ASWAN, EGYPT — His Highness Prince Karim al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, the 49th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, was laid to rest in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday, February 9th. This followed a deeply moving funeral ceremony held in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday.
The burial, a private ceremony, saw the spiritual leader interred alongside his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, at the Aga Khan Mausoleum along the Nile River.
A statement released by the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat confirmed that His Highness’s remains will rest within his grandfather’s mausoleum for a period.
“He will be interred in the mausoleum of his grandfather, the late Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, until a new mausoleum is constructed as his final resting place on land adjacent to the existing structure,” the statement said.
The funeral service took place on Saturday at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon, bringing together Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th Imam of the Ismaili community, along with other members of the Aga Khan family.
The solemn event was attended by prominent figures from the Ismaili community, representatives of the Aga Khan Development Network, and distinguished international dignitaries.
“Amongst global leaders in attendance were President Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, and senior officials from Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom amongst others,” said the statement from the Ismaili Imamat.
“The global Ismaili community assembled around the world in Jamatkhanas (places of worship and gathering) to witness the ceremony through a live transmission, and to pay tribute to their Imam’s extraordinary life of leadership and service.
“His Highness’s casket was draped in a white cloth, with his personal standard embroidered in gold. It was carried into the ceremonial hall by volunteers from the Ismaili community, while prayers were recited invoking blessings on Prophet Muhammad and his progeny (peace be upon them). In accordance with Muslim tradition, verses from the Holy Quran were recited and, thereafter, guests filed past the casket to pay their last respects,” the statement further said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan observed a national day of mourning on Saturday.
In line with a directive issued by the Cabinet on Thursday, the national flag was flown at half-mast. Among the attendees at the funeral ceremony in Lisbon was Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb.
Following the burial on Sunday, an important event for the Ismaili Muslim community will take place on Tuesday—the homage ceremony for the newly appointed Aga Khan.
“A special homage ceremony will take place in Lisbon, Portugal. Prince Rahim al-Hussaini Aga Khan V will grant an audience to senior leaders of the Ismaili community, who will pledge their allegiance, on behalf of the global Ismaili community, to the 50th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims,” said a statement from the Ismaili Imamat on Thursday.
A significant contribution of Aga Khan IV was the establishment of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of private, international, non-denominational agencies dedicated to improving the quality of life and expanding opportunities for people in some of the world’s most impoverished regions.
