AGA KHAN

'Aga Khan' () is the hereditary title of the Imam (spiritual and general leader) of the Ismaili Nizārīs الطائفة الإسماعيلية, a sect of the Shi'a Ismaili branch of Islam which formed in 765 when the followers of the Shi'ite movement split into the Ismaili movement, followers of the Imamah of Ismail bin Jafir, and into what would become the Twelver movement (Arabic: Ithna 'Ashariyyah), who followed the Imam Musa Kazim.

Contents

History

Incumbent

Competitions

List of those who have held the title of Aga Khan

References

Sources

See also

History

In 1818 the title of Aga Khan was bestowed upon Aga Hasan Ali Shah, the 46th Imam of the Ismailis, by Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar, the Shah of Persia. Etymologically the title combines the Turkish military title Agha with the Turkic, Mongolian and Persian/Pashto polyvalent title Khan, so it means roughly "Commanding Chief". In Persia's Qajar court protocol, Khan (and Amir) was commonly part of commanders of armed forces and provincial tribal leaders which ranked fourth in precedence amongst the eight title classes for non-members of the dynasty.The Aga Khan was formally recognised by the British Raj in 1877 due to the help of the Aga Khan in suppressing a regional rebellion against the British, thus the Aga Khan became the only religious or community leader in British India granted a personal gun salute; all other salute dynasties were either rulers of Princely States, or Political Pensioners holding ancestral princely titles in states abolished by the Raj.
The Aga Khans were given rank and nobility by the Colonial rulers of India.
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Incumbent

Main articles: Aga Khan IV

Prince Karīm al-Hussainī became the present Aga Khan IV upon assuming the Imamat of the Nizari Ismailis on July 11, 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan (Aga Khan III). In his will, his grandfather stated the conditions that led him to select his grandson as successor to the Ismaili Imamat:

"In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes that have taken place, including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Muslim Ismaili community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age, and who brings a new outlook on life to his office."^[1]

Prince Karīm al-Hussainī's father, Prince Aly Khan, was a high-profile playboy in the mid 20th century due to his relationships with Hollywood stars, including a marriage to Rita Hayworth and engagement to Gene Tierney.^[2] In 1958, he was appointed Pakistan's permanent ambassador to the United Nations.^[3]
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV is the 49^th Ismaili Imam, tracing their lineage to Ali, cousin of Muhammad, and his wife Fatima, Muhammad's daughter.^[4] The title His Highness was granted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1957, and His Royal Highness by the Shah of Iran in 1959.^[5][6][7]. On July 11, 2007, Aga Khan will have been the Imam of Ismaili Muslims for 50 years; the event is expected to be celebrated worldwide.
The Aga Khan, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, is founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the largest private development networks in the world. In Afghanistan, the AKDN has mobilised over $400 million in development projects, a large portion of which has come from the Network's own resources.^[8] AKDN continues to work with a variety of African and Asian countries to improve living conditions and promote education.

Competitions

The annual Aga Khan tournament for field hockey in India began in the late 1800s.^[9] Matches of the Aga Khan tournament are held on the grounds of Bombay Gymkhana, Mumbai's premier club.^[10]
In 1926, The Aga Khan gave a cup (the Aga Khan Trophy) to be awarded to the winner of an international competition held at the annual horse show of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin, Ireland every summer.^[11] It attracts competitors from all of the main showjumping nations and is carried live on Irish national television.

List of those who have held the title of Aga Khan

# Aga Khan I = Hasan Ali Shah Mehalatee Aga Khan I (1800–1881), 46th Imam (1817–1881)
# Aga Khan II = Ali Shah Aga Khan II (about 1830–1885), 47th Imam (12 April 1881–1885)
# Aga Khan III = Prince Sultan Mohammed, (1877–1957), 48th Imam (17 August 1885–1957)
# Aga Khan IV = Prince Karim Al Husseini (b. 1936), 49th Imam of the Ismailis (from 11 July 1957)

References

1. "Aly Khan's Son, 20, New Aga Khan", ''The New York Times'', 13 July 1957, p. 1
2. Prince Aly Khan's obituary, ''Time'', 23 May 1960, Web copy
3. ''Time'', 17 February 1958, p 1. Web copy
4. Farhad Daftary. ''The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines.'' Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1990, pp. 551-553.
5. See [1]
6. 'Khoja Case' before Justice Sir Joseph Arnould, High Court of Bombay, 1886
7. 'Haji Bibi Case' before Mr. Justice Russell, 1905 - Bombay Law Reporter
8. Afghanistan: Social, Cultural, and Economic Programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network
9. "Aga Khan Hockey Tournament"], excerpt from ''Autobiography of Hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand'', published by Sport & Pastime, Chennai, 1952; posted February 22, 2007, accessed July 9, 2007
10. Aga Khan Tournament, from the ''Autobiography of Hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand'', published by Sport & Pastime, Chennai, 1952
11. The Aga Khan Trophy, Dublin Horse Show, accessed July 9, 2007

Sources

http://www.mostmerciful.com/

★ The Institute of Ismaili Studies

★ The Ismaili

★ The Aga Khan Development Network

★ The World Bank

★ WorldStatesmen- Religious Organisations

★ RoyalArk- India & Qajar Persia

★ Aga Khan article at SIPA (Columbia University)

★ Brown University President Vartan Gregorian's introduction of the Aga Khan (1996 baccalaureate address)

★ Interview on NPR, 2006 September 25: "Aga Khan Speaks Out on Understanding of Muslims"

See also

★ Ismaili

★ Nizari

★ Aga Khan Development Network

★ Aga Khan University