Prince Karim Al Hussaini, better known as the Aga Khan IV, died aged 88 in Lisbon on Tuesday. The Aga Khan was the spiritual leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims.
The Aga Khan was a high-profile figure in popular culture, his name synonymous with old-world glamour. Born in Switzerland in 1936, his high net worth and the trappings of his lifestyle – a royal title, an elite education, racing stables, private islands and private jets – provided European tabloids with ample fodder throughout his life. He was an Olympic skier, too, representing Iran at the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
All of that is worth mentioning at the outset, only so that it can be dispensed with quickly. In truth, it is a footnote to a more complicated, extraordinary and impactful life that combined religious duty with secular philanthropy on an unprecedented scale.
Today, the Aga Khan Development Network, grown out of a foundation started by Prince Karim in 1967, is one of the world’s largest development agencies, employing nearly 100,000 people and spending $1 billion a year in about 30 countries. While it is perhaps best known for its work in rural development and heritage restoration, the network operates non-denominational schools, universities, banks, hospitals, telecoms companies, power plants, airlines, hotels and industrial factories from northern Pakistan to Mali. Its footprint is greatest in places that are underserved by national aid agencies. In Burkina Faso, the network is the country’s largest private employer. In Kyrgyzstan, it operates the largest bank.
Prince Karim was a 20-year-old undergraduate studying Islamic history at Harvard University in 1957 when his grandfather, the previous spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims, died and unexpectedly passed the title to Prince Karim in his will.
“Overnight, my whole life changed completely,” Prince Karim later told a journalist. "I woke up with serious responsibilities towards millions of other human beings. I knew I would have to abandon my hopes of studying for a doctorate in history.”
The leader’s role is to interpret the teachings of Islam for Ismaili Muslims. Prince Karim was obliged to carry out this responsibility even as he completed his undergraduate degree. Ismailis from western China to southern India, and eastern Iran to northern Syria, sent him letters or had his picture in their homes.
The burden was no doubt made greater by the Ismaili community’s geopolitical vulnerability. Despite there being 15 million Ismailis when Prince Karim became leader, the community was largely impoverished and spread thinly. This was a product of its dispersion after the fall of its empire, the Fatimid Caliphate, which founded Cairo, in the 11th century, persecution in the Levant during the Crusader period and massacres by the Mongols in the 13th century. By the 20th century, the Ismailis were religious and national minorities in the post-colonial nation states in which they lived. The community’s social insularity and practice of gender equality made it an object of suspicion for secular nationalists and religious extremists alike.
A duty to manage this situation against the volatility of the Cold War turned the young Aga Khan into a sort of statesman without a state. His emphasis on economic development helped his community to prosper, but its well-being grew more precarious. The Baathist revolution of 1963 divided the Ismailis of Syria along political fault lines. In 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin expelled Ismailis and the Aga Khan had to arrange for the community to be moved to the West (mainly to Canada). The Iranian revolution in 1979 forced Ismailis in the country into permanent hiding – their houses of worship still operate under the radar.
Perhaps the most remarkable display of the Aga Khan’s leadership came amid Tajikistan’s civil war in the 1990s, which killed up to 150,000 people. The predominantly Ismaili region of Badakhshan, which is divided by a river from an Afghan province of the same name, became the primary staging ground for anti-communist opposition forces. Amid a siege that threatened to starve the population, the Aga Khan Foundation arranged a humanitarian corridor in co-operation with a US aid agency.
What few Badakhshan residents expected, however, was for the Aga Khan to land in a jet in one of the region’s remote valleys, in May 1995. A crowd of 50,000 of his followers gathered to sit on thousands of carpets hastily laid on the bare earth. Above, the roar of Russian attack helicopters had many in the crowd shuddering as they strained to hear the Aga Khan’s words. On the Afghan shore of the river, more Ismailis arrived to catch a glimpse of Prince Karim as he spoke.
Although Tajikistan’s civil war ended decades ago, the plight of Ismailis in the country remains. Since the start of a protest movement in 2021, the Tajik government has banned Ismaili religious symbols in public spaces and curbed the community’s prayer gatherings. Threats have proliferated elsewhere, too – Ismailis in Syria and Pakistan have been the victims of ISIS attacks, while the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has spurred the community's retreat from public life.
It has been announced that his son, Rahim Al-Hussaini, would succeed him to become the Aga Khan V. He will be expected to give spiritual guidance in a changing world. The task is not getting any easier.
But if Prince Karim’s legacy is to serve as any guide, then optimism is warranted. His persistent faith in efforts to make peace, for the community and beyond, was best articulated in his address in Badakhshan that day in 1995. “Differences,” he said, “must be resolved within the ethic of our faith, through dialogue, through generosity, through forgiveness.”
Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
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The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
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Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
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The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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1. Fasting
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4. Shahada
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RESULT
Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
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On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
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Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
