Prince Rahim Aga Khan V named 50th Ismaili spiritual leader after father’s passing

Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V was named the 50th hereditary Imam, or spiritual leader, of the Shia Ismaili Muslims on Wednesday, following the unsealing of his father Aga Khan IV’s will, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) announced.

The succession comes after the death of Prince Karim Al-Husseini, Aga Khan IV, who passed away in Lisbon at the age of 88 on Tuesday.

"Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V was today named the 50th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, following the unsealing of the will of his late father, Prince Karim Al-Husseini Aga Khan IV, who died in Lisbon, Portugal yesterday, aged 88," the AKDN said in a statement.

Prince Rahim Aga Khan V is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter, Hazrat Bibi Fatima, and his cousin and son-in-law, Hazrat Ali, the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph of Islam and the first Shia Imam, the statement added.

Born on Oct. 12, 1971, Prince Rahim is the eldest son of the late Aga Khan IV and his first wife, Princess Salimah – née Sarah Croker Poole – a British ex-model. The couple had a daughter and two sons together.

Prince Rahim serves on the boards of many agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network, and has closely followed the work of the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the Ismaili community’s social governance institutions, serving as chairman of the AKDN's Environment and Climate Committee.

Spiritual leadership and legacy

Aga Khan IV served as the spiritual leader of approximately 12 to 15 million Ismaili Muslims across more than 35 countries. He assumed the role in 1957 at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan, who had chosen him over his own son, Prince Aly Khan.

His leadership spanned key regions, including Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and North America. He was the fourth holder of the Aga Khan title, which dates back to the 1830s when it was first granted by the emperor of Persia.

Born on December 13, 1936, in Geneva, Aga Khan IV spent his early years in Nairobi, Kenya. He later attended the prestigious Le Rosey School in Switzerland before studying Islamic history at Harvard.

He was married twice—first in 1969 to former British model Sarah Croker Poole, with whom he had a daughter and two sons. The couple divorced in 1995. In 1998, he married German-born Gabriele zu Leiningen, with whom he had a son. They divorced in 2014.

Aga Khan IV was known for his global humanitarian work, particularly through the Aga Khan Development Network, which focuses on poverty alleviation, education, and healthcare. His passing marks the end of an era for the Ismaili community, as his son now steps into the role of guiding the faith’s followers worldwide.