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'''Aga Khan''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: ''' آغا خان  ''') is the hereditary title of the [[Imam]] (spiritual and general leader) of the [[Nizari|Ismaili Nizārī Muslims]] الطائفة الإسماعيلية, a sect of the [[Shi'a]] [[Ismaili]] branch of [[Islam]] which formed in 765 when the followers of [[Ismail_bin_Jafar|Imam Ismail bin Jafir]] (721-755 C.E.) split away from the [[Musa_al-Kazim|Musa Kazim]] (745-799 C.E.). The title was first used in 1818 when the Shah of [[Iran]] appointed the 46th [[Imam]] of the [[Ismailis]], [[Fath Ali]] (1771-1834 C.E.), as Aga Khan I.   Since that time there have been three additional leaders of the Ismaili Nizārī Muslims with this title: 'Ali Shah (d. 1885), Sultan Sir Mohammed Shah (1877–1957) and Karim al-Husayn Shah (b. 1937). The current incumbent of the Aga Khan (Aga Khan IV) is renowned for his philathropic efforts to improve the living conditions of the poor and impoverished through various eductaional and medical agencies.
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'''Aga Khan''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: ''' آغا خان  ''') is the hereditary title of the [[Imam]] (spiritual and general leader) of the [[Nizari|Nizārī Muslims]]( الطائفة الإسماعيلية), a sect of [[Ismaili|Ismā'īlī]] [[Shi'a Islam|Shīˤa]] [[Islam|Islām]] that formed in 765 C.E. when the followers of Ismail bin Jafir (721 - 755 C.E.) split away from the Musa al-Kazim (745 - 799 C.E.).
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The Aga Khans are known throughout the world for their philanthropic efforts and establishment of various educational and medical organizations in the service of humanity and God. The Aga Khans have built schools, hospitals and other agencies to help the poor and marginalized. Today, the Aga Khan Foundation gives numerous awards and grants to recognize and promote humanitarian and scientific achievement in various fields.
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The title "Aga Khan" was first used in 1818 when the Shah of [[Iran]], [[Fath Ali]] (1771 - 1834 C.E.), appointed Aga Hasan Ali Shah as Aga Khan I. Since that time, there have been three additional leaders holding this title: Ali Shah (1830 - 1885), Sultan Sir Mohammed Shah (1877 – 1957), and the current incumbent, Karim al-Husayn Shah (b. 1937).  
  
 
==Etymology==
 
==Etymology==
The title "Aga Khan" combines the Turkish military title [[Agha]] with the Turkic, Mongolian and [[Persian language|Persian]]/[[Pashto]] polyvalent title [[Khan]], so it means roughly "Commanding Chief". In Persia's Qajar court protocol, Khan was commonly used for commanders of armed forces and provincial tribal leaders. The title ranked fourth in precedence amongst the eight title classes for non-members of the dynasty.
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The title "Aga Khan" combines the Turkish military title ''Agha'' with the Turkic, Mongolian and Persian/Pashto polyvalent title ''Khan,'' meaning roughly "Commanding Chief." In Persia's Qajar court protocol, Khan was commonly used for commanders of armed forces and provincial tribal leaders.  
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
In 1818, the title of Aga Khan was bestowed upon [[Aga Hasan Ali Shah]], the 46th [[Imam]] of the [[Ismailis]], by [[Fath Ali]] (1771-1834 C.E.), the [[Shah]] of [[Persia]]. The Aga Khan was formally recognised by the [[British Raj]] in 1877 due to his help in suppressing a regional rebellion against the British, thus the Aga Khan became the only religious or community leader in British [[India]] granted a personal gun salute; all other [[salute states|salute dynasties]] were either rulers of [[Princely State]]s, or [[Political Pensioner]]s holding ancestral princely titles in states abolished by the Raj.
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The ''Aga Khan'' is the leader of the ''Nizārī'' (Arabic النزاريون) community, a sect of Ismaili [[Shi'a Islam|Shīˤa]] [[Islam|Islām]]. These [[Ismailis]] and the [[Twelvers]] both accepted the same initial Imams from the descendants of [[Muhammad|Muḥħammad]] and thus shared much of their early history. However, a dispute arose on the succession of the Sixth Imam, Jafar Sadiq.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p34">Farhad Daftary, ''A Short History of the Ismailis,'' (Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874):34-36.</ref> The Ismailis became those who accepted Jafar's eldest son Ismail bin Jafar as the next Imam, whereas the Twelvers accepted a younger son, Musa al-Kazim.<ref name="MuslimAlmanac1996p170"> ''The Muslim Almanac,'' (Azim A. Nanji (ed.) Gale Research Inc. 1996. ISBN 081038924X):170-171.</ref> The Fatimid Regent appointed al-Mustansir's younger son al-Musta'li as caliph and as a result, an-Nizār died in prison when he attempted to claim the throne by rebellion.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p106">Farhad Daftary, ''A Short History of the Ismailis,'' Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874):106-108.</ref> In 1818, the title of ''Aga Khan'' was bestowed upon Aga Hasan Ali Shah, the 46th Imam of the Ismailis, by [[Fath Ali]] (1771-1834 C.E.), the [[Shah]] of [[Persia]]. The Aga Khan claimed to be descended in direct line from the daughter of the Prophet [[Muhammad]]. Additionally, the Aga Khan traced his descent from the royal house of [[Iran|Persia]]. His ancestors had also ruled in [[Egypt]] as [[caliphs]] of the [[Fatimids|Fatimid]] dynasty.
  
Under the leadership of [[Aga Khan III|Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III]], the first half of the twentieth century was a period of significant development for the Ismāʿīlī community. Numerous institutions for social and economic development were established in [[South Asia]] and in East Africa.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p199">{{cite book |last=Daftary |first=Farhad |title=A Short History of the Ismailis |year=1998 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |location=Edinburgh, UK |isbn=0-7486-0687-4 |pages=199-206}}</ref> Ismailis have marked the Jubilees of their Imāms with public celebrations, which are symbolic affirmations of the ties that link the Ismāʿīlī Imām and his followers. Although the Jubilees have no religious significance, they serve to reaffirm the Imamat's world-wide commitment to the improvement of the quality of human life, especially in the developing countries.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p199"/>
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Before the Aga Khan emigrated from Persia, he was appointed by the Persian ruler, Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar, to be [[governor-general]] of the important province of Kerman. His rule was noted for firmness, moderation and high political sagacity, and he succeeded for a long time in retaining the friendship and confidence of his master the Shah, although his career was beset with political intrigues and jealousy on the part of rival and court favorites, and with internal turbulence. He was sentenced to death when the Shah of Iran discovered Aga Khan's claim to be God's Mazar on Earth, the title was also cancelled by the Shah. He fled from Persia and sought protection in British territory, preferring to settle down eventually in [[India]], making Bombay his headquarters.
  
The Jubilees of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, are well remembered. During his 72 years of Imamat (1885-1957), the community celebrated his Golden (1937), Diamond (1946) and Platinum (1954) Jubilees. To show their appreciation and affection, the Ismā'īliyya weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds and, symbolically, in platinum, respectively, the proceeds of which were used to further develop major social welfare and development institutions in Asia and Africa.
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At that period the [[First Anglo-Afghan War]] was at its height, and in crossing over from Persia through [[Afghanistan]] the Aga Khan supported the British army. Some years later he rendered similar conspicuous services in the course of the Sindh campaign, when his help was utilized by [[Charles James Napier]] in the process of subduing the frontier tribes, many of whom acknowledged the Aga's authority as their spiritual head. Napier held his Muslim ally in great esteem, and entertained a very high opinion of his political acumen and chivalry. The Aga Khan reciprocated the British commander's confidence and friendship by giving repeated proofs of his loyalty to the British government, and when he finally settled down in India, his position as the leader of the large Ismaili section of Muslim British subjects was recognized by the government, and the title of His Highness was conferred on him, with a large pension.
  
In India and [[Pakistan]], social development institutions were established, in the words of the late Aga Khan, "for the relief of humanity". They included institutions such as the Diamond Jubilee Trust and the Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited which in turn assisted the growth of various types of cooperative societies. [[Aga Khan School|Diamond Jubilee Schools]] for girls were established throughout the remote Northern Areas of what is now Pakistan. In addition, scholarship programmes, established at the time of the Golden Jubilee to give assistance to needy students, were progressively expanded. In East Africa, major social welfare and economic development institutions were established. Those involved in social welfare included the accelerated development of schools and community centres, and a modern, fully-equipped [[Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi|hospital]] in [[Nairobi]]. Among the economic development institutions established in East Africa were companies such as the Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (now Diamond Trust of Kenya) and the Jubilee Insurance Company, which are quoted on the [[Nairobi Stock Exchange]] and have become major players in national development.  
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After settling in Bombay under the protection of the [[United Kingdom|British]] government, the Aga Khan was formally recognized by the [[British Raj]] in 1877 due to his help in suppressing a regional rebellion against the British, thus the Aga Khan became the only religious or community leader in British [[India]] granted a personal gun salute; all other salute dynasties were either rulers of Princely States, or Political Pensioners holding ancestral princely titles in states abolished by the Raj.
  
Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah also introduced organisational forms that gave Ismāʿīlī communities the means to structure and regulate their own affairs.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p199"/> These were built on the Muslim tradition of a communitarian ethic on the one hand, and responsible individual conscience with freedom to negotiate one's own moral commitment and destiny on the other. In 1905 he ordained the first Ismāʿīlī Constitution for the social governance of the community in East Africa. The new administration for the Community's affairs was organised into a hierarchy of councils at the local, national, and regional levels. The constitution also set out rules in such matters as marriage, divorce and inheritance, guidelines for mutual cooperation and support among Ismāʿīlīs, and their interface with other communities. Similar constitutions were promulgated in the South Asia, and all were periodically revised to address emerging needs and circumstances in diverse settings.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p199"/>
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From that time until his death in 1881, Aga Khan I led the life of a peaceful and peacemaking citizen, and continued to discharge his sacerdotal functions, not only among his followers in India, but towards the larger religious community found in distant countries, such as Afghanistan, Khorasan, Persia, [[Arabia]], [[Central Asia]], and even distant [[Syria]] and [[Morocco]]. He remained throughout unflinchingly loyal to the British Raj, and by his vast and unquestioned influence among the frontier tribes on the northern borders of India he exercised a control over their unruly passions in times of trouble, which proved of invaluable service in the several expeditions led by British arms on the northwest frontier of India. He was also the means of checking the fanaticism of the more turbulent Muslims in British India, which in times of internal troubles and misunderstandings finds vent in the shape of religious or political riots.  
  
Following the Second World War, far-reaching social, economic and political changes profoundly affected a number of areas where Ismāʿīlīs resided. In 1947, British rule in the South Asia was replaced by the two sovereign, independent nations of India and Pakistan, resulting in the migration of at least a million people and significant loss of life and property. In the Middle East, the Suez crisis of 1956 as well as the preceding crisis in Iran, demonstrated the sharp upsurge of nationalism, which was as assertive of the region's social and economic aspirations as of its political independence. Africa was also set on its course to decolonisation, swept by what [[Harold Macmillan]], the then British Prime Minister, aptly termed the "wind of change". By the early 1960s, most of East and Central Africa, where the majority of the Ismāʿīlī population on the continent resided (including Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda, Malagasy, Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire), had attained their political independence.
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He was succeeded for a short time by his eldest son, ''Shah Aly Shah''' (شاه علي شاه أغا خان الثاني) who became ''Aga Khan II''.  Aga Khan II only led the community for a few years until his death in 1885. He was the 47th [[Imam]]. He was granted a knighthood of the Order of the Indian Empire and won a seat on the legislative council of Bombay.  The couple's only child, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, became Aga Khan III.  
  
Spiritual allegiance to the Imām and adherence to the Shīʿa Imāmī Ismāʿīlī ''ṭariqat'' (persuasion) of Islām according to the guidance of the Imām of the time, have engendered in the Ismāʿīlī community an ethos of self-reliance, unity, and a common identity notwithstanding centuries of being marginalized and persecuted by native and established societies. The present Aga Khan continued the practice of his predecessor and extended constitutions to Ismāʿīlī communities in the US, Canada, several European countries, the Gulf, Syria and Iran following a process of consultation within each constituency. In 1986, he promulgated a Constitution that, for the first time, brought the social governance of the world-wide Ismāʿīlī community into a single structure with built-in flexibility to account for diverse circumstances of different regions. Served by volunteers appointed by and accountable to the Imām, the Constitution functions as an enabler to harness the best in individual creativity in an ethos of group responsibility to promote the common well-being.
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Under the leadership of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, the first half of the twentieth century was a period of significant development for the Ismāʿīlī community. Numerous institutions for social and economic development were established in [[South Asia]] and in East Africa.<ref>Ibid. 199-206</ref> Ismailis have marked the Jubilees of their Imāms with public celebrations. Although the Jubilees have no religious significance, they serve to reaffirm the Imamat's world-wide commitment to the improvement of the quality of human life, especially in the developing countries.<ref>Ibid. 199.</ref>
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The Jubilees of Aga Khan III were widely celebrated. During his 72 years of leadership (1885-1957), the community celebrated Aga Khan III's Golden (1937), Diamond (1946) and Platinum (1954) Jubilees. To show their appreciation and affection, the community weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds, and platinum, with the proceeds going to further develop major social welfare and development institutions in Asia and Africa. Thereafter, social development institutions were established such as the Diamond Jubilee Trust and the Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited which in turn assisted the growth of various types of cooperative societies. Diamond Jubilee Schools for girls were established throughout the remote Northern Areas of what is now Pakistan. In addition, scholarship programs, established at the time of the Golden Jubilee to give assistance to needy students, were progressively expanded. In East Africa, major social welfare and economic development institutions were established. Those involved in social welfare included the accelerated development of schools and community centers, and a modern, fully equipped [[hospital]] in Nairobi. Among the economic development institutions established in East Africa were companies such as the Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (now Diamond Trust of Kenya) and the Jubilee Insurance Company.
  
Like its predecessors, the present constitution is founded on each Ismāʿīlī's spiritual allegiance to the Imām of the Time, which is separate from the secular allegiance that all Ismāʿīlīs owe as citizens to their national entities. The present Imām and his predecessor emphasised Ismāʿīliyya's allegiance to his or her country as a fundamental obligation. These obligations discharged not by passive affirmation but through responsible engagement and active commitment to uphold national integrity and contribute to peaceful development.  
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==Incumbent==
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Prince Karīm al-Hussainī became the present Aga Khan IV upon assuming the Imamat of the [[Nizari]] [[Ismaili|Ismailis]] on July 11, 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan (Aga Khan III). His father, Prince Aly Khan, was a high-profile celebrity in the mid-twentiethth century owing to his relationships with [[Hollywood]] stars, including a marriage to Rita Hayworth.<ref>"Prince Aly Khan's obituary," ''Time,'' (May 23, 1960): [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,827601,00.html Web copy] Retrieved August 16, 2007.</ref> He was passed over from the succession, and was later appointed [[Pakistan]]'s permanent ambassador to the [[United Nations]].<ref>''Time,'' (February 17, 1958): 1. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862923,00.html Web copy] Retrieved August 16, 2007.</ref>
  
In view of the importance that Islām places on maintaining a balance between the spiritual well-being of the individual and the quality of his life, the Imām's guidance deals with both aspects of the life of his followers. The Aga Khan has encouraged Ismāʿīlī Muslims, settled in the industrialised world, to contribute towards the progress of communities in the developing world through various development programmes. In recent years, Ismāʿīlī Muslims, who have come to the US, Canada and Europe, mostly as refugees from Asia and Africa, have readily settled into the social, educational and economic fabric of urban and rural centres across the two continents. As in the developing world, the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community's settlement in the industrial world has involved the establishment of community institutions characterised by an ethos of self-reliance, an emphasis on education, and a pervasive spirit of philanthropy.
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In his will, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah elaborated the conditions that led him to select his grandson as successor to the Ismaili Imamat:
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<blockquote>"In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes that have taken place, including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Muslim 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."<ref>"Aly Khan's Son, 20, New Aga Khan," ''The New York Times'' (July 13, 1957): 1.</ref></blockquote>
  
==Relationship to the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī Community==
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The present Aga Khan became the leader in 1957. The period following his accession can be characterized as one of rapid political and economic change. Planning of programs and institutions became increasingly difficult due to the rapid changes in newly emerging nations. Upon becoming Imām, the present Aga Khan's immediate concern was the preparation of his followers, wherever they lived, for the changes that lay ahead. This rapidly evolving situation called for bold initiatives and new programs to reflect developing national aspirations.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p206"> Farhad Daftary ''A Short History of the Ismailis,'' (Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874):206-209.</ref>
The Aga Khan is the leader of the ''Nizārī'' (Arabic النزاريون) (in Persian: اسماعیلیه) community, a sect of [[Ismaili|Ismā'īlī]] [[Shi'a Islam|Shīˤa]] [[Islam|Islām]]. The Ismāʿīliyya and the Twelvers both accept the same initial [[Imam]]s from the descendants of [[Muhammad|Muḥħammad]] and therefore share much of their early history. However, a dispute arose on the succession of the Sixth Imam, [[Jafar Sadiq|Jaʿfar as-Sadiq]].<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p34">{{cite book |last=Daftary |first=Farhad |title=A Short History of the Ismailis |year=1998 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |location=Edinburgh, UK |isbn=0-7486-0687-4 |pages=34-36}}</ref> The Ismāʿīlī became those who accepted [[Jafar Sadiq|Jaʿfar]]'s eldest son [[Ismail bin Jafar|Ismāʿīl]] as the next [[Imam]], whereas the Twelvers accepted a younger son, [[Musa al-Kazim|Mūsā-l-Kāzim]].<ref name="MuslimAlmanac1996p170">{{cite book |editor=Azim A. Nanji (ed.) |title=The Muslim Almanac |year=1996 |publisher=Gale Research Inc. |location=USA |isbn=0-8103-8924-X |pages=170-171}}</ref><ref name="DaftaryShort1998p34"/>
 
The Nizāriyya differ from the [[Mustaali|Mustaˤliyya]] in that they believe that the successor-[[Imam|Imām]] to the [[Fatimid]] [[caliph]] [[al-Mustansir of Cairo|al-Mustansir]] was his elder son [[Nizar|an-Nizār]]. However, the Fatimid Regent appointed al-Mustansir's younger son [[al-Musta'li|al-Mustaˤlī]] as caliph and as a result, an-Nizār died in prison when he attempted to claim the throne by rebellion.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p106">{{cite book |last=Daftary |first=Farhad |title=A Short History of the Ismailis |year=1998 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |location=Edinburgh, UK |isbn=0-7486-0687-4 |pages=106-108 }}</ref>
 
  
A fundamental split amongst the Ismāʿīlī occurred on the dispute of which son should succeed the 18th Imam Mustansir.  [[Al-Musta'li|Aḥmadu-l-Mustaʿlī]], his younger son, was installed as [[Imam]] in [[Cairo]] with the help of [[Vizier]] [[Badr al-Jamali]].<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p106"/> However, Imam [[Mustansir]]'s elder son, [[Nizar]], contested this claim and was imprisoned; he gained support from an Ismāʿīlī dāʿī based in [[Iran]], [[Hasan-i Sabbah|Hassan as-Sabba]].<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p106"/> [[Hasan-i Sabbah|As-Sabba]] is noted by Western writers to be the leader of the legendary "[[Hashshashin|Assassins]]".
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In [[Africa]], [[Asia]] and the [[Middle East]], a major objective of the Community's social welfare and economic programs, until the mid-1950s, had been to create a broad base of businessmen, agriculturists, and professionals. The educational facilities of the Community tended to emphasize secondary-level education. With the coming of independence, each nation's economic aspirations took on new dimensions, focusing on industrialization and modernization of agriculture. The Community's educational priorities had to be reassessed in the context of new national goals, and new institutions had to be created to respond to the growing complexity of the development process.
  
==Incumbent==
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Aga Khan IV continued the practice of his predecessor and extended constitutions to Ismāʿīlī communities in the [[U.S.]], [[Canada]], several European countries, the Gulf, Syria and Iran following a process of consultation within each constituency. In 1986, he promulgated a Constitution that, for the first time, brought the social governance of the world-wide Ismāʿīlī community into a single structure with built-in flexibility to account for diverse circumstances of different regions. Served by volunteers appointed by and accountable to the Imām, the Constitution functions as an enabler to harness the best in individual creativity in an ethos of group responsibility to promote the common well-being.
[[Aga Khan IV|Prince Karīm al-Hussainī]] became the present [[Aga Khan IV]] upon assuming the [[Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine)|Imamat]] of the [[Nizari]] [[Ismaili|Ismailis]] on [[July 11]], [[1957]] at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan ([[Aga Khan III]]). His father, [[Prince Aly Khan]], was a high-profile celebrity in the mid 20th century owing to his relationships with [[Hollywood]] stars, including a marriage to [[Rita Hayworth]].<ref>Prince Aly Khan's obituary, ''Time'', [[23 May]] [[1960]], [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,827601,00.html Web copy]</ref> He was passed over from the succession, and was later appointed [[Pakistan]]'s permanent ambassador to the [[United Nations]].<ref>''Time'', [[17 February]] [[1958]], p 1. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862923,00.html Web copy]</ref>
 
  
In his will, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah elaborated the conditions that led him to select his grandson as successor to the Ismaili Imamat:
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Like its predecessors, the present constitution is founded on each Ismāʿīlī's spiritual allegiance to the Imām of the Time, which is separate from the secular allegiance that all Ismāʿīlīs owe as citizens to their national entities. The present Imām and his predecessor emphasized Ismāʿīliyya's allegiance to his or her country as a fundamental obligation. These obligations discharged not by passive affirmation but through responsible engagement and active commitment to uphold national integrity and contribute to peaceful development.  
<blockquote>"In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes that have taken place, including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Muslim 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."<ref>"Aly Khan's Son, 20, New Aga Khan", ''The New York Times'', [[13 July]] [[1957]], p. 1</ref></blockquote>
 
  
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV is the 49<sup>th</sup> Ismaili Imam, tracing their lineage to Ali, cousin  of the Prophet Muhammad, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter.<ref>Farhad Daftary. ''The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines.'' Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1990, pp. 551-553.</ref> The title [[His Highness]] was granted by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] of the United Kingdom in 1957, and [[His Royal Highness]] by the [[Shah of Iran]] in 1959.<ref>See [http://www.akdn.org/hh/highness.html]</ref>
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In view of the importance that Islām places on maintaining a balance between the spiritual well-being of the individual and the quality of his life, the Imam’s guidance deals with both aspects of the life of his followers. The Aga Khan has encouraged Ismāʿīlī Muslims, settled in the industrialized world, to contribute towards the progress of communities in the developing world through various development programs. In recent years, Ismāʿīlī Muslims, who have come to the US, Canada and Europe, mostly as refugees from Asia and Africa, have readily settled into the social, educational and economic fabric of urban and rural centers across the two continents. As in the developing world, the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community's settlement in the industrial world has involved the establishment of community institutions characterized by an ethos of self-reliance, an emphasis on education, and a pervasive spirit of philanthropy.
  
The present Aga Khan acceded to the Imāmat in 1957. The period following his accession can be characterised as one of rapid political and economic change. Planning of programmes and institutions became increasingly difficult due to the rapid changes in newly-emerging nations. Upon becoming Imām, the present Aga Khan's immediate concern was the preparation of his followers, wherever they lived, for the changes that lay ahead. This rapidly evolving situation called for bold initiatives and new programmes to reflect developing national aspirations.<ref name="DaftaryShort1998p206">{{cite book |last=Daftary |first=Farhad |title=A Short History of the Ismailis |year=1998 |publisher=Edinburgh University Press |location=Edinburgh, UK |isbn=0-7486-0687-4 |pages=206-209}}</ref>
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The current title holder, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, is the 49<sup>th</sup> Ismaili Imam, tracing his lineage to Ali, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter.<ref>Farhad Daftary, ''The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines,'' (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1990): 551-553.</ref> The title "His Highness" was granted by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] of the United Kingdom in 1957, and "His Royal Highness" by the [[Shah of Iran]] in 1959.<ref>[http://www.akdn.org/hh/highness.html] Retrieved August 16, 2007.</ref>
 
 
In Africa, Asia and the Middle East, a major objective of the Community's social welfare and economic programmes, until the mid-fifties, had been to create a broad base of businessmen, agriculturists, and professionals. The educational facilities of the Community tended to emphasise secondary-level education. With the coming of independence, each nation's economic aspirations took on new dimensions, focusing on industrialisation and modernisation of agriculture. The Community's educational priorities had to be reassessed in the context of new national goals, and new institutions had to be created to respond to the growing complexity of the development process.
 
  
 
===Philanthropy===
 
===Philanthropy===
The Aga Khan, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, is founder and chairman of the [[Aga Khan Development Network]] ([http://www.akdn.org/ AKDN]), one of the largest private development networks in the world. In Afghanistan, the AKDN has mobilised over $400 million in development projects, a large portion of which has come from the Network's own resources.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.akdn.org/news/AKDN_Afghanistan_010406.pdf |title=Afghanistan: Social, Cultural, and Economic Programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network |format=PDF |accessdate=2006-12-20}}</ref> AKDN continues to work with a variety of African and Asian countries to improve living conditions and promote education.
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The Aga Khan, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, is founder and chairman of the ''Aga Khan Development Network' <ref>[http://www.akdn.org/ AKDN]</ref>, one of the largest private development networks in the world. In Afghanistan, the AKDN has mobilized over $400 million in development projects, a large portion of which has come from the Network's own resources.<ref>[http://www.akdn.org/news/AKDN_Afghanistan_010406.pdf. "Afghanistan: Social, Cultural, and Economic Programs of the Aga Khan Development Network"].access date=2006-12-20 </ref> AKDN continues to work with a variety of African and Asian countries to improve living conditions and to promote education.
  
From July 1982 to July 1983, to celebrate the present Aga Khan's Silver Jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of his accession to the Imāmat, many new social and economic development projects were launched, although there were no weighing ceremonies. These range from the establishment of the US$300 million international [[Aga Khan University]] with its Faculty of Health Sciences and [[Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi|teaching hospital]] based in [[Karachi]], the expansion of [[Aga Khan Education Services|schools]] for girls and [[Aga Khan Health Services|medical centres]] in the [[Hunza]] region, one of the remote parts of Northern Pakistan bordering on China and Afghanistan, to the establishment of the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in [[Gujarat]], [[India]], and the extension of existing urban [[Aga Khan Hospital|hospitals]] and primary health care centres in [[Tanzania]] and [[Kenya]].
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From July 1982 to July 1983, to celebrate the present Aga Khan's Silver Jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of his accession to the Imāmat, many new social and economic development projects were launched. These range from the establishment of the US $300 million international Aga Khan University with its Faculty of Health Sciences and teaching hospital based in Karachi, the expansion of schools for girls and medical centers in the Hunza region, one of the remote parts of Northern Pakistan bordering on China and Afghanistan, to the establishment of the Aga Khan Rural Support Program in [[Gujarat]], [[India]], and the extension of existing urban hospitals and primary health care centers in [[Tanzania]] and [[Kenya]].
  
These initiatives form part of an international network of institutions involved in fields that range from education, health and rural development, to architecture and the promotion of private sector enterprise and together make up the [[Aga Khan Development Network]].
+
These initiatives form part of an international network of institutions involved in fields that range from education, health and rural development, to architecture and the promotion of private sector enterprise and together make up the "Aga Khan Development Network."
  
It is this commitment to man's dignity and relief of humanity that inspires the Ismāʿīlī Imāmat's philanthropic institutions. Giving of one's competence, sharing one's time, material or intellectual wherewithal with those among whom one lives, for the relief of hardship, pain or ignorance is a deeply ingrained tradition which shapes the social conscience of the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community.
+
It is this commitment to human dignity that inspires the Ismāʿīlī Imāmat's philanthropic institutions. Giving of one's competence, sharing one's time, material, or intellectual wherewithal with those among whom one lives, for the relief of hardship, pain or ignorance is a deeply-ingrained tradition which shapes the social conscience of the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community.
  
 
+
==Title holders ==
 
 
==Title Holders ==
 
 
# [[Aga Khan I]] = Hasan Ali Shah Mehalatee Aga Khan I (1800–1881), 46th Imam (1817–1881)
 
# [[Aga Khan I]] = Hasan Ali Shah Mehalatee Aga Khan I (1800–1881), 46th Imam (1817–1881)
# [[Aga Khan II]] = Ali Shah Aga Khan II (about 1830–1885), 47th Imam (12 April 1881–1885)
+
# [[Aga Khan II]] = Ali Shah Aga Khan II (about 1830–1885), 47th Imam (April 12, 1881–1885)
# [[Aga Khan III]] = Prince Sultan Mohammed, (1877–1957), 48th Imam (17 August 1885–1957)
+
# [[Aga Khan III]] = Prince Sultan Mohammed, (1877–1957), 48th Imam (August 17, 1885–1957)
# [[Aga Khan IV]] = Prince Karim Al Husseini (b. 1936), 49th Imam of the Ismailis (from 11 July 1957)
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# [[Aga Khan IV]] = Prince Karim Al Husseini (b. 1936), 49th Imam of the Ismailis (from July 11, 1957)
  
==References==
+
==Notes==
 
<div class="references-small">
 
<div class="references-small">
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
==References==
 +
* Daftary, Farhad. ''A Short History of the Ismailis.'' Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874
 +
* Frischauer, Willi. ''The Aga Khans,'' Hawthorn Books, 1971. ASIN: B0006CFCBO
 +
* Nanji, Azim A. (ed.) ''The Muslim Almanac,'' Gale Research Inc., 1996. ISBN 081038924X
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*[http://www.iis.ac.uk/ The Institute of Ismaili Studies]
+
All links retrieved February 16, 2016.
*[http://www.akdn.org/ The Aga Khan Development Network]
+
*[http://www.iis.ac.uk/ The Institute of Ismaili Studies]  
*[http://www.worldbank.org/ The World Bank]
+
*[http://www.akdn.org/ The Aga Khan Development Network]  
*[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Religious_Organizations.html#Ismeaili%20Khans WorldStatesmen- Religious Organisations]
+
*[http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/1995-96/95-147i.html Brown University President Vartan Gregorian's introduction of the Aga Khan (1996 baccalaureate address)]  
*[http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/salute.htm RoyalArk- India] & [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Persia/persia-titles.htm Qajar Persia]
+
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6137720 Interview on NPR, 2006 September 25: "Aga Khan Speaks Out on Understanding of Muslims"]  
*[http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/news_events/announcements/aga_khan.html Aga Khan article at SIPA (Columbia University)]
 
*[http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/1995-96/95-147i.html Brown University President Vartan Gregorian's introduction of the Aga Khan (1996 baccalaureate address)]
 
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6137720 Interview on NPR, 2006 September 25: "Aga Khan Speaks Out on Understanding of Muslims"]
 
 
* [http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/islam/shia/index.html Graphical illustration of the sects of Shi'a Islam]
 
* [http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/islam/shia/index.html Graphical illustration of the sects of Shi'a Islam]
* [http://www.amaana.org/history/history1.htm History of Imams from the Nizarī point of view.]
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* [http://www.amaana.org/history/history1.htm History of Imams from the Nizarī point of view.]  
* [http://www.iis.ac.uk Institute of Ismaili Studies]
+
* [http://www.ismaili.net/html/ First Ismaili Electronic Library and Database]  
* [http://www.akdn.org Aga Khan Development Network]
 
* [http://www.ismaili.net/html/ First Ismaili Electronic Library and Database]
 
  
[[Category: Philosophy and religion]]
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{{Credit4|Aga_Khan|110524350|Nizari|110333742|Aga_Khan_I|98972392|Aga_Khan_II|98972396}}
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{{Credit2|110524350|Nizari|110333742}}
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[[Category:Philosophy and religion]]
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[[Category:Religion]]
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[[Category:History]]
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[[Category:Image wanted]]

Revision as of 17:43, 16 February 2016

Aga Khan (Persian: آغا خان ) is the hereditary title of the Imam (spiritual and general leader) of the Nizārī Muslims( الطائفة الإسماعيلية), a sect of Ismā'īlī Shīˤa Islām that formed in 765 C.E. when the followers of Ismail bin Jafir (721 - 755 C.E.) split away from the Musa al-Kazim (745 - 799 C.E.).

The Aga Khans are known throughout the world for their philanthropic efforts and establishment of various educational and medical organizations in the service of humanity and God. The Aga Khans have built schools, hospitals and other agencies to help the poor and marginalized. Today, the Aga Khan Foundation gives numerous awards and grants to recognize and promote humanitarian and scientific achievement in various fields.

The title "Aga Khan" was first used in 1818 when the Shah of Iran, Fath Ali (1771 - 1834 C.E.), appointed Aga Hasan Ali Shah as Aga Khan I. Since that time, there have been three additional leaders holding this title: Ali Shah (1830 - 1885), Sultan Sir Mohammed Shah (1877 – 1957), and the current incumbent, Karim al-Husayn Shah (b. 1937).

Etymology

The title "Aga Khan" combines the Turkish military title Agha with the Turkic, Mongolian and Persian/Pashto polyvalent title Khan, meaning roughly "Commanding Chief." In Persia's Qajar court protocol, Khan was commonly used for commanders of armed forces and provincial tribal leaders.

History

The Aga Khan is the leader of the Nizārī (Arabic النزاريون) community, a sect of Ismaili Shīˤa Islām. These Ismailis and the Twelvers both accepted the same initial Imams from the descendants of Muḥħammad and thus shared much of their early history. However, a dispute arose on the succession of the Sixth Imam, Jafar Sadiq.[1] The Ismailis became those who accepted Jafar's eldest son Ismail bin Jafar as the next Imam, whereas the Twelvers accepted a younger son, Musa al-Kazim.[2] The Fatimid Regent appointed al-Mustansir's younger son al-Musta'li as caliph and as a result, an-Nizār died in prison when he attempted to claim the throne by rebellion.[3] In 1818, the title of Aga Khan was bestowed upon Aga Hasan Ali Shah, the 46th Imam of the Ismailis, by Fath Ali (1771-1834 C.E.), the Shah of Persia. The Aga Khan claimed to be descended in direct line from the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. Additionally, the Aga Khan traced his descent from the royal house of Persia. His ancestors had also ruled in Egypt as caliphs of the Fatimid dynasty.

Before the Aga Khan emigrated from Persia, he was appointed by the Persian ruler, Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar, to be governor-general of the important province of Kerman. His rule was noted for firmness, moderation and high political sagacity, and he succeeded for a long time in retaining the friendship and confidence of his master the Shah, although his career was beset with political intrigues and jealousy on the part of rival and court favorites, and with internal turbulence. He was sentenced to death when the Shah of Iran discovered Aga Khan's claim to be God's Mazar on Earth, the title was also cancelled by the Shah. He fled from Persia and sought protection in British territory, preferring to settle down eventually in India, making Bombay his headquarters.

At that period the First Anglo-Afghan War was at its height, and in crossing over from Persia through Afghanistan the Aga Khan supported the British army. Some years later he rendered similar conspicuous services in the course of the Sindh campaign, when his help was utilized by Charles James Napier in the process of subduing the frontier tribes, many of whom acknowledged the Aga's authority as their spiritual head. Napier held his Muslim ally in great esteem, and entertained a very high opinion of his political acumen and chivalry. The Aga Khan reciprocated the British commander's confidence and friendship by giving repeated proofs of his loyalty to the British government, and when he finally settled down in India, his position as the leader of the large Ismaili section of Muslim British subjects was recognized by the government, and the title of His Highness was conferred on him, with a large pension.

After settling in Bombay under the protection of the British government, the Aga Khan was formally recognized by the British Raj in 1877 due to his help in suppressing a regional rebellion against the British, thus the Aga Khan became the only religious or community leader in British India granted a personal gun salute; all other salute dynasties were either rulers of Princely States, or Political Pensioners holding ancestral princely titles in states abolished by the Raj.

From that time until his death in 1881, Aga Khan I led the life of a peaceful and peacemaking citizen, and continued to discharge his sacerdotal functions, not only among his followers in India, but towards the larger religious community found in distant countries, such as Afghanistan, Khorasan, Persia, Arabia, Central Asia, and even distant Syria and Morocco. He remained throughout unflinchingly loyal to the British Raj, and by his vast and unquestioned influence among the frontier tribes on the northern borders of India he exercised a control over their unruly passions in times of trouble, which proved of invaluable service in the several expeditions led by British arms on the northwest frontier of India. He was also the means of checking the fanaticism of the more turbulent Muslims in British India, which in times of internal troubles and misunderstandings finds vent in the shape of religious or political riots.

He was succeeded for a short time by his eldest son, Shah Aly Shah' (شاه علي شاه أغا خان الثاني) who became Aga Khan II. Aga Khan II only led the community for a few years until his death in 1885. He was the 47th Imam. He was granted a knighthood of the Order of the Indian Empire and won a seat on the legislative council of Bombay. The couple's only child, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, became Aga Khan III.

Under the leadership of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, the first half of the twentieth century was a period of significant development for the Ismāʿīlī community. Numerous institutions for social and economic development were established in South Asia and in East Africa.[4] Ismailis have marked the Jubilees of their Imāms with public celebrations. Although the Jubilees have no religious significance, they serve to reaffirm the Imamat's world-wide commitment to the improvement of the quality of human life, especially in the developing countries.[5] The Jubilees of Aga Khan III were widely celebrated. During his 72 years of leadership (1885-1957), the community celebrated Aga Khan III's Golden (1937), Diamond (1946) and Platinum (1954) Jubilees. To show their appreciation and affection, the community weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds, and platinum, with the proceeds going to further develop major social welfare and development institutions in Asia and Africa. Thereafter, social development institutions were established such as the Diamond Jubilee Trust and the Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited which in turn assisted the growth of various types of cooperative societies. Diamond Jubilee Schools for girls were established throughout the remote Northern Areas of what is now Pakistan. In addition, scholarship programs, established at the time of the Golden Jubilee to give assistance to needy students, were progressively expanded. In East Africa, major social welfare and economic development institutions were established. Those involved in social welfare included the accelerated development of schools and community centers, and a modern, fully equipped hospital in Nairobi. Among the economic development institutions established in East Africa were companies such as the Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (now Diamond Trust of Kenya) and the Jubilee Insurance Company.

Incumbent

Prince Karīm al-Hussainī became the present Aga Khan IV upon assuming the Imamat of the Nizari Ismailis on July 11, 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan (Aga Khan III). His father, Prince Aly Khan, was a high-profile celebrity in the mid-twentiethth century owing to his relationships with Hollywood stars, including a marriage to Rita Hayworth.[6] He was passed over from the succession, and was later appointed Pakistan's permanent ambassador to the United Nations.[7]

In his will, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah elaborated the conditions that led him to select his grandson as successor to the Ismaili Imamat:

"In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes that have taken place, including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Muslim 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."[8]

The present Aga Khan became the leader in 1957. The period following his accession can be characterized as one of rapid political and economic change. Planning of programs and institutions became increasingly difficult due to the rapid changes in newly emerging nations. Upon becoming Imām, the present Aga Khan's immediate concern was the preparation of his followers, wherever they lived, for the changes that lay ahead. This rapidly evolving situation called for bold initiatives and new programs to reflect developing national aspirations.[9]

In Africa, Asia and the Middle East, a major objective of the Community's social welfare and economic programs, until the mid-1950s, had been to create a broad base of businessmen, agriculturists, and professionals. The educational facilities of the Community tended to emphasize secondary-level education. With the coming of independence, each nation's economic aspirations took on new dimensions, focusing on industrialization and modernization of agriculture. The Community's educational priorities had to be reassessed in the context of new national goals, and new institutions had to be created to respond to the growing complexity of the development process.

Aga Khan IV continued the practice of his predecessor and extended constitutions to Ismāʿīlī communities in the U.S., Canada, several European countries, the Gulf, Syria and Iran following a process of consultation within each constituency. In 1986, he promulgated a Constitution that, for the first time, brought the social governance of the world-wide Ismāʿīlī community into a single structure with built-in flexibility to account for diverse circumstances of different regions. Served by volunteers appointed by and accountable to the Imām, the Constitution functions as an enabler to harness the best in individual creativity in an ethos of group responsibility to promote the common well-being.

Like its predecessors, the present constitution is founded on each Ismāʿīlī's spiritual allegiance to the Imām of the Time, which is separate from the secular allegiance that all Ismāʿīlīs owe as citizens to their national entities. The present Imām and his predecessor emphasized Ismāʿīliyya's allegiance to his or her country as a fundamental obligation. These obligations discharged not by passive affirmation but through responsible engagement and active commitment to uphold national integrity and contribute to peaceful development.

In view of the importance that Islām places on maintaining a balance between the spiritual well-being of the individual and the quality of his life, the Imam’s guidance deals with both aspects of the life of his followers. The Aga Khan has encouraged Ismāʿīlī Muslims, settled in the industrialized world, to contribute towards the progress of communities in the developing world through various development programs. In recent years, Ismāʿīlī Muslims, who have come to the US, Canada and Europe, mostly as refugees from Asia and Africa, have readily settled into the social, educational and economic fabric of urban and rural centers across the two continents. As in the developing world, the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community's settlement in the industrial world has involved the establishment of community institutions characterized by an ethos of self-reliance, an emphasis on education, and a pervasive spirit of philanthropy.

The current title holder, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, is the 49th Ismaili Imam, tracing his lineage to Ali, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter.[10] The title "His Highness" was granted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1957, and "His Royal Highness" by the Shah of Iran in 1959.[11]

Philanthropy

The Aga Khan, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, is founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network' [12], one of the largest private development networks in the world. In Afghanistan, the AKDN has mobilized over $400 million in development projects, a large portion of which has come from the Network's own resources.[13] AKDN continues to work with a variety of African and Asian countries to improve living conditions and to promote education.

From July 1982 to July 1983, to celebrate the present Aga Khan's Silver Jubilee, marking the 25th anniversary of his accession to the Imāmat, many new social and economic development projects were launched. These range from the establishment of the US $300 million international Aga Khan University with its Faculty of Health Sciences and teaching hospital based in Karachi, the expansion of schools for girls and medical centers in the Hunza region, one of the remote parts of Northern Pakistan bordering on China and Afghanistan, to the establishment of the Aga Khan Rural Support Program in Gujarat, India, and the extension of existing urban hospitals and primary health care centers in Tanzania and Kenya.

These initiatives form part of an international network of institutions involved in fields that range from education, health and rural development, to architecture and the promotion of private sector enterprise and together make up the "Aga Khan Development Network."

It is this commitment to human dignity that inspires the Ismāʿīlī Imāmat's philanthropic institutions. Giving of one's competence, sharing one's time, material, or intellectual wherewithal with those among whom one lives, for the relief of hardship, pain or ignorance is a deeply-ingrained tradition which shapes the social conscience of the Ismāʿīlī Muslim community.

Title holders

  1. Aga Khan I = Hasan Ali Shah Mehalatee Aga Khan I (1800–1881), 46th Imam (1817–1881)
  2. Aga Khan II = Ali Shah Aga Khan II (about 1830–1885), 47th Imam (April 12, 1881–1885)
  3. Aga Khan III = Prince Sultan Mohammed, (1877–1957), 48th Imam (August 17, 1885–1957)
  4. Aga Khan IV = Prince Karim Al Husseini (b. 1936), 49th Imam of the Ismailis (from July 11, 1957)

Notes

  1. Farhad Daftary, A Short History of the Ismailis, (Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874):34-36.
  2. The Muslim Almanac, (Azim A. Nanji (ed.) Gale Research Inc. 1996. ISBN 081038924X):170-171.
  3. Farhad Daftary, A Short History of the Ismailis, Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874):106-108.
  4. Ibid. 199-206
  5. Ibid. 199.
  6. "Prince Aly Khan's obituary," Time, (May 23, 1960): Web copy Retrieved August 16, 2007.
  7. Time, (February 17, 1958): 1. Web copy Retrieved August 16, 2007.
  8. "Aly Khan's Son, 20, New Aga Khan," The New York Times (July 13, 1957): 1.
  9. Farhad Daftary A Short History of the Ismailis, (Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874):206-209.
  10. Farhad Daftary, The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines, (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1990): 551-553.
  11. [1] Retrieved August 16, 2007.
  12. AKDN
  13. "Afghanistan: Social, Cultural, and Economic Programs of the Aga Khan Development Network".access date=2006-12-20

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Daftary, Farhad. A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874
  • Frischauer, Willi. The Aga Khans, Hawthorn Books, 1971. ASIN: B0006CFCBO
  • Nanji, Azim A. (ed.) The Muslim Almanac, Gale Research Inc., 1996. ISBN 081038924X

External links

All links retrieved February 16, 2016.

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