Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan V was named the new spiritual leader of Shiite Ismaili Muslims on Wednesday, following the death of his father, Karim Al-Husseini Aga Khan IV in Lisbon.
Mr Rahim, 53, will be the 50th imam (spiritual leader) of the community as per the will left by his father “in accordance with historical Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim tradition and practice”, according to the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
Mr Rahim, born in 1971, is the eldest son of Aga Khan IV and his first wife, Princess Salimah, formerly Sarah Croker Poole, a British ex-model. The couple divorced in 1995, and the Aga Khan IV subsequently married Gabriele Thyssen, a German singer.
The new Aga Khan has three siblings, two brothers and one sister.
Ismaili Muslims are a sect within Shia Islam, and the community has a distinct interpretation of the Quran, the holy book of Muslims. They consider Aga Khan their head and spiritual leader.
Mr Rahim studied in the US and has played a significant role in the AKDN, particularly in environmental and climate-related initiatives.
“Prince Rahim has been particularly concerned with the AKDN’s drive to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change,” the statement by AKDN said.
AKDN, established in 1967, operates in over 30 countries, focusing on education, healthcare, and rural economic development, with an annual budget of about $1bn.
Rahim resides in Switzerland and has two sons with former American fashion model Kendra Spears. They divorced in 2022.
“Throughout their 1,400-year history, the Ismailis have been led by a living, hereditary Imam,” AKDN said in a statement. “The Ismailis live in over 35 countries and number approximately 12 to 15 million,” the statement added.
The Shiite Ismaili community is spread across regions including Iran, South Asia and East Africa and has been known to contribute a portion of their earnings – 12.5 per cent – to support AKDN’s initiatives across the globe.
Ismaili Muslims have also recently settled across Central Asia, the Middle East, as well as Europe, North America and Australia.
The Aga Khan is believed to be a direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad and is treated as head of the community. The Ismaili Muslims turn to the Aga Khan for matters of faith and daily life.
Some of the key development agencies under AKDN include Aga Khan Health Services, Aga Khan Schools, the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance, the Aga Khan Foundation, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, along with two universities: Aga Khan University and the University of Central Asia.
The late Aga Khan was invited to India in 2018 to celebrate his Diamond Jubilee and inaugurate the Sunder Nursery in Delhi. In 2013, he visited to open the restored Humayun’s Tomb. In 2015, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour.
In July 1957, Aga Khan IV was honoured with the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth II, two weeks after his grandfather, Aga Khan III, unexpectedly named him heir to the family’s 1,300-year-old dynasty and leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect, treating him as a head of state.
