Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini has been named the brand new Aga Khan, non secular chief of hundreds of thousands of Shia Ismaili Muslims around the globe.
He’ll tackle the position from his father Prince Karim Aga Khan, who died on Tuesday on the age of 88.
The appointment was made after Prince Karim’s will was unsealed, the Aga Khan Growth Community stated in a press release.
Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V would be the fiftieth hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, who say they’re direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Ismailis are a Shia Muslim sect who revere plenty of Imams, together with Imam Ismail, who died in AD765.
They’ve a worldwide inhabitants of about 15 million, together with 500,000 in Pakistan.
There are additionally massive populations in India, Afghanistan and elements of Africa.
Prince Karim Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather as Imam of the Ismaili Muslims in 1957 on the age of 20.
He died surrounded by household in Lisbon, Portugal, which is the seat of the Ismaili Imamat. A funeral can be held there in coming days.
Throughout his time because the non secular chief of the Ismaili Muslim neighborhood, the late Aga Khan helped discovered a charity chargeable for operating lots of of hospitals, instructional and cultural initiatives, primarily within the growing world.
He was additionally recognized for his immense wealth. Forbes journal in 2008 estimated his fortune amounted to $1bn (£801m). Enterprise ventures included motels and telecommunications firms in addition to a sizeable investments in horse breeding.
He was a number one proprietor and breeder of racehorses within the UK, France and Eire, breeding Shergar, as soon as probably the most well-known and most precious racehorse on the earth.
The brand new Aga Khan is the eldest son of his late father and Begum Salimah, a British ex-model who transformed to Islam and adjusted her identify from Sarah Croker Poole.
The US-educated, Swiss-based Rahim is deeply concerned with the community of charities and companies his father helped spearhead.
Based on the Aga Khan Growth Community (AKDN) web site, Prince Rahim has served on lots of its boards and he at present chairs its Atmosphere and Local weather Committee.
“Prince Rahim has been significantly involved with the AKDN’s drive to guard the surroundings and mitigate the results of local weather change,” the web site stated, including that he was additionally excited about work “addressing the wants of these dwelling within the biggest poverty”.
Prince Rahim has two sons via his marriage to former American trend mannequin Kendra Spears.