Aga Khan, leader of the Ismailis, buried in Egypt

Aga Khan, leader of the Ismailis, buried in Egypt

ASWAN, Egypt – Aga Khan IV was buried in a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday. The death of Prince Karim, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shiite Ismaili Muslims, was announced on Tuesday by the Aga Khan Development Network and the Ismaili religious community. His 53-year-old son Rahim Al-Hussaini was named Aga Khan V, the spiritual leader of millions of Ismaili Muslims worldwide, in accordance with his father's will.

Private funeral service in Lisbon

A private memorial service was held on Saturday at the Ismaili Community Center in Lisbon, attended by, among others, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, King Emeritus of Spain Juan Carlos and President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Honoring a spiritual leader

The Aga Khan is viewed by his followers as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and is treated like a head of state. The governor of Aswan received Prince Karim's family at the airport in the southern Egyptian province on Saturday.

Wish of the Aga Khan IV

“When his will was opened, it emerged that he had asked to be buried in Aswan near his grandfather Sultan Muhammad Shah and grandmother Om Habiba,” Major General Ismail Kamal said.

sadness and respect

Ismaili mourners paraded during the funeral ceremony in the southern province of Aswan as bells rang and Prince Karim's body was transported in a wagon. They carried his body, wrapped in a white shroud, and placed it on a yacht on the Nile.

An influential leader

Prince Karim, 88, received the title of His Highness from Queen Elizabeth in July 1957, just two weeks after his grandfather, the Aga Khan III, unexpectedly made him heir to the 1,300-year-old Ismaili Muslim dynasty. The late Aga Khan grew into a business magnate and philanthropist over decades, moving effortlessly between the spiritual and the secular.

Promoting culture and building bridges

He was a champion of Islamic culture and values ​​and was also widely seen as a bridge builder between Muslim societies and the West.

The work of the Aga Khan Development Network

The Aga Khan Development Network is primarily concerned with issues of healthcare, housing, education and rural economic development. It operates in over 30 countries and has an annual budget of approximately $1 billion for nonprofit development activities.

Global Ismaili Community

Ismailis lived for many generations in Iran, Syria and South Asia before also settling in East Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as Europe, North America and Australia. They consider it a duty to donate up to 12.5% ​​of their income to the Aga Khan as administrator.