The Aga Khan IV, the spiritual guide of the Ismailita community and a well -known philanthropist with a colossal fortune, died on Tuesday 4 February at the age of 88 in Lisbon, where the world headquarters of the Ismailites is located. His charismatic figure has marked the religious and social life of millions of faithful for decades, promoting education, health and economic development in many regions of the world.
Who are the Ismailites?
Ismailism is one of the currents of Sciismo, a minority branch of Islam. Like the Duodecimani Shiites, prevalent in Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan, the Ismailites recognize the authority of the imams, considered descendants of wings, cousin and son -in -law of the prophet Muhammad. However, while the duodecimani recognize twelve imams, the Ismailites stop at the seventh, Isma’il Ibn Jafar (died around 762).
This theological difference has led the Ismailites to develop an interpretation of Islam less linked to the rigidity of religious precepts. Second Amélie Chellyresearcher of the CNRS and author of the Dictionnaire des Islamismsinterviewed by the French periodical The Croix“Ishmailites have a more spiritualized vision of Islam, less tied to ritual obligations than other Shiite currents”. For example, abstinence from alcohol, often a distinctive element in Muslim identity, is not a fundamental trait for all Ismailites.
This approach has often aroused the hostility of the most rigorist currents of Islam. “For some Sunnis – continues Chelly – calling an” Ismailita “Muslim is almost an insult, because it implies a denial of the religious character of the Orthodox practice”.
A global community with a strong link with Portugal
The Ismailites today count about 15 million faithful all over the world, distributed in more than 25 countries. The largest communities are found in India and Pakistan, but there are also significant groups in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, France and even in the Chinese region of Xinjiang.
In Portugalthe Ismailita community is particularly relevant, with about 8,000 members. This link dates back to the 1970s, when, after the war of independence of Mozambique (former Portuguese colony), many Ishmailites of Indian origin moved to Lisbon.
In the 2015the community has established its world headquarters in the Portuguese capital, thanks to an agreement with the local government. This treaty guaranteed tax breaks and diplomatic privileges to the Ishilita organization, in exchange for investments in research and development. In the 2019Aga Khan IV has obtained Portuguese citizenship, further consolidating the link with the country.
The death of AGA Khan IV leaves a great void in the Ishilite Community and in the world of global philanthropy. His successor will have to collect a complex legacy, made of spiritual leadership and social commitment on an international scale.
