Alberta’s Ismaili Muslims react to death of Aga Khan
Posted February 5, 2025 4:17 pm.
Last Updated February 5, 2025 7:04 pm.
The Ismaili Muslim community in Alberta is mourning the passing of Prince Karim Al-Husseini also known as the Aga Khan IV, and the 49th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslim. He died in Portugal, on February 4 at the age of 88.
Aga Khan IV was the leader of the global Ismaili community, and he visited Alberta in 2009 as well as in 2018 with the opening of the Aga Khan Garden at the University of Alberta.
Edmonton businessman Ashif Mawji was saddened by the Aga Khan’s death. He believes the legacy of a spiritual father who promoted compassion will live on.
“He always taught that we’re all one, and it’s not just Muslims, he even worked with the Jewish faith, with Christianity, with every faith and every type of person and said, we all come from one being,” said Mawji.
There are about 80,000 Ismailis in Canada. The late leader favored the country.
“He had seen Canada’s pluralism as not a perfect thing but as one of the best models he had seen in the world,” said Sheherazade Hirji, the senior communication advisor with Aga Khan Develop.
The leader of Alberta’s NDP is Ismali. Naheed Nenshi wrote in a statement, “Countless lives have been lifted out of poverty, and countless communities around this world have thrived because of him.”
Aga Khan is the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims and was considered by his followers to be a direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad. He helped thousands is Ismaili Muslims immigrate to Canada during a conflict in Uganda.
