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Aga Khan (Persian: آغا خان ) is the hereditary title of the Imam (spiritual and general leader), of the Nizari (Nizari Ismaili) sect (result of the 1094 split with the Mustaˤliyya who followed Nizar's younger brother Al-Musta'li) within the Ismaili branch of Islam.

History

Etymologically it combines the Turkish military title Agha and the Turkic and Mongol title Khan, so it roughly means "Commanding Chief" and was bestowed upon Imam Aga Hasan Ali Shah by the Shah of Persia (the major Shiah power), Fath Ali, in 1818.

After he was recognised by the British Raj in 1877, his became the only office that was officially granted equality with a salute state (a personal 9 gun salute, to be precise) not in chief of any territorial Princely state (but compare Political pensioner).

Works on the origins of the Ismailis by serious scholars are rare as theirs is a closed community discouraging detailed inquiry into basic facts of the religion. A view broached by several educated by anonymous Ismailis is that they hail from dispossesed peoples known as The Untouchables, in India, who migrated to what is now Pakistan and arrogated to themselves a noble heritage. Mainstream Islam considers the Ismailis as a fringe group but they are tolerated in Pakistan because of their enormous wealth and international connections.

Incumbent

The present Aga Khan became Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Nizari on July 11, 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan (Aga Khan III). He is the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims and a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad through his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, the first Imam, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet's daughter. The title His Highness was granted by the Queen of Great Britain in 1957, and His Royal Highness by the Shah of Iran in 1959. See [1].

Philanthropy

The Aga Khan, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, is founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), one of the largest private development networks in the world. Its partners include numerous governments and several international organizations. AKDN agencies operate in social and economic development as well as in the field of culture.

The network includes the Aga Khan University (AKU), the University of Central Asia (UCA), the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS), the Aga Khan Education Services (AKES), the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services (AKPBS), the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance (AKAM), and more. The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA)is the largest architectural award in the world. In addition, FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance, an affiliate of the AKDN, is responsible for emergency response in the face of disaster. Recent examples include the massive earthquake in Pakistan {AKDN earthquake response) and the South Asian Tsunami.

He is also the Chairman of the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), which he founded in 1977.

Significant recent or current projects led by the Aga Khan include the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamate on Sussex Drive in Ottawa, Canada, the Global Centre for Pluralism (GCP) in Ottawa, Canada, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, the Al-Azhar Park ([2]) in Cairo, Egypt, and a network of full IB residential schools known as the Aga Khan Academies (AKA}. See [3]

Awards

The Aga Khan has been recognized by several national and international organizations for his service to humanity. Recent examples of note include the 2005 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy, the 2005 Die Quadriga and the 2005 Vincent Scully Prize. He was also recently named Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada, one of only five non-Canadians ever to receive this honour. See [4]

List of those who have held the title of Aga Khan

Aga Khan I = Aga Hasan Ali Shah = HH Shah Hasan Ali Shah Mehalatee Aga Khan I (1800-1881), 46th Imam (1817-1881)
Aga Khan II = HH Ali Shah Aga Khan II (about 1830 - 1885), 47th Imam (12 April 1881 - 1885)
Aga Khan III = HRH Prince Sultan Mohammed, (1877-1957), 48th Imam (17 August 1885 - 1957)
Aga Khan IV = Karim Aga Khan = HH Prince Aga Khan IV = Prince Karim Al Husseini (b. 1936), 49th Imam of the Ismailis (from 12 July 1957)

Sources and references

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 After he was recognised by the British Raj in 1877, his became the only office that was officially granted equality with a [[salute state]] (a personal 9 gun salute, to be precise) not in chief of any ''territorial'' [[Princely state]] (but compare [[Political pensioner]]).
-Works on the origins of the Ismailis by serious scholars are rare as theirs is closed community discouraging detailed inquiry into basic facts of the religion. A view broached by several educated by anonymous Ismailis is that they hail from dispossesed peoples known as The Untouchables, in India, who migrated to what is now Pakistan and arrogated to themselves a noble heritage. Mainstream Islam considers the Ismailis as a fringe group but they are tolerated in Pakistan because of their enormous wealth and international connections.
+Works on the origins of the Ismailis by serious scholars are rare as theirs is a closed community discouraging detailed inquiry into basic facts of the religion. A view broached by several educated by anonymous Ismailis is that they hail from dispossesed peoples known as The Untouchables, in India, who migrated to what is now Pakistan and arrogated to themselves a noble heritage. Mainstream Islam considers the Ismailis as a fringe group but they are tolerated in Pakistan because of their enormous wealth and international connections.
 ==Incumbent==