Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV[a][b] (13 December 1936 – 4 February 2025), known as simply the Aga Khan IV,[c] was the 49th imam of Nizari Isma'ilism from 1957 until his death in 2025. He inherited the Nizari imamate and the title of Aga Khan at the age of 20 upon the death of his grandfather, the Aga Khan III.[4] During his imamate, he was also known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Isma'ili followers.[5][6][7][8][9][10]
Al-Husseini's net worth was estimated at over US$13.3 billion by Vanity Fair in 2013.[11]Forbes included al-Husseini in its list of the world's fifteen richest royals, though he held no political sovereignty or territorial authority. The designation referred to his hereditary role as Imam of the Nizari Ismailis, not to any formal royal or monarchical status.[12] He was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest private development networks in the world.
Karim al-Husseini was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on 13 December 1936, the eldest son of Aly Khan (1911–1960) and his first wife, Taj-ud-dawlah Aga Khan (formerly Joan Yarde-Buller, 1908–1997). His mother was the eldest daughter of the British peer John Yarde-Buller, 3rd Baron Churston.[13]
He was declared healthy despite being born prematurely.[14] His brother, Amyn Aga Khan, was born a year later in 1937. In 1949, his parents divorced in part due to his father's extramarital affairs,[15] and shortly after, he married American actress Rita Hayworth—with whom he had a daughter, Yasmin Aga Khan, the half-sister of al-Husseini.[16][17]
He also had a half-brother, Patrick Benjamin Guinness (1931–1965), from his mother's first marriage, as Joan Yarde-Buller was previously married to Loel Guinness of the banking Guinnesses.[18]
When his grandfather died, he was thrust into the position of the Aga Khan. At the time of his accession to the Imamate in 1957, Karim was a university student. Reflecting on the transition, he later stated that he had to set aside plans for further academic study in order to assume his new responsibilities as Imam.[18] He graduated from Harvard University in 1959, two years after ascending the imamate, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history (with Cum Laude honours) and his varsity H for the Harvard Crimson men's soccer team.[23][18]
After the death of Aga Khan III in 1957, Shah Karim al-Husseini was appointed as the 49th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili community at the age of 20. His designation was made through the will of his grandfather, bypassing his father, Aly Khan, and his uncle, Sadruddin Aga Khan. This was the second recorded instance in Nizari Ismaili history where a grandson, rather than a son, was named as Imam.
The will cited "fundamentally altered conditions in the world" as part of the rationale for selecting a younger successor:
"In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world [which] has provoked many changes, including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Nizari Ismaili community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age, and who brings a new outlook on life to his office."[25]
This statement was later used by some within the community to frame al-Husseini as an "Imam of the Atomic Age," a phrase that has appeared in various publications but has no official doctrinal status. The will also recommended that the new Imam, during his early years in the role, consult his grandmother, Om Habibeh Aga Khan, on general matters.[26]
Karim al-Husseini became the 49th hereditary Imam of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims in 1957 following the death of his grandfather. Installation ceremonies were conducted at multiple locations between 1957 and 1958, during which he spoke about issues such as interethnic and interfaith relations.[27]
In 1972, the government of Uganda, led by President Idi Amin, expelled people of South Asian origin, including many Nizari Ismailis, giving them 90 days to leave the country.[28] Following this, Karim al-Husseini contacted Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, which resulted in Canada accepting a significant number of displaced Ismailis.[29] He also coordinated efforts to assist Ismailis displaced from Tanzania, Kenya, and Myanmar with resettlement in other countries, primarily in Asia, Europe, and North America.[30][31] Most of the initial resettlement problems were overcome rapidly by Nizari Ismailis due to their educational backgrounds and high rates of literacy, as well as the efforts of the host countries, along with support from Nizari Ismaili community programmes.[32]
Al-Husseini encouraged members of the Nizari Ismaili community in industrialised countries to support development initiatives in regions with significant Ismaili populations.[33]Karim al-Husseini described the role of the Imam as involving both religious interpretation and attention to the social welfare of the community.[14][34] He has emphasized the importance of engagement between Ismaili communities and the broader societies in which they live.[35]
During the 2006 controversy surrounding Pope Benedict XVI's lecture, Karim al-Husseini expressed concern over deteriorating interreligious relations and suggested the situation presented an opportunity for dialogue about religion and reason [37]
When he was asked about his view on the consumption of alcohol in a 1965 interview with The Sunday Times, al-Husseini said, in line with Muslim teaching:
Our belief is that the thing which separates man from the animals is his power of thought. Anything that impedes this process is wrong. Therefore, alcohol is forbidden. I have never touched alcohol. But this, to me, is not a puritan prohibition. I don't want to drink. I've never wanted to drink. There's no pressure being placed on me by my religion.[38]
In 2014, Karim al-Husseini became the first faith leader to address a joint session of the Parliament of Canada.[39]
To mark the 25th anniversary of his Imamat from 1982 to 1983, several development projects were initiated,[40] including the establishment of the $450 million Aga Khan University with its Faculty of Health Sciences and teaching hospital based in Karachi, Pakistan,[41] expansion of schools and healthcare facilities in the Hunza region of northern Pakistan,[42] and the establishment of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in Gujarat, India.[43]
The 50th anniversary of his Imamat was observed from 2007 to 2008, during which Karim al-Husseini made official visits to various countries and met with government officials to discuss ongoing and future initiatives.[44] During this period, the Golden Jubilee Games, a sports event for Nizari Ismailis, was organized in Kenya and later continued in other locations.[45] During his visit to Houston in Texas, he announced the establishment of the Ismaili Center Houston.[46][47]
The 60th anniversary of his tenure was observed from 2017 to 2018,[48] marked by various events including concerts and arts festivals. In 2018, the Henrique de Mendonça Palace in Lisbon was designated as the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat.[49]
In 1986, al-Husseini promulgated a constitution for the Nizari Ismaili community, which was amended in 1998. The document outlines the governance structure and the role of the Imam within the community.[50]
Al-Husseini's racing horse businesses brought in considerable income.[51] He owned and operated the largest horse racing and breeding operation in France, the French horse auction house, Arqana, Gilltown Stud near Kilcullen in Ireland, and other breeding/stud farms in Europe.[51]
He operated a large horse racing and breeding operation at his estate Aiglemont, in the town of Gouvieux in the Picardy region of France – about 4 kilometres (2+1⁄2 miles) west of the Chantilly Racecourse. In 1977, he paid £1.3million for the bloodstock owned by Anna Dupré and in 1978, £4.7 million for the bloodstock of Marcel Boussac.[52] He was said to be France's most influential owner-breeder and record winner of The Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks.[53]
In 2006, he became the majority shareholder of French horse auction house Arqana.[51]
On 27 October 2009 it was announced that Sea the Stars, regarded by many as one of the greatest racehorses of all time, would stand stud at his Gilltown Stud in Ireland.[56]
Al-Husseini was the lead owner of Shergar, the Irish racehorse that was kidnapped from Ballymany stud farm in County Kildare, Ireland, by masked men in 1983 and held for ransom. He and the other co-owners refused to pay a ransom, and the horse was not recovered.[60] Following the abduction of Shergar in 1983, al-Husseini, law enforcement, and members of the public suspected the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), although the group denied involvement. In 1999, former IRA member Sean O'Callaghan claimed in his autobiography that the IRA had carried out the abduction. Shergar had become a prominent symbol in Ireland, and the incident prompted public backlash, including among individuals sympathetic to the republican cause.[61]
Other business ventures
Al-Husseini was involved in multiple business ventures, in such areas as communications media and luxury hotels. In 1959 he founded the Kenyan media company Nation Media Group,[62] which among others owns Daily Nation and Sunday Nation.[63]
In the 1990s, he had a group of US$400 a night Italian luxury hotels, called Ciga. Through his for-profit AKFED, he was the largest shareholder in the Serena Hotels chain.[64]
Karim established the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of affiliated institutions operating primarily in developing regions. The network includes over 200 agencies and, as of the latest available data, employs approximately 80,000 staff.[65] Funding sources include contributions from members of the Ismaili community as well as partnerships with governments and international organisations. AKDN's activities span areas such as health, education, culture, rural development, financial services, and economic initiatives, with a focus on parts of Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Middle East.[66]
In a 2006 public address in Germany, al-Husseini commented on how external observers often categorize the work of the Aga Khan Development Network as philanthropy or enterprise. He stated that, from the perspective of the Ismaili Imamat, such activities are considered part of the Imam's institutional responsibilities rather than being separate from his religious role.[34]
In March 2019, al-Husseini was named the Global Founding Patron of the Prince's Trust Group by Charles, then the Prince of Wales.[77] According to the organisation, support linked to this role contributed to programmes reaching over 30,000 young people between 2019 and 2025.[78]
The Aga Khan Development Network is also a founding partner of the Paris Peace Forum, launched in 2018 on the centenary of the World War I Armistice.[79] The network serves as a strategic partner and participates in the forum's executive and governance bodies.[80]
Promotion of Islamic architecture
In 1977, Karim al-Husseini established the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, a triennial award intended to recognize architectural projects that address contemporary design alongside social, environmental, and historical contexts and rejuvenation in Muslim societies. The award cumulatively carries a prize of US$1 million and is administered by an independent jury appointed for each award cycle.[81][82]
In 1979, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) launched the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA), supported by an endowment from al-Husseini. The program offers academic courses, lectures, and conferences related to Islamic architecture and urbanism.[83] It also supports research at both institutions. At MIT, students may complete a Master of Science in Architectural Studies with a focus in the program.[84]
In 1964, Sports Illustrated wrote that despite Karim al-Husseini's reputation as "a gallivanting jet-setter who wants his horses, cars and women to be fast", he avoided most parties, never appeared in gossip columns, and had been associated with only one woman for the previous five years.[18] In 1969, al-Husseini married former British model Sarah Frances Croker Poole, who assumed the name Salimah Aga Khan upon marrying him. Sarah Frances was a divorcee, having previously been married to Lord James Charles Crichton-Stuart, son of John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of Bute.
The wedding ceremonies were held on 22 October 1969 (civil) and 28 October 1969 (religious) at Karim Aga Khan's home in Paris. Al-Husseini and Begum Salimah had one daughter and two sons together, Zahra Aga Khan (born 18 September 1970), Rahim Aga Khan (born 12 October 1971), and Hussain Aga Khan (born 10 April 1974).[85] By 1984, al-Husseini and Salimah had taken to living separate lives.[86] In 1994, the couple's divorce was made public.[87]
On 30 May 1998, al-Husseini married Gabriele Renate Thyssen at his residence, Château de Aiglemont, in Gouvieux, France. Upon marriage, she assumed the name Inaara Aga Khan. Thyssen, born in 1963, had previously been married to Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen, with whom she had a daughter, Teresa.
The couple had one son, Aly Muhammad Aga Khan, born on 7 March 2000. They announced their intention to divorce in October 2004.[88][89] A divorce settlement was reached in the French courts in September 2011, with the settlement amount finalised in March 2014.[90]
Al-Husseini was involved in competitive yachting and maritime sports. In 1967, he founded the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, and served as its president for several decades. The club became known for hosting international sailing events.
He also owned multiple yachts, including Alamshar, a 164-foot vessel named after one of his racehorses.[91] Media reports estimated its cost at approximately £100 million.[92]
In 2009, Forbes estimated al-Husseini's net worth at approximately US$1 billion,[94] and in 2013, Vanity Fair reported that his fortune had been estimated at around US$13.3 billion.[11]Forbes also listed him among the world's fifteen wealthiest individuals referred to as "royals", though he did not exercise sovereignty over any state or territory.[12]
His personal assets were reported to include multiple estates, a private island in the Bahamas (Bell Island),[95] a fleet of private jets, and Alamshar, a high-speed yacht reportedly valued at £100 million. He also owned several stud farms and hundreds of racehorses. His primary residence was the Aiglemont estate in Gouvieux, France.
Death
Al-Husseini died aged 88 at his residence in Lisbon, Portugal, on 4 February 2025.[96][97] In his will, he named his son Rahim Al-Hussaini as his successor, a designation that the Nizari Ismaili community regards as the appointment of the 50th Imam, as Aga Khan V.[98][99]
A private funeral was held in Lisbon on 8 February. Attendees included Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas, and foreign dignitaries such as Trudeau and former Spanish king Juan Carlos I.[100][101][102] On 9 February, al-Husseini was buried in the Mausoleum of Aga Khan in Aswan, Egypt, where his grandfather is also interred.[103]
The Aga Khans claim the titles of Prince and Princess by virtue of their descent from Fath Ali Shah of the Persian Qajar dynasty. The title was officially recognised by the British government in 1938.[104]
Author Farhad Daftary wrote of how the honorific title Aga Khan (from Agha and Khan) was first given to Hasan Ali Shah (The Aga Khan I) at the age of thirteen when he, as the young Imam, with his mother decided to go to the Qajar court in Tehran to obtain justice upon his father's death and was eventually successful. Those who had been involved in murder were punished. "At the same time, the Qajar monarch bestowed on him the honorific title (laqab) of Agha Khan (also transcribed as Aqa Khan), meaning lord and master." Daftary additionally commented, "The title of Agha Khan remained hereditary amongst his successors."[105]
In 1957, following the death of his grandfather, Karim al-Husseini was granted the style of His Highness by Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The style had previously been granted to Aga Khan III by the British Crown in 1887 and was extended to his successor shortly after his accession as Imam.[106]
Aga Khan affair, a 2017 political scandal in Canada involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Aga Khan IV.
Aga Khan Museum, exhibiting Islamic artefacts and fine arts in Toronto, Canada.
Notes
↑ In English-language media and official communications, he is commonly referred to as His Highness "Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV".[2][3] The form of "Mawlana Shah Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV" is instead used in biographical and religious contexts to reflect his hereditary title (Shah), lineage (al-Hussaini, denoting descent from Imam Hussain), and dynastic role as the 49th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims.
↑ Stevenson, John Fell (10 November 1957). "My College Room Mate Rules 10 Million". This Week. New York: Joseph P. Knapp.
↑ "Khan of Harvard". Life. Vol.45, no.18. Chicago: Henry Luce. 3 November 1958. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
↑ "Aly Khān's Son, 20, New Aga Khan", The New York Times, 13 July 1957, p. 1
↑ Van Grondelle, Marco. "The Shi'a Imami (Nizari) Ismailis and British Foreign- and Colonial Policy"(PDF). Self. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2012. I desire that my successor shall during the first seven years of his Imamate be guided on questions of general Imamate policy by my said wife the Begum Aga Khan who has been familiar for many years with the problems facing my followers and in whose wise judgement I place the greatest confidence.
1 2 Address by His Highness the Aga Khan to the Tuting Evangelical Academy Upon Receiving the "Tolerance" Award. Germany: akdn.org. 20 May 2006.
↑ Address by His Highness the Aga Khan at Graduation Ceremony of the Masters of Public Affairs Programme at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. Paris: akdn.org/speeches/2007June15_en. 15 June 2007.
↑ Coleridge, Nicholas (March 1994). Paper Tigers: The Latest, Greatest Newspaper Tycoons (1st Carol Pub. Grouped.). Secaucus, NJ: Birch Lane Pr. ISBN978-1559722155.
↑ Veage, John (14 February 2017). "Yesterday in Paradise". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
↑ Jackson, Candace (29 July 2011). "My Own Private Island". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 7 January 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
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