Prince Rahim Aga Khan appointed new imam of Ismaili community

ISLAMABAD: Prince Rahim Aga Khan V has been named the 50th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslim community following the death of his father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, at the age of 88.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) on X (formerly Twitter).

The succession follows the unsealing of the will of the late Aga Khan IV. The AKDN statement highlighted the Ismaili community’s 1,400-year history of hereditary leadership and its global presence in more than 35 countries, with a membership of 12 to 15 million.

Prince Rahim, born on 12 October 1971, is the eldest son of the late Aga Khan IV and Princess Salima. He has extensive experience within the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), serving on various boards and chairing the AKDN’s Environment and Climate Committee. He was also closely associated with the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the community’s social governance institutions.

The late Aga Khan IV, renowned for his humanitarian work and philanthropy, was mourned by a number of world leaders after his death on Tuesday in Lisbon, Portugal. In addition to his spiritual leadership, he was also a successful racehorse owner, particularly known for his thoroughbred Shergar. His significant contributions to improving the lives of people in impoverished regions around the world have left a lasting legacy.