SANTA MONICA – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will meet today in Santa Monica with the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the 20-million-strong Ismaili branch of Shia Islam.
A statement from the governor’s office said he would meet late this morning with Prince Karim al Husseini, the Aga Khan IV, in recognition of his golden jubilee, marking his 50th anniversary as Imam of the Ismailis.
The 49th Aga Khan traces his ancestry to the Prophet Mohamed through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali, the first Shia Imam. His responsibilities include interpreting the faith for his followers, who live throughout the world, including the United States.
A billionaire British subject and Harvard graduate, the 71-year-old Aga Khan is a celebrated philanthropist who has been an advocate for the elimination of global poverty, the advancement of women and cooperation among people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
He heads the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the world’s largest private economic development agencies, which focuses on advancement in Asia and Africa.
His eight-day U.S. visit, which includes stops in Georgia, Illinois and California, began in Texas Friday.
The Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather as the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims in July 1957. He was selected by his grandfather over his father and his uncle on grounds that, given the advent of nuclear power, the position needed a young man with a fresh outlook.
Daily Breeze.com – Press Telegram
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