LISBON, Portugal (AP) — The funeral of Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary imam of the Shiite Ismaili Muslims, has taken place in Lisbon.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Spain’s King Emeritus Juan Carlos were among the dignitaries who attended Saturday’s private ceremony for His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini at the Ismaili community center. Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the mayor of Lisbon were also among the mourners.
The Ismaili religious community said Prince Karim will be laid to rest during a private burial ceremony in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday.
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His death was announced Tuesday by the Aga Khan Development Network and the Ismaili religious community. The following day, 53-year-old Rahim Al-Hussaini was named as the Aga Khan V, the spiritual leader of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims, in according with his father’s will.
The Aga Khan is considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and is treated as a head of state.
Prince Karim was given the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth in July 1957, two weeks after his grandfather, the Aga Khan III, unexpectedly made him heir to the family’s 1,300-year dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect.
Over decades, the late Aga Khan evolved into a business magnate and a philanthropist, moving between the spiritual and the worldly with ease. A defender of Islamic culture and values, he was widely regarded as a builder of bridges between Muslim societies and the West.
The Aga Khan Development Network deals mainly with issues of health care, housing, education and rural economic development. It says it works in over 30 countries and has an annual budget of about $1 billion for nonprofit development activities.
Ismailis lived for many generations in Iran, Syria and South Asia before also settling in east Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, as well as Europe, North America and Australia more recently. They consider it a duty to donate up to 12.5% of their income to the Aga Khan as steward.
