His Highness Prince Karim Al Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, 49th hereditary Imam of Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), passed away peacefully in Lisbon on February 4, 2025, aged 88, surrounded by his family.
He is survived by three sons and a daughter.
Prince Karim Aga Khan was the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
AKDN said an announcement on his successor would come later.
Over decades, the Aga Khan evolved into a business magnate and philanthropist, moving between the spiritual and the worldly and mixing them with ease.
A defender of Islamic culture and values, he was widely regarded as a builder of bridges between cultures.
The Aga Khan Development Network, his main philanthropic organization, dealt mainly with issues of healthcare, housing, education and rural economic development.
A network of hospitals bearing his name are scattered in countries where health care had been lacking for the poorest, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Tajikistan, where he spent tens of millions of dollars for development of local economies.
The Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims in 1957 at the age of 20. Since then, he dedicated his efforts to improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations, emphasizing the view of Islam as a faith that teaches compassion and tolerance and that upholds human dignity.
