Prince Shāh Karim al-Husayni (شاه كريم الحسيني Shāh Karĩm al-Ḥussaynĩ; born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlana Hazar Imam within Ismaili Shia circles and as Aga Khan IV (آقا خان or آغا خان) elsewhere, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailism, a denomination of Isma’ilism within Shia Islam. He has held this position of Imam since 11 July 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III. Aga Khan claims to be a direct lineal descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, considered Imam in Shia Islam, and Ali’s wife Fatima, Muhammad’s daughter from his first marriage.
Prince Shāh Karim al-Husayni (شاه كريم الحسيني Shāh Karĩm al-Ḥussaynĩ; born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlana Hazar Imam within Ismaili Shia circles and as Aga Khan IV (آقا خان or آغا خان) elsewhere, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailism, a denomination of Isma’ilism within Shia Islam. He has held this slope of Imam in the past 11 July 1957, when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III. Aga Khan claims to be a attend to lineal descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, considered Imam in Shia Islam, and Ali’s wife Fatima, Muhammad’s daughter from his first marriage.
His grandfather, Aga Khan III, states in his memoirs that the Shias had a “need (for) Divine guidance” after the Prophet of Islam’s death. This dependence of the Shias manifested in their belief system for the Institution of the Imamate. Thus, after the death of Prophet of Islam, the Shias conventional the Institute of the Imamate. According to the Aga Khan III as mentioned in his memoirs, he (the Aga Khan) has actual “Divine power, guidance, and leadership (authority)” The Institution of Imamate has continued to present day once the Aga Khan IV as the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslim Community. The Aga Khan is a issue magnate taking into account British and Portuguese citizenship, as without difficulty as a racehorse owner and breeder.
Aga Khan’s net worth has been estimated at $13 billion. Forbes describes the Aga Khan as one of the world’s fifteen richest royals. Additionally he is unique in the middle of the richest royals as he does not rule beyond a geographic territory. Among the goals the Aga Khan has said he works toward are the abstraction of global poverty; the promotion and implementation of religious pluralism; the advancement of the status of women; and the glorification of Islamic art and architecture. He is the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest private evolve networks in the world. The organisation works toward development of the environment, health, education, architecture, culture, microfinance, rural development, disaster reduction, the marketing of private-sector enterprise and the revitalisation of historic cities.
Since his ascension to the Imamate of the Nizari Ismailis in 1957, the Aga Khan has been working in puzzling political and economic changes which have affected his followers, including the independence of African countries from colonial rule, the expulsion of Asians from Uganda, the independence of Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan from the former Soviet Union and the continuous turmoil in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Aga Khan IV became the first faith leader to residence the Joint Session of the Parliament of Canada on 27 February 2014.