Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V was named the 50th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims on Wednesday, following the unsealing of the Will of his late father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, who died in Lisbon, Portugal on Tuesday, aged 88.
Prince Rahim Aga Khan V is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) through his daughter, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, and the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Hazrat Ali, the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam and the first Shia Imam.
Throughout their 1,400-year history, the Ismailis have been led by a living, hereditary Imam. The Ismailis live in over 35 countries and number approximately 12 to 15 million.
