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Who is Rahim Aga Khan V?
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V has been named the 50th hereditary leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
The 53-year-old was designated as the Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, in the will of his father who died Tuesday in Portugal. His late father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, led the community for over 67 years.
Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V will be the 50th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, who say they are direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, as with the previous leaders.
Based in Switzerland, Prince Karim was born on October 12, 1971, and educated in the U.S.
He is the eldest son of the Aga Khan IV and his first wife, Princess Salimah, born Sarah Croker Poole, a former British ex-model. The two had a daughter and two sons together.
The new Rahim Aga Khan has two sons through his marriage with former American fashion model Kendra Spears.
Who are the Ismailis?
The Ismailis are a Shia Muslim sect who revere several Imams, including Imam Ismail, who died in AD765.
They have a worldwide population of about 15 million, including 500,000 in Pakistan and many others are also large populations in India, Afghanistan and parts of Africa.
Prince Karim Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather as Imam of the Ismaili Muslims in 1957 at the age of 20, in line with the 1,300-1,400-year-old tradition of hereditary succession.
The Aga Khans are said to be direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
As Aga Khan derived from Turkish and Persian words to mean commanding chief he is believed by Ismailis to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad through the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, the first Imam, and his wife Fatima, the Prophet’s daughter.
The title was originally granted in the 1830s by the emperor of Persia to Karim’s great-great-grandfather when the latter married the emperor’s daughter.
According to the Aga Khan Development Network website, Prince Rahim has served on many of its boards and he currently chairs its Environment and Climate Committee.
“Prince Rahim has been particularly concerned with the AKDN’s drive to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change,” the website said, adding that he was also interested in work “addressing the needs of those living in the greatest poverty”.
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