Prince Karim Aga Khan dies
Staff Reporter :
The spiritual leader of the World Ismaili Muslim, the Aga Khan has passed away at 88.
He was the community and a key figure in business-driven development of the Ismaili Muslims and poured billions of dollars into a vast business development network.
“His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, peacefully departed in Lisbon on February 4, 2025, at the age of 88, surrounded by his loved ones,” said the Aga Khan Development Network.
The announcement regarding his designated successor will be made in due course.
Regarded as a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, the Aga Khan assumed leadership of the Ismailis in July 1957 at just 20 years old, following the passing of his grandfather.
He invested his inherited wealth into establishing the Aga Khan Development Network, which allocates $1 billion annually to initiatives across 30 nations, primarily in Africa and Asia, focusing on education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability.
Beyond philanthropy, he was also a highly successful racehorse owner. One of his most famous horses, Shergar, who won both the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby in 1981, was abducted from an Irish stud farm and never recovered.
In a 2008 interview with the Financial Times, the Aga Khan described his work as that of a venture capitalist specializing in challenging economic landscapes, laying the groundwork to attract additional investment.
“It is ineffective to prioritize social development without economic backing; both must go hand in hand. That’s why we focus on the world’s poorest economies rather than those with abundant resources,” he explained.
Born in Geneva in 1936 as Karim Al-Hussaini, he was widely known as Prince Karim. He completed his studies at Harvard University in 1959, graduating with honors in Islamic history.
His family’s title, Aga Khan, dates back to the 1830s when the Shah of Persia bestowed it upon his great-great-grandfather after marrying his daughter into the lineage.