LISBON: The funeral of Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, will take place privately in Lisbon on Saturday, according to a representative of the Ismaili community.
Prince Karim al-Husseini, aged 88, passed away on Tuesday, marking the end of his long tenure as the 49th Imam of the Nizari Ismailis, a branch of Shia Islam with millions of followers across Central and South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
The funeral ceremony will be held at the Ismaili community center in central Lisbon, attended by several hundred guests.
Naguib Kheraj, a senior adviser to the Ismaili community, confirmed that it would be a private and dignified event. “This is a private event, not a big public event… It will be short and dignified,” Kheraj told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.
Aga Khan IV established the global headquarters of the Ismaili community in Lisbon in 2015, making the city an important center for the community.
Prince Karim’s eldest son, 53-year-old Rahim al-Husseini, will succeed him as the new Aga Khan V.
The official ceremony to mark the accession of the new imam will take place on Tuesday morning at the Ismaili community headquarters in Lisbon. This, too, will be a private ceremony to honor the succession of the new spiritual leader.
