Rahim Al-Husseini Becomes 50th Imam of the Ismailis

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - International Service: The succession was announced on Wednesday, 6th of February in Lisbon, Portugal, in the presence of the Aga Khan family and senior Ismaili leaders. The succession will mark a new era in the leadership of the Ismailis and the continuation of the development activities of the Aga Khan Institutions.

According to a statement from the Aga Khan Development Network, Prince Rahim Al-Husseini, the fifth Aga Khan, has been announced as the new leader of the Ismaili community after the disclosure of his father’s will.

Prince Rahim, born on October 12, 1971, is the eldest son of the fourth Aga Khan and Princess Salima, a former British model. He has one daughter and two sons.

He has served on the boards of many of the Aga Khan Development Network’s institutions, with particular responsibilities in the areas of environment and climate change. He has also closely overseen the Ismaili Studies Institute and the Ismaili community’s social governance institutions.

Karim Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismailis and the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Shia, has died at the age of 88.

For 1,400 years, the Ismailis have been led by a living, hereditary Imam. The community is spread across more than 35 countries and has an estimated membership of between 12 and 15 million.