Novelist at Self-Employment (2016–present) Wed
Contrary to popular belief, Islam does in fact have a character who can be characterised as a “Pope”.
Until yesterday, that man’s name was Aga Khan IV — once known as Prince Karim Al-Husseini.
On February 4, 2025, Aga Khan IV died at the age of eighty-eight.
Throughout most of his life, he had represented the Shia Muslim community in particular.
Here are some basic, interesting facts on this now-deceased historical figure:
- Aga Khan IV was preceded by his grandfather — the second time in a 1,300-year history that a son did not succeed his father
- Aga Khan IV spent nine years of his childhood attending the Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland — reportedly the most expensive boarding school in the world
- Aga Khan IV was an active skier who represented Iran at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics in Austria
- Aga Khan IV had at least 15 million active followers around the world
- Aga Khan IV was known as a “playboy” who enjoyed women and fast cars more than encouraging an image of piety
- Aga Khan IV enjoyed horse racing and breeding, and would create his own horse farm as a personal hobby
- Aga Khan IV was actively involved in restoring religious architecture, particularly those of Islamic origin
- Aga Khan IV was fluent in Persian, Arabia, English, and French, and he reportedly knew a little bit of Urdu, Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian
- Aga Khan IV’s personal wealth was between 800 million and three billion dollars — nearly all of which came from his devout Muslim followers
- Aga Khan IV was called “the most connected man in the world”
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