Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary imam of the Nizari Isma’ilism sect of Shia Islam, has died in Lisbon, Portugal.
The billionaire religious leader, whose birth name was Mawlana Shah Karim al Hussaini, died surrounded by his family, the Ismaili community announced Tuesday.
Believed by Ismaili Muslims to be the direct descendant of the prophet Mohammad, he inherited the title from his grandfather, the third Aga Khan. His successor has not yet been publicly announced.
“Mawlana Shah Karim’s successor, as the 50th Shia Imami Ismaili Imam, has been designated in conformity with the historical Shia Imami Ismaili tradition and practice of nass,” the Ismaili community announced following news of the Aga Khan’s passing.
The heir to the imam’s office and considerable fortune was reportedly “recorded in his will” and will be read “in the presence of the Imam’s family and senior international Jamati leaders” at a later date.
Aga Khan IV was born in 1936 in Geneva and was named imam by his grandfather at the age of 20, skipping a generation due to his father’s public scandals surrounding his love for women and parties.
Typically dressed in perfectly tailored suits and speaking with a posh British accent, the reclusive yet eccentric multibillionaire stood out among Muslim leaders for his distinctly Westernized character.
Aga Khan III said his grandson was the perfect candidate to inherit the position due to his youth and the rapid changes taking place around the world in the “atomic age,” which required a fresh outlook.
He was among the wealthiest royals in the world, with a fortune in excess of $13 billion, and was a mainstay of European high society.
In addition to leading one of the most progressive, esoteric, and liberalized sects of Islam, the imam was an accomplished racehorse breeder and proponent of Islamic architecture.
He owned the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Sardinia and kept two private jets for his personal use. His portfolio included properties in France, Portugal, Ireland, and more.
The office of the Aga Khan is a position of nearly divine status among approximately 15 million Ismaili Muslims.
Ismailis are compelled by the doctrines of their faith to send roughly 10% of their monthly income to the Aga Khan for use in religious and humanitarian efforts.
Aga Khan IV was married twice, with both unions ending in divorce. He has one daughter and three sons. The office will be passed to one of his children, almost certainly a male.
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However, as established by his grandfather, there is no guarantee that age will play a factor.
The title “Aga Khan” was first given to the 46th Ismaili imam in 1818 by the shah of Iran and roughly translates to “great king.”
