Prince Karim Al-Hussaini: Billionaire philanthropist Aga Khan IV dies at 88, Trudeau calls him ‘extraordinary man of vision, faith, and generosity’

Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, known as Aga Khan IV, has passed away at the age of 88. He was a well-known spiritual leader of millions of Ismaili Muslims and a prominent figure in philanthropy and business.
Khan died on Tuesday in Portugal, surrounded by family, according to a statement from the Aga Khan Development Network and the Ismaili religious community.
His burial will take place in Lisbon. His successor has been named in his will, which will be read in the presence of family and religious leaders before the name is made public.
Leadership and philanthropy
Aga Khan IV was born on 13 December 1936 in Creux-de-Genthod, Switzerland, and became the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims in 1957 at the age of 20 while he was an undergraduate at Harvard University. His grandfather, Aga Khan III, chose him over his father, Aly Khan, saying that the community should be led by someone “who has been brought up in the midst of the new age.”
Under Khan’s leadership, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) expanded its work in healthcare, education, housing, and rural development across more than 30 countries, with an annual budget of around $1 billion. Hospitals and schools named after him now operate in countries like Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.
“We have no notion of the accumulation of wealth being evil,” Khan told Vanity Fair in 2012. “The Islamic ethic is that if God has given you the capacity or good fortune to be a privileged individual in society, you have a moral responsibility to society,” he added.
The Ismailis, a sect with roots in India that has spread across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, give up to 12.5% of their income as a religious duty. His wealth was estimated to be in the billions.
‘His Highness’
Aga Khan IV was also known for encouraging dialogue between Muslim societies and the West. While he mostly stayed out of politics, he remained an influential figure. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II granted him the title “His Highness.”
“Few persons bridge so many divides — between the spiritual and the material; East and West; Muslim and Christian — as gracefully as he does,” Vanity Fair wrote in its 2013 article praising Khan.
He supported Islamic culture through architecture and the arts, creating the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and helping restore historic Islamic sites worldwide. He was also known for his interest in horse racing.
Khan lived in France for much of his life before moving to Portugal in recent years, where he continued to oversee his philanthropic and development projects.
‘Extraordinary man’
His death brought tributes from around the world. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called him “an extraordinary man of vision, faith, and generosity” and “a very good friend.”
UN secretary-general António Guterres took to X to give his tribute, calling Khan “a symbol of peace, tolerance and compassion in our troubled world.”
Aga Khan IV is survived by three sons, a daughter, and several grandchildren. His successor will be announced following the reading of his will.