Aga Khan IV

Karīm al-Hussaynī, Āgā Khān IV KBE CC GCC, GCIH (Arabic: سمو الأمیر شاہ کریم الحسیني آغا خان الرابع) (born December 13, 1936) is the 49th and current Imām of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. He has been in this position, and held the title of Āgā Khān, since July 11, 1957. The Āgā Khān is responsible for the interpretation of the faith for his followers and as part of the office of the Imamate, endeavors to improve the quality of their lives and of the communities in which they live. In the Shia tradition of Islam, it is the mandate of the Imam of the time to safeguard the individual's right to personal intellectual search and to give practical expression to the ethical vision of society that the Islamic message inspires.

The Āgā Khān is referred to by members of his community as Mawlana Hāzar Imām (حاضر إمام, "Present Imām").^[1]^[2] Since his ascension to the Imamate, the Āgā Khān has witnessed complex political and economic changes which have affected his followers, including independence of African countries from colonial rule, expulsion of Asians from Uganda, the independence of Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan from the former Soviet Union, and continuing turmoil in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Āgā Khān has been particularly interested in the elimination of global poverty; the advancement of the status of women; the promotion of Islamic culture, art, and architecture; and furthering pluralistic values in society. He is the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest private development networks in the world, which works towards social, economic, and cultural development in Asia and Africa.

Birth and childhood

Born Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Aga Khan IV is the eldest son of Prince Aly Khān, a Pakistani leader of independence (1911–1960) and his first wife, French-born Princess Tajudowlah, formerly the Hon. Joan Barbara Yarde-Buller (1908–1997). Born in Geneva, Switzerland on December 13, 1936, Karim Khan was declared healthy despite being born prematurely.^[3] The Āgā Khān's brother, Prince Amyn, was born less than a year later. Their parents divorced in 1949 and Prince Aly Khān later married American actress Rita Hayworth, with whom he had a daughter, Princess Yasmin Āgā Khān, half-sister of the Āgā Khān.

Marriages

Personal Wealth and Income

The Āgā Khān's personal wealth has been estimated as exceeding $1 billion. ^[6]His annual income is estimated to be $300m. Business interests include hotels and airlines, and he has also invested in a tourist complex in Sardinia. ^[7]

Imamat of Shi'a Ismaili Community

In his will, the Āgā Khān III explained the rationale for choosing his eldest grandson as his successor:

In light of the sentiments expressed in his grandfather's will, the Āgā Khān has sometimes been referred to by Ismailis as the Imam of the Atomic Age.^[9]

Upon becoming the Imam, the Āgā Khān stated that he intended to continue the work his grandfather had pursued in building modern institutions to improve the quality of life of the Ismaili community. Takht nashini (installation) ceremonies occurred at several locations over 1957 and 1958. During this time, the Āgā Khān emphasized to his followers the importance of fostering positive relations amongst peoples of different races; such a message was highly appropriate given the racially tense atmosphere in East Africa. During the installation ceremonies in the Indian subcontinent, he stressed his commitment to improving the quality of life of Ismailis and encouraged cooperation with individuals of other faiths and races. The main themes that the Āgā Khān emphasized during these first few months of his Imamat were development, education, interracial harmony, and faith in religion.^[9] He elaborated on this concept in a 2006 speech in Germany stating,

This engagement is not limited to the Ismaili community but also extends to the people with whom the Ismailis share their lives, locally and internationally.^[11]

Promotion of Islamic architecture

In 1977, the Aga Khan established the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, an award recognizing excellence in architecture that encompasses contemporary design and social, historical, and environmental considerations. It is the largest architectural award in the world and is granted triennially. The award grew out of the Aga Khan’s desire to revitalize creativity in Islamic societies and acknowledge creative solutions to needs for buildings and public spaces. The recipient is selected by an independent master jury convened for each cycle. In 1979, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) both established the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA), which is supported by an endowment from the Aga Khan. These programs provide degree courses, public lectures, and conferences for the study of Islamic architecture and urbanism. Understanding contemporary conditions and developmental issues are key components of the academic program.^[12]

Aga Khan Development Network

The Aga Khan is founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), one of the largest private development networks in the world. Its partners include numerous governments and several international organizations. AKDN agencies operate in social and economic development as well as in the field of culture, with special focus on countries of the Third World.

The Aga Khan has expressed concern about the work of the AKDN being described as philanthropy. In his address to the Tutzing Evangelical Academy in Germany, he described this concern:

Titles

Decorations

Honorary degrees

Awards

Thoroughbred horse racing

In 2006, the Aga Khan became the majority shareholder of Arqana, a French horse auction house.

Children

By HH Begum Inaara Aga Khan HSH (formeraly Dr. Gabriele Princess of Leiningen (née Gabriele Thyssen));

References and notes

^ "Khoja Case before Justice Sir Joseph Arnould, High Court of Bombay, 1886". Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
^ "Haji Bibi Case before Mr. Justice Russell, 1905 - Bombay Law Reporter". Retrieved on 2006-12-01.
^ Frischauer, Willi (1970). The Aga Khans. London: The Bodley Head Ltd.
^ G. Pascal Zachary, "Do Business and Islam Mix? Ask Him", New York Times, July 8, 2007
^ Princess Inaara Foundation
^ "Power and glory: an Aga Khan saga". The Independent (2007-07-14). Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
^ "Aga Khan's paradise". The Guardian (2007-08-15). Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
^ "Aly Khān's Son, 20, New Āgā Khān", The New York Times, 13 July 1957, p. 1
^ ^a ^b Thobani, Akbarali (1993). Islam's Quiet Revolutionary: The Story of Aga Khan the Fourth. Vantage Press.
^ (20 May 2006) Address by His Highess the Āgā Khān to the Tuting Evangelical Academy Upon Receiving the "Tolerance" Award. Germany: www.akdn.org/speeches/200506_Tutzing.htm.
^ (15 June 2007) Address by His Highess the Āgā Khān at Graduation Ceremony of the Masters of Public Affairs Programme at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. Paris: www.akdn.org/speeches/2007June15_en.
^ Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. AKPIA (Academic Brochure).
^ (20 May 2006) Address by His Highess the Aga Khan to the Tuting Evangelical Academy Upon Receiving the "Tolerance" Award. Germany: www.akdn.org/speeches/200506_Tutzing.htm.
^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57155, page 24, 31 December 2003. Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
^ "Aga Khan, C.C. - Order of Canada". Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
^ http://allafrica.com/stories/200708160085.html

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