Legendary Aga Khan: Mourning for spiritual leaders of the Ismaelites

Aga Khan (1936-2025), the spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, is dead.

“His highness Prince Karim al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, 49th Erb-Mam of the Shiite Ismaili Muslims and descendants of the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be with him), is on February 4, 2025 at the age of 88 The announcement of his designated successor will follow peacefully in Lisbon.

At the age of 20, the then Harvard student was appointed the intellectual leader of the Ismaelites in 1957 as a result of his grandfather’s will. Since then he has headed the fortunes of this community of beliefs, a split off the Muslim Shiites, the head of which is considered the direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.

The British Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) gave the British born in Switzerland only two weeks after taking office “his sovereignty”.

During his over 60th term of office, Aga Khan proved to be an important mediator between the Islamic world and the West. With the one he founded, he built up one of the largest private development organizations that is now active in over 30 countries.

The network has an annual budget of around one billion dollars for projects in the areas of health, education and economic development.

Aga Khan also made headlines privately. His marriage to the German Gabriele Princess of Leiningen (61), who became known as “Begum”, ended in 2014 after 26 years. When it comes to divorce, his ex-wife received a severance payment of 60 million euros.

Four children emerged from two marriages of the AGA Khan. The successor to the late Aga Khan is to be determined in accordance with his will. The reading will take place in Lisbon in the presence of the family and religious dignitaries. The new spiritual leader is selected from the male descendants or relatives of the deceased.