Prince Rahim Aga Khan receives key to Aswan as his late father is laid to rest

CAIRO: Prince Rahim al-Husseini Aga Khan V has expressed gratitude to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Egyptian government for their unwavering support in facilitating the funeral and burial ceremonies of the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, the 49th Imam of Ismaili Muslims.

The late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV was laid to rest on Sunday at a private ceremony in Aswan, Egypt.

Prince Rahim also commended the Aswan Governorate for its exceptional organisation of the ceremonies. 

During a reception hosted by Aswan Governor Major General Dr Ismail Kamal, Prince Rahim acknowledged Egypt’s continued support for the Aga Khan Foundation and the Ismaili community. He specifically thanked Prime Minister Dr Mustafa Madbouli’s government for expediting the necessary procedures for the funeral. 

The 50th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims extended his appreciation to Governor Kamal, whose efforts ensured the late prince’s funeral was conducted with dignity, reflecting Egypt’s solidarity. 

During the meeting, Governor Kamal and Prince Rahim discussed future collaboration between the Aga Khan Network, the Um Habiba Foundation, and the Aswan Governorate. Their discussions focused on new investments, development projects, and community initiatives aimed at improving living standards in the region. 

Also read: Global Ismaili Muslims pledge allegiance to Prince Rahim Aga Khan during Takht-Nishini

The governor presented the key of Aswan City to Prince Rahim al-Husseini.

Also read: President Zardari departs for Lisbon to offer condolences on Aga Khan’s death

Prince Karim, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, died on Tuesday in Lisbon. His eldest son, Shah Rahim al-Hussaini, succeeded him as the 50th hereditary Imam of the world’s millions of Ismaili Muslims, in according with his father’s will.

A private funeral service took place at the Ismaili community centre in Lisbon attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spain’s King Emeritus Juan Carlos and Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

The Ismaili Imam is considered by his murid as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

“When his will was opened, it was found that he had requested to be buried in Aswan near his grandfather, Sultan Muhammad Shah, and his grandmother, Om Habiba,” said Maj-Gen Ismail Kamal, AP quoted him as saying.

Ismaili mourners marched as bells rang during the burial ceremony in the country’s southern Aswan province, as Prince Karim’s body was taken in a van. They carried his body, draped in a white shroud, and placed it on a yacht on the Nile River.

Prince Karim, 88, was given the title of “His Highness” by Queen Elizabeth in July 1957, two weeks after his grandfather, the Aga Khan III, unexpectedly made him heir to the family’s 1,300-year dynasty as leader of the Ismaili Muslim sect.