Rahim al-Husseini Named Successor to Karim Aga Khan IV, Becomes 50th Imam of Ismaili Community

Rahim al-Husseini has been declared the 50th hereditary Imam of the global Ismaili community and successor to his late father, Prince Karim al-Husseini, known as Karim Aga Khan IV. The announcement marks a historic transition for the estimated 12-15 million Ismailis worldwide.

Titled Aga Khan V, Rahim al-Husseini assumes spiritual leadership of the Ismailis, which traces its lineage to Ismail ibn Jafar, the elder son of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him). The Ismaili community diverged from mainstream Shia Islam in the 8th century by upholding Ismail’s succession, despite his death preceding his father’s martyrdom in 765 CE.