Aga Khan
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2008-07-11T15:46:25Z
Eupator
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{{Ismailis}}
{{two other uses|the hereditary title|the incumbent|Aga Khan IV}}
'''Aga Khan''' ({{lang-fa|''' آقا خان '''}}) is the [[hereditary title]] of the [[Imam]] of the [[Nizari|Nizārī]] [[Muslim]]s, the largest branch of the [[Ismaili|Ismā'īlī]] followers ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: '''الطائفة الإسماعيلية''') of the [[Shia Islam|Shī‘a]] faith. The Ismaili branch of Shia Islam affirms the [[Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine)|Imamat]] of the descendents of Ismail ibn Jafar, the originally designated successor of Imam [[Ja'far al-Sadiq]], while the [[Twelver Shi`ism|Twelver]] branch of Shi`ism follows Ismail's younger brother, Musa al-Kazim and his descendents.
==History==
In the 1830s the honorific title of Aga Khan was bestowed upon [[Aga Hasan Ali Shah]], the 46th [[Imam]] of the [[Ismailis]], by [[Fat′h Ali Shah Qajar]], the [[Shah]] of [[Persia]]. Etymologically the title combines the Turkish military title [[Agha]], meaning a "noble" or "[[lord]]", with the [[Altaic languages|Altaic]] polyvalent title [[Khan (title)|Khan]] for a local ruler, so the combination means roughly "Commanding Chief". In Persia's [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar]] court protocol, Khan (and Amir) was commonly part of commanders of armed forces and provincial tribal leaders which ranked fourth in precedence amongst the eight title classes for non-members of the dynasty. In 1877, the colonial rulers of India, the [[British Raj]], gave the Aga Khan rank and nobility in recognition of the help in suppressing a regional rebellion against the [[United Kingdom|British]], thus the Aga Khan became the only religious or community leader in British [[India]] granted a personal gun salute; all other [[salute states|salute dynasties]] were either rulers of [[Princely State]]s, or [[Political Pensioner]]s holding ancestral princely titles in states abolished by the Raj.
==Incumbent==
{{main|Aga Khan IV}}
Prince Karīm al-Hussainī became the present [[Aga Khan IV]] upon assuming the [[Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine)|Imamat]] of the [[Nizari]] [[Ismaili]]s on [[July 11]], [[1957]] at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan ([[Aga Khan III]]). In his will, his grandfather stated the conditions that led him to select his grandson as successor to the Ismaili Imamat:
<blockquote>"In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes that have taken place, including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Muslim Ismaili community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age, and who brings a new outlook on life to his office."<ref>"Aly Khan's Son, 20, New Aga Khan", ''The New York Times'', [[13 July]] [[1957]], p. 1</ref></blockquote>
Prince Karim [[Aga Khan IV]] is the 49<sup>th</sup> Ismaili Imam, tracing their lineage to Ali, cousin of [[Muhammad]], and his wife [[Fatima]], Muhammad's daughter.<ref>Farhad Daftary. ''The Ismāʿīlīs: Their history and doctrines.''</ref> The title [[His Highness]] was granted by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] of the United Kingdom in 1957, and [[His Royal Highness]] by the [[Shah of Iran]] in 1959.<ref>See [http://www.akdn.org/hh/highness.html]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ismaili.net/Source/khoj.html |title='''Khoja Case''' before Justice Sir Joseph Arnould, High Court of Bombay, 1886 |accessdate=2006-12-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ismaili.net/hajibibi.html |title='''Haji Bibi Case''' before Mr. Justice Russell, 1905 - Bombay Law Reporter |accessdate=2006-12-01}}</ref> On July 11, 2007, Aga Khan was the Imam of Ismaili Muslims for 50 years.
The Aga Khan, heir to the family fortune and a society figure, is founder and chairman of the [[Aga Khan Development Network]], one of the largest private development networks in the world. In Afghanistan, the AKDN has mobilised over $400 million in development projects, a large portion of which has come from the Network's own resources.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.akdn.org/news/AKDN_Afghanistan_010406.pdf |title=Afghanistan: Social, Cultural, and Economic Programmes of the Aga Khan Development Network |format=PDF |accessdate=2006-12-20}}</ref> AKDN continues to work with a variety of African and Asian countries to improve living conditions and promote education.
==Competitions==
The annual Aga Khan tournament for [[field hockey]] in India began in the late 1800s.<ref>"Aga Khan Hockey Tournament"], excerpt from ''Autobiography of Hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand'', published by Sport & Pastime, Chennai, 1952; posted [[February 22]], [[2007]], accessed July 9, 2007</ref> Matches of the Aga Khan tournament are held on the grounds of [[Bombay Gymkhana]].<ref>[http://www.bharatiyahockey.org/granthalaya/goal/1936/page9.htm Aga Khan Tournament], from the ''Autobiography of Hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand'', published by Sport & Pastime, Chennai, 1952</ref>
In 1926, the Aga Khan gave a cup (the Aga Khan Trophy) to be awarded to the winner of an international competition held at the annual horse show of the [[Royal Dublin Society]] in Dublin, Ireland every summer.<ref>[http://www.dublinhorseshow.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=34 The Aga Khan Trophy], Dublin Horse Show, accessed July 9, 2007</ref> It attracts competitors from all of the main showjumping nations and is carried live on Irish national television.www.dublinhorseshow.com
== List of those who have held the title of Aga Khan ==
# [[Aga Khan I]] = Hasan Ali Shah Mehalatee Aga Khan I (1800–1881), 46th Imam (1817–1881)
# [[Aga Khan II]] = Ali Shah Aga Khan II (about 1830–1885), 47th Imam (12 April 1881–1885)
# [[Aga Khan III]] = Prince Sultan Mohammed, (1877–1957), 48th Imam (17 August 1885–1957)
# [[Aga Khan IV]] = Prince Karim Al Husseini (b. 1936), 49th Imam of the Ismailis (from 11 July 1957)
==References==
{{reflist|1}}
==Sources==
*[http://www.iis.ac.uk/ The Institute of Ismaili Studies]
*[http://www.theismaili.org/ The Ismaili]
*[http://www.akdn.org/ The Aga Khan Development Network]
*[http://www.agakhanfilm.org/ Aga Khan and the Ismailis - FILM]
*[http://www.worldbank.org/ The World Bank]
*[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Religious_Organizations.html#Ismeaili%20Khans WorldStatesmen- Religious Organisations]
*[http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/salute.htm RoyalArk- India] & [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Persia/persia-titles.htm Qajar Persia]
*[http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/news_events/announcements/aga_khan.html Aga Khan article at SIPA (Columbia University)]
*[http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/1995-96/95-147i.html Brown University President Vartan Gregorian's introduction of the Aga Khan (1996 baccalaureate address)]
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6137720 Interview on NPR, 25 September 2006: "Aga Khan Speaks Out on Understanding of Muslims"]
==See also==
*[[Ismaili]]
*[[Nizari]]
*[[Aga Khan Development Network]]
*[[Aga Khan University]]
*[[Aga Khan Foundation]]
[[Category:Noble titles]]
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[[Category:Aga Khan Development Network]]
[[Category:Religious occupations]]
[[Category:Shi'a Islam]]
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