geneva, Aga Khan IV was the son of Aly Khan and Joan Yarde-Buller. Over decades, he balanced his spiritual duties with a keen business acumen, overseeing a vast financial empire and ensuring Ismaili institutions flourished globally.

Prince Rahim, who married American model Kendra Spears in 2013 and shares two sons with her, inherits not only this vast wealth but the weight of a 1,300-year-old religious dynasty. As he steps into his role as Aga Khan V, he is poised to continue his father’s legacy of leadership, philanthropy, and global development.