The Ismaili Imams brings together the scattered results of modern scholarship in the field of Ismaili studies, providing a simple and clear resource for both the Ismailis themselves and for general readers, as well as being a useful work of reference for scholars. Abi Talib Husayn b. Ja'far al-Sadiq Muhammad b. Muhammad, also known as Wafi Ahmad Ahmad b. Read a free excerpt pdf.
In the course of that process, Aga Khan III, who was twice President of the League of Nations, had already provided a contemporary articulation of the public international role of the Imamat.
The Imamat today, under the present Aga Khan, continues this tradition of strict political neutrality. In keeping with this mandate, and in accordance with Ismaili history, tradition and the needs of the time, the Imams have given rules of conduct and constitutions in conformity with the Islamic concepts of unity, brotherhood, justice, tolerance and goodwill.
This gave the community a form of administration comprising a hierarchy of governance structures at local, national and regional levels, setting out rules of personal law to govern such matters as marriage, divorce and inheritance, as well as guidelines for mutual cooperation and support within the community and its interface with other communities.
Similar constitutions were promulgated in South Asia under instructions from the Imam. All of them were periodically revised to address emerging needs. In continuation of this tradition, the 49th Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, has extended this constitutional governance to other regions around the world. In , he ordained an Ismaili Constitution which, for the first time, brought under a common aegis, the social governance of the global Ismaili community in order better to secure their peace and unity, spiritual and social welfare, as well as to foster fruitful collaboration among different peoples, to optimise the use of resources, and to enable the Ismaili Muslims, wherever they live, to make a valid and meaningful contribution to the improvement of the quality of life of the societies in which they live and to be responsible citizens of the countries where they reside.
Today, the Ismailis are the only Shia community, who throughout their history have been led by a living hereditary Imam, in direct descent from the Prophet.
The role of the Ismaili Imam is a spiritual one; that of religious interpretation. But faith in Islam is also a force that deepens our concern for our worldly habitat, embracing its challenges and improving the quality of human life. Since acceding to the Imamat, Prince Karim Aga Khan, like his grandfather, has focused on efforts concerning the well-being of the Ismaili community, the wider Muslim Community, and the people amongst whom they live.
More than his grandfather, the Aga Khan IV has had to deal with multiple governments, each with its own aspirations. Adaptation to change, at an ever faster pace, has been a consistent feature of the period since It is because of rapid changes in the local and national circumstances in which the Ismaili community has lived since , that Prince Karim Aga Khan has avoided his direct personal involvement with international agencies and has replaced the direct personal roles that were held in the past by his grandfather and other members of his family by new relationships between these agencies and apex entities of the Ismaili Imamat.
For His Highness the Aga Khan, one manifestation of his hereditary responsibilities has been a deep engagement with development for more than 60 years. Since then, he has dedicated his efforts to improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations, emphasising the view of Islam as a faith that teaches compassion and tolerance and that upholds human dignity.
In recognition of his exceptional efforts and contributions to human development and improving the social condition of societies globally, the Aga Khan has, over the last six decades, received numerous decorations, honorary degrees, and awards from institutions and nations across the world.
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