Aga Khan

Aga Khan I, in office 1817–1881

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 four additional leaders holding this title: Ali Shah (1830-1885), Sultan Sir Mohammed Shah (1877–1957), Karim al-Husayn Shah (1936-1957), and the current incumbent, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini (born 1971).

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Aga Khan IV, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, founded the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest private development networks in the world. 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 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.

Incumbent

Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan is the fifth Nizari Imam to hold the title Aga Khan. He is the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Nizari Isma'ili Muslims. tracing his lineage to Ali, cousin of the Muhammad, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter.

He is the second of the Aga Khan IV's four children, and succeeded his father as per his testament, upon his death on February 4, 2025, at his palace in Lisbon. He is also known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imām (the present Imam) by his followers.

The style of His Highness was formally granted to the Aga Khan V by King Charles III on February 10, 2025.

Philanthropy

Based in Geneva, Switzerland Prince Rahim was actively involved for many years in the governance of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), where as of 2020 he chaired the AKDN Environment and Climate Committee.

He sits on the Board or Executive Committee for several of the AKDN's agencies and affiliated structures, including the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, and the Aga Khan University Foundation.

In 2010, he established the Aga Khan Brown Workshop series at the Watson Institute.

Title holders

1. Aga Khan I = Hasan Ali Shah Mahallati (1800–1881), 46th Imam (1817–1881)
2. Aga Khan II = Aqa Ali Shah (about 1830–1885), 47th Imam (1881–1885)
3. Aga Khan III = Prince Sultan Mohammed Shah (1877–1957), 48th Imam (1885–1957)
4. Aga Khan IV = Prince Karim Al-Husseini (1936-2025), 49th Imam (1957-2025)
5. Aga Khan V = Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini (born 1971), 50th Imam (February 4, 2025 – present)

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Daftary, Farhad. A Short History of the Ismailis. Edinburgh University Press, 1998. ISBN 0748606874
• Daftary, Farhad. The Ismāʿīlīs: Their History and Doctrines. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2007. ISBN 0521616360
• 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 August 7, 2025.

• The Institute of Ismaili Studies
• The Aga Khan Development Network
• Interview on NPR, 2006 September 25: "Aga Khan Speaks Out on Understanding of Muslims"
• First Ismaili Electronic Library and Database

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

• Aga_Khan  ^history
• Nizari  ^history
• Aga_Khan_I  ^history
• Aga_Khan_II  ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

• History of "Aga Khan"

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.