By Mohsen Hesam Mazaheri

Shah Karim al-Husseini (1936–2025), popularly known as Karim Aga Khan or Aga Khan IV, the 49th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili Shia, passed away today at the age of 88. On July 11, 1957, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Aga Khan Mahallati (Aga Khan III), as the Imam and took leadership of the Nizari sect.

The Nizari sect is one of the major branches of Shia Islam and, in terms of population, is the second largest Shia sect after the Twelvers. Estimates suggest that Nizari Ismailis number around 15 million worldwide, making up about 10% of the global Shia population.

As is well known, Ismailis diverged from the Twelvers by recognizing Ismail, the elder son of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq, as the rightful seventh Imam instead of Musa al-Kadhim (the choice of the Twelvers). This split is considered one of the earliest and most significant schisms in Shi’ism.

Many Ismailis accepted the first nine Fatimid caliphs as their Imams, but after the death of the ninth Fatimid caliph, they disagreed on his successor. One faction supported Ahmad ibn al-Mustansir (Musta’li), while another backed Nizar ibn al-Mustansir, leading to a permanent divide. (A semi-historical, dramatized version of this division is depicted in the TV series “The Assassins.”)

From then on, the first group became known as the Musta’li Ismailis, while the second were called Nizari Ismailis. The Nizaris gained strength and influence largely due to Hassan Sabbah and the Assassins, who bolstered their movement and facilitated its spread in Iran, India, and other regions.

However, the history of Ismailism in the medieval period is vastly different from its modern trajectory. Exploring this transformation in depth would require a separate, detailed discussion.

In brief, over the last two centuries, the Ismaili community has moved away from its historical image as a revolutionary and politically engaged sect of Shi’ism. Instead, it has evolved into a culturally-oriented, pacifist, and pluralistic community. This transformation began under the leadership of the Aga Khans, specifically with Aga Khan III, and was further developed and expanded by his grandson, Aga Khan IV.

The title “Aga Khan” was first bestowed by Fath-Ali Shah Qajar upon his son-in-law Hasan Ali Shah Mahallati, who was also an Ismaili Imam. Aga Khan I served for a time as the governor of Kerman, but was later deposed and took up arms against the Qajar government. This conflict forced him into exile, leading him to settle first in Afghanistan and later in India.

His son, Aga Khan II, succeeded him but showed less political ambition than his predecessors. Instead, he focused on education and social investment, laying the foundation for his successors to prioritize knowledge and public welfare.

His son, Aga Khan III, ascended to the Imamate at the young age of eight and led for 72 years. He played a pivotal role in modernizing the Ismaili community and redefining its identity.

Aga Khan III was a modernist, well-connected internationally, and actively involved in global politics. He was among the founders of the All-India Muslim League and a key figure in India’s independence movement. He was also the first Muslim to serve as the president of the League of Nations (the precursor to the United Nations) and led it for a couple of years.

In his time, he was one of the most influential Muslim leaders worldwide, establishing numerous institutions to advance the socio-economic well-being of the Ismailis.

Aga Khan IV continued his grandfather’s legacy with great determination, although he had a distinct personality and approach.

This Iranian prince was a Harvard graduate, with studies in Islamic history and the arts. He was also immensely wealthy, owning vast properties and institutions across the world.

He maintained strong political connections and actively participated in international forums, frequently traveling to different countries and maintaining direct engagement with his followers.

Following his grandfather’s vision, Aga Khan IV established numerous philanthropic, cultural, and service-oriented organizations, expanding the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and investing in various countries, especially across Africa. This allowed him to project an image of moderation and cultural leadership, both for himself and his community.

Some of the key institutions founded under his leadership include:

• The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) – a renowned research center for Islamic studies
• The Global Centre for Pluralism
• The University of Central Asia
• Aga Khan University

He also launched prestigious international awards, including:

• The Aga Khan Award for Architecture
• The Aga Khan Music Award
• The Aga Khan Environment Award

Among these, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture holds particularly high global prestige.

Historically, Iran has held a prominent place in the geography of Ismaili Shi’ism. For centuries—until the forced migration of Aga Khan I—Iran was the primary base and residence of Nizari Imams. As a result, the Aga Khans have always paid special attention to Iran.

Aga Khan III visited Iran several times and participated in cultural gatherings and forums. Reports of his travels are documented in a book titled Safarnama-ye Iran (Travelogue of Iran). Aga Khan IV also visited Iran, including on October 23, 1959, and January 12, 1970.

He had connections with Farah Pahlavi, and interestingly, during the 1964 Winter Olympics in Austria, he represented Iran as a national skiing athlete—a skiing Imam!

After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Aga Khan’s official ties with Iran were severed. However, this did not mean that the Aga Khan network completely lost its connection with Iran. Iranian artists continued to participate in the Aga Khan Foundation’s awards, and some Iranian humanities scholars were recruited into its institutions.

Nevertheless, many potential collaborations were lost due to certain political missteps.

Given his characteristics, Aga Khan IV had little resemblance to other contemporary Muslim leaders, whether Shia or Sunni.

He was a Western-oriented intellectual, a wealthy patron of the arts and culture, and a modern thinker who, despite never establishing a political state, achieved more influence and power than many governments.

One notable aspect of Aga Khan IV’s legacy is his detachment from major challenges and issues affecting the Muslim world.

He largely avoided taking strong positions on contemporary Muslim crises, such as the Palestinian issue.

This is in stark contrast to his predecessor, Aga Khan III, who actively engaged in global political affairs, from India to the Ottoman Empire, standing alongside (and sometimes even ahead of) other Muslim leaders.

This shift in approach may be attributed to:

• Aga Khan IV’s close relationships with European leaders
• The rise of Islamic movements (especially political Shi’ism in post-revolutionary Iran)

These factors likely pushed Aga Khan IV toward a more insular and reserved policy, which weakened ties between the Ismailis and the broader Muslim world.

As a result, some people began to perceive the Ismailis as living in a parallel world, separate from the struggles and realities of other Muslim communities.

Under such circumstances, religious rituals—particularly two core Shi’a practices, mourning (for Imam Husayn) and pilgrimage—became the primary identity markers linking the Nizari Ismailis to other Shia groups.

The history of mourning for Imam Husayn in Iran is intertwined with the Nizari Ismailis. Their mourning traditions predate the Safavid era, and after the establishment of the Safavid Shia state, they played a significant role in expanding Ashura commemorations.

Even after shifting their base from Iran to India, the Nizaris preserved this cultural tradition, and both Aga Khan II and Aga Khan III continued to hold Ashura commemorations in India.

While the Nizari Ismailis contributed to developing mourning rituals, the Musta’li Ismailis played a major role in expanding the pilgrimage culture, such as:

• Decorating the shrines of Karbala and Najaf
• Constructing shrine enclosures and structures

However, sectarian differences from the early centuries of Islam still cast a long shadow over relations between these sects and the Twelver Shia.

A prime example of this tension is the scattered conflicts in Iraq’s holy cities when some Ismailis visited Shia shrines—a topic I have previously written about.

It is understandable that these historical tensions have hindered stronger relations between the Ismailis and their fellow Imami and Zaydi Shia brethren.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Twelver Shia are more accepting of relations with Sunnis than with Ismailis, following the logic of intra-group exclusion (ṭard darūn-gurūhī).

Historically, Twelver Shia have shown greater tolerance toward Christians (as an external “other”) than toward Sunnis, and this trend continues.

In any case, today, not only have the Nizari Ismailis lost their leader, but the entire Muslim world has lost one of its prominent figures. Aga Khan IV was a leader for the Ismailis unlike any other in the Muslim world—someone who represented a very different model of Islamic (Ismaili Shia) life in the modern world. His life and work deserve thorough research and reflection. Unfortunately, Aga Khan IV and the Ismaili community as a whole have been largely neglected in Iranian academic and research circles. Most existing studies have focused only on Ismaili history and doctrine, rather than exploring their contemporary culture and daily life as a lived form of Shi’ism.

The most well-known references in Persian on this subject remain the works of Farhad Daftary, which are considered primary sources for Ismaili studies. However, there is a significant gap in research on the contemporary culture and lived experience of Ismailis.