Aga Khan III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aga Khan III Mohammad Shah |
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Aga Khan III in 1936
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| Religion | Shia Islam |
| Denomination | Isma'ilism |
| School | Nizari Ismaili |
| Lineage | Fatimid |
| Other names | Sultan Mohammad Shah |
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| Born | 2 November 1877 Karachi, Bombay, British India |
| Died | 11 July 1957 (aged 79) Versoix, near Geneva, Switzerland |
| Resting place | Mausoleum of Aga Khan, Aswan, Egypt |
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| Religious career | |
| Initiation | 1885 |
| Post | 48th Nizari Imām |
Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III (2 November 1877 – 11 July 1957) was a very important leader. He was the 48th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili branch of Islam. An Imam is a spiritual leader for his community.
He helped create the All-India Muslim League (AIML) and was its first permanent president. This group worked to improve things for Muslims in British India. They also wanted to protect Muslim rights. The Aga Khan believed in education for everyone, especially for girls. He even suggested that Muslims should be seen as a separate group within India. This idea is known as the 'Two Nation Theory'.
Even after he stopped being president of the AIML in 1912, he still had a big impact on their plans. He also represented India at the League of Nations from 1932 to 1937. He even became the President of the League of Nations from 1937 to 1938. The League of Nations was an early international organization that aimed to keep peace in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sultan Mahomed Shah was born in Karachi, which is now in Pakistan, in 1877. His father was Aga Khan II. His mother, Nawab A'lia Shamsul-Muluk, was related to the royal family of Persia (now Iran).
He studied at Eton College and then at the University of Cambridge. These are famous schools in England.
Becoming a Leader
In 1885, when he was only seven years old, he became the Imam of the Shi'a Ismaili Muslims. This meant he became their spiritual leader after his father passed away.
The Aga Khan traveled all over the world to meet his followers. He helped them solve problems and offered financial support and advice. He received many honors for his public service. These included special titles from Queen Victoria and King Edward VII of Britain. Other leaders, like the German Emperor and the Shah of Persia, also recognized his work.
Working for Muslims in India
In 1906, the Aga Khan helped start the All-India Muslim League. This political group wanted to create an independent Muslim nation in the northern parts of India. This dream came true in 1947 with the creation of Pakistan.
From 1930 to 1932, he played a key role in talks in London about changing India's government. These talks were called the Round Table Conferences (India).
In 1934, he became a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom. This is a group of advisors to the British monarch. He also served as a member of the League of Nations and became its President in 1937.
Leading the Ismaili Community
Under the Aga Khan III's leadership, the Ismaili community grew a lot in the first half of the 20th century. Many organizations were created to help with social and economic development. These were set up in India and East Africa.
Ismailis celebrate their Imams' Jubilees. These are special events that show the strong connection between the Imam and his followers. During his 72 years as Imam (1885–1957), the community celebrated his Golden (50 years), Diamond (60 years), and Platinum (70 years) Jubilees.
During these celebrations, the Ismaili community weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds, and platinum. The money raised from these events was used to build important social welfare and development projects in Asia and Africa.
In India and Pakistan, many social development groups were started. These included the Diamond Jubilee Trust and Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited. These groups helped create different types of cooperative societies. Schools for girls, like the Diamond Jubilee High School for Girls, were built in remote areas of Pakistan. Scholarship programs were also started to help students who needed financial support.
In East Africa, new schools, community centers, and a modern hospital in Nairobi were built. Economic groups like the Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust and the Jubilee Insurance Company were also started. These companies are now big players in the development of their countries.
The Aga Khan III also made changes to how Ismaili communities were organized. He created a system of councils at local, national, and regional levels to manage community affairs. These rules covered things like marriage, divorce, and inheritance. They also guided how Ismailis should help each other and interact with other communities. Similar rules were made in India and were updated over time.
In 1905, during a legal case, the Aga Khan explained that his followers included people from different backgrounds, including some who were originally Hindus. He said he considered them all Shi’i Imami Ismailis.
After World War II, many changes happened in areas where Ismailis lived. British rule ended in India, leading to the creation of India, Pakistan, and later Bangladesh. There were also big changes in the Middle East and Africa as countries gained independence. The Aga Khan helped his community adapt to these new times.
His Ideas and Beliefs
The Aga Khan was greatly influenced by Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan. He helped found the Aligarh University and raised a lot of money for it. The Aga Khan himself was a modern thinker about Islam.
He believed that religion and modern ideas could go together. He encouraged Muslims to embrace new ways of thinking. He thought that learning from Western ideas could help Islamic thought grow and become stronger.
The Aga Khan believed that Muslims should go back to the original teachings of Islam, especially the Qurʾān. He thought that Islam was naturally fair and democratic. He also called for peace, disarmament, and an end to wars.
He was against different groups within Islam fighting each other. He wanted Sunnis and Shi'as to work together. He believed that there was strength in the different traditions of Muslims.
The Aga Khan also pushed for social changes in Muslim society. He wanted to reduce poverty. He felt that education was the key to progress. He strongly supported basic education for all children and the creation of higher learning institutions.
He was very progressive about women's rights. He believed that men and women were equal in Islam. He called for women to have full political equality, including the right to vote and to get an education. He even said that if a family could only send one child to school, they should send the daughter.
The Aga Khan worked against practices like purdah (women covering themselves) and zenāna (women being kept separate). He banned these for his Ismaili followers. He also limited polygamy (having more than one wife), encouraged marriage to widows, and stopped child marriage. He made marriage and divorce laws fairer for women. He wanted women to be involved in all parts of society and to fight for their rights.
Today, thanks to his reforms, the Ismaili community is known for being progressive, peaceful, and successful.
Love for Horses
The Aga Khan was famous for owning Thoroughbred racehorses. His horses won the famous Epsom Derby five times, which was a record! He was also the top owner in British flat racing thirteen times.
In 1926, the Aga Khan gave a special cup, called the Aga Khan Trophy, for an international team show jumping competition. This event is held every August in Dublin, Ireland, and is very popular.
Family Life
The Aga Khan III was married four times:
- In 1896, he married his cousin, Shahzadi Begum.
- In 1908, he married Cleope Teresa Magliano. They had two sons: Prince Giuseppe Mahdi Khan and Prince Aly Khan. She passed away in 1926.
- In 1929, he married Andrée Joséphine Carron. She became known as Princess Andrée Aga Khan. They had one son, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. They divorced in 1943.
- In 1944, he married Begum Om Habibeh Aga Khan (Yvonne Blanche Labrousse). She converted to Islam and was given the title "Mata Salamat" by her husband.
His Writings
He wrote important books, including India in Transition and his autobiography, The Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and Time. In India in Transition, he suggested that India could be organized into different states with their own independence. He was the first to create a detailed plan for such a federation in India.
Death and Successor
Aga Khan III passed away on 11 July 1957. His grandson, Karim Aga Khan, became the next Imam of the Ismaili Muslims.
He is buried in a beautiful place called the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, which is located on the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt.
Legacy and Honors
Pakistan Post has honored Aga Khan III by issuing special postage stamps in 1977 and 1990.
He received many important honors during his life, including:
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (1898)
- First Class of the Royal Prussian Order of the Crown (1901)
- Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (1902)
- Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (1911)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (1923)
- Member of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council (1934)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (1955)
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Aga Khan III para niños
