LISBON: Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the spiritual head of the Ismaili community, passed away at the age of 88 in Lisbon, Portugal.
His passing was confirmed in a statement by his spokesperson, Fayyaz Nurmohamad in early hours of Wednesday.
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The Aga Khan held the position of the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili community for nearly seventy years, having ascended to the role in 1957 following the death of his grandfather, Aga Khan III.
The Aga Khan Development Network issued a statement expressing condolences to the Aga Khan’s family and the global Ismaili community.
Born on December 19, 1936 in Geneva, Switzerland, Prince Aga Khan IV was the eldest son of Prince Aly Khan and his first wife, Joan Yarde-Buller.
He spent his formative years in Nairobi and attended a prestigious institute in Switzerland. His unexpected rise to the position of Aga Khan at the age of 20, passing over his own father, occurred while he was still an undergraduate at Harvard University.
During his leadership, the Ismaili community saw significant growth, particularly in Canada, where the government accepted over 6,000 Ismaili refugees from Uganda in 1972.
The Canadian Ismaili population has since expanded to more than 80,000, including influential figures in different sectors.
The Aga Khan was recognised for his philanthropic work through the Aga Khan Development Network, which focuses on social, cultural and educated initiatives.
He was also a successful entrepreneur, with an estimated net worth exceeding $13 billion. He was involved in diverse business ventures, including hospitality and telecommunications.
His personal life included two marriages: first to Sarah Croker Poole, who converted to Islam and took the name Salima, and later to Princess Gabriele zu Leiningen. He has three children from his first marriage and one from his second.
Throughout his life, the Aga Khan received several acoelomates, including being named a Knight Commander of the British Empire and receiving the Grand Cross of France’s Legion of Honour.
The Aga Khan’s legacy includes the establishment of the Aga Khan museum in Toronto and the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, both of which reflect his commitment for promoting pluralism and cultural understanding.
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His death signifies the conclusion of a significant chapter for the Ismaili community and the broader landscape of global leadership in faith and philanthropy.