Prince Karim Aga Khan – A True Chief of Islam

11th July 2007 marks a landmark in the heritage of the Ismaili Muslim community, as this working day marks the completion of the 50th calendar year of Imamate of the chief of the Ismaili Muslim neighborhood, Prince Karim Aga Khan 1V. He is the present (49th) Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. His contribution in the discipline of schooling, medication, architecture, social do the job, institution setting up, reduction work, etcetera., is amazing. He usually tried using to bring the optimistic picture of Islam in front of some others. His interesting persona has motivated many Muslim brothers to get the job done for the welfare of the people today. He is the direct descendant of Sir Aga Khan 111, whose contribution for the establishment of Pakistan can never ever be neglected.

Prince Karim Aga Khan, the Aga Khan IV is the eldest son of Prince Aly Salman Khan and his wife, Princess Tajudowlah. He was born in Geneva, Switzerland on December 13, 1936. His brother title is Prince Amyn, and sister name is Princess Yasmin Aga Khan. The Aga Khan spent his childhood in Nairobi, Kenya, the place his early schooling was done by non-public tutoring. The Aga Khan later attended the Institute le Rosey in Switzerland. He graduated from Harvard College in 1959 with a BA Honors Diploma in Islamic history. As a modern-day leader of Islam, he constantly tried using to emphasize to make improvements to the lives of the Muslims.

Adhering to the loss of life of his grandfather, Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan, Prince Karim, at the age of 20, became the 49th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims on 11 July 1957.

On getting to be the Imam, the Aga Khan mentioned that he intended to keep on the work his grandfather had pursued in developing present day institutions to improve the excellent of existence of the Ismaili community. The principal themes that the Aga Khan emphasised are enhancement, education and learning, interracial harmony, and faith in faith. He elaborated on this concept in a 2006 speech in Germany stating,

“The purpose and duty of an Imam, therefore, is both of those to interpret the faith to the group, and also to do all within his means to boost the excellent, and security of their everyday lives.” Through the early years of his Imamate, the Aga Khan continued his grandfather’s work by way of the establishment of institutions this kind of as the Aga Khan medical center in Nairobi in 1958, and most important and secondary educational facilities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in the 1960s, The Aga Khan Medical center in Pakistan, and many educational establishments all over the environment. We can say that he is the chief of a frequent gentleman. He is the King of the Muslim local community. He constantly do the job for the betterment of the lives of the persons of the 3rd world state.

The Aga Khan has been specially intrigued in the elimination of world-wide poverty eradication of illiteracy the progression of the standing of women of all ages the promotion of Islamic lifestyle, new music, art, and architecture, upgrading the inexpensive status of the 3rd planet state, and so on.

Prince Aga Khan generally believes in constructing bridges concerning religions. He always attempted to restore peace in the planet and brought the optimistic impression of Islam in the modern-day planet.

In 1977, the Aga Khan founded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, a leading award recognizing excellence in architecture that encompasses modern day layout and social, historic, and environmental criteria. It is the greatest architectural award in the globe.

He is the founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Improvement Community, 1 of the premier private development networks in the globe, which will work to social, financial, and cultural advancement in Asia and Africa. The establishment of the AKDN brought beneath the similar umbrella a selection of progress businesses and institutions that The Aga Khan’s humanitarian endeavors attract inspiration from ethics of compassion, generosity, sincerity, and so forth.

Handful of of the businesses of AKDN are as underneath:

Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) Aga Khan Company for Microfinance (AAKAM) Aga Khan Training Companies (AKES) Aga Khan Fund for Economic Enhancement (AKFED) Aga Khan Well being Products and services (AKHS) Aga Khan Arranging and Creating Expert services (AKPBS) Aga Khan Rely on for Tradition (AKTC) Aga Khan College (AKU) The University of Central Asia (UCA) Concentrate Humanitarian Support (Target), an affiliate of the AKDN, is liable handling disasters. Latest case in point features the huge earthquake in Pakistan, Oct 8, 2005. Prince Aga Khan team managed the prevailing problematic problem efficiently.

He is also the Chairman of The Institute of Ismaili Research, which he founded in 1977. This institute is one of the best Institutes, in which various Islamic levels programmes for our youthful generations are staying presented. The aim of IIS is to advertise scholarship and studying of Muslim cultures and societies, historical as very well as modern day, and a superior being familiar with of their relationship with other societies and faiths.

The Aga Khan has been recognized by several national and international businesses for his company to humanity. Few of them are as follows:

The Queen of the United Kingdom of Fantastic Britain and Northern Ireland has awarded him the title of His Highness on July 26, 1957. On August 12, 1957, the Sultan of Zanzibar invested the title of Brilliant Star of Zanzibar. It was his very first visit to Pakistan with his spouse when the President of Pakistan granted the title of Nishan-e-Imtiaz on January 15, 1970.

The Entire world Monuments Fund honored the Aga Khan IV with its prestigious Hadrian Award for his vigorous and fruitful efforts to preserve and revitalize historic metropolitan areas in Islamic earth on October 28, 1996 at New York.

In 2003, he was named Knight Commander in the Order of the British Empire (KBE) “for services to intercontinental development, primarily in Asia and Africa, and to Uk-French relations.” In 2005, he was awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy, the 2005 Die Quadriga and the 2005 Vincent Scully Prize. He was also named Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada. His Highness has been awarded honorary levels by universities in Pakistan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He has also obtained several awards and prizes from numerous expert organisations in recognition of his operate in architecture and the conservation of historic buildings. There are about additional than 18 million followers of Prince Aga Khan all over the environment. Whichever he has performed for boosting the financial state of Pakistan by investing in to many sectors like hotel field, banking, and so on., are laudable. His Highness the Aga Khan donated $50-million to guidance rehabilitation, socio-financial development, and earthquake-preparedness in locations of the North West Frontier Province and Azad Jammu and Kashmir afflicted by the 8 October 2005 shock. Prince Aga Khan supplied a blend of economical and complex support to the urban and rural communities in large-mountain, seismically sensitive parts in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elements of Central Asia. There are several schools, schools and universities in Pakistan as perfectly, which ended up designed by him for the advancement of intellects in Pakistan.

Scholars have named his group, the Shia Ismaili Muslims, the most progressive, organized, schooled and monetarily effectively-off sect in just Islam.

Nowadays, he is functioning all more than the earth to eradicate the social troubles. His basic concern is of Muslim brothers and sisters, for whom he will work day and night for their upliftment. He is generating a favourable impression of Islam globally for which we salute him.

He is genuinely the leader of Islam in this fashionable environment. Desire him a pretty joyful Golden Jubilee.