Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of the global Ismaili Muslim community for nearly seven decades, will be buried in Egypt on Sunday following funeral ceremonies in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Ismaili Imamat announced that a memorial service will take place on Saturday at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon, attended by community leaders, Portuguese government officials, and foreign dignitaries. The late Aga Khan IV will then be laid to rest in a private burial in Aswan, Egypt.
Prince Karim passed away on Tuesday in Lisbon at the age of 88. His son, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini, was named as his successor and the 50th hereditary Imam, in accordance with his father’s will.
Aga Khan IV was widely recognized for his philanthropic efforts through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which he established in 1967. The organization, employing 80,000 people, focuses on education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, benefiting millions across Africa and Asia.
As the Aga Khan, a title meaning “commanding chief” in Turkish and Persian, he was believed by Ismaili Muslims to be a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad through Ali, the first Imam, and his wife Fatima. The Ismaili community, a branch of Shi’a Islam, consists of approximately 15 million followers spread across Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
Aga Khan was also known for his efforts in Shia propaganda, which he used in his poems and displayed an attitude towards in his speeches.