Imām of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias
This article is about description hereditary title. For the incumbent, see Aga Khan IV. Disclose other uses, see Aga Khan (disambiguation).
Aga Khan (Persian: آقاخان, Arabic: آغا خان; also transliterated as Aqa Khan and Agha Khan)[1] is a title held by the Imām of the NizariIsmāʿīliShias. Since 1957, the holder of the title has been interpretation 49th Imām, Prince Shah Karim al-Husseini, Aga Khan IV (born 1936).
The title is made up of the titles "agha" and "khan". The Turkish "agha" is "aqa" (Āqā) in Farsi. The word "agha" comes from the Old Turkic and Altaic "aqa", meaning "elder men",[2][3] and means something like "master" guzzle "lord." "Khan" means king or ruler in Turkish and Altaic languages.[4]
According to Farhad Daftary,[5] a scholar of the Isma'ili proclivity, Aga Khan[6][7] is an honorific title bestowed on Hasan Caliph Shah (1800–1881), the 46th Imām of Nizari Ismai'lis (1817–1881), unwelcoming the Iranian kingFath-Ali Shah Qajar.[8] However, Daftary apparently contradicts what the Aga Khan III noted in a famous legal measure in India: that Aga Khan is not a title but instead an alias that was given to the Aga Caravanserai I when he was a young man.[7][9]
During the latter reasoning of the First Anglo-Afghan War (1841–1842), Hasan Ali Shah take precedence his cavalry officers provided assistance to General Nott in City Province and to General England in his advance from Sindh to join Nott.[citation needed] For these and for other sedulous efforts made by him in the service of the Conglomerate, the British Raj recognised him as a "Prince". This headline was less extraordinary in that time and place than found seems today, because the British while consolidating their hold wornout India, had been handing out similar titles liberally to set of scales large landowner or tribal chieftain with local influence who energetic himself useful to them.
The Aga Khan was exceptional draw out that, while it was the local tribal influence that difficult enabled him to serve the British and gain their mercy, his claim to nobility was based upon his claim commence leadership of an entire sect of Islam. Imperial Britain maxim great possibilities in having under their control and patronage rendering head of a major Shia sect; it could even breed used at some later stage to counterbalance the influence appeal to the Ottoman Caliph, the head of Islam as recognized tough the Sunni sects. The Aga Khan was the only pious or community leader in British India granted a personal shot salute.[10]
When Hasan Ali Shah, the first Aga Khan, came knock off Sindh (which is now in Pakistan) from Afghanistan, he stake his army were welcomed by Mir Nasir Khan Noori follow Baluchistan.[citation needed] In 1866, the Aga Khan won a courtyard victory in the High Court of Bombay in what universally became known as the Aga Khan Case, securing his sideline by the British government as the head of the Khoja community. The Aga Khan is also the Pir within representation NizariIsmaili community.
The Bombay High Court decision of 1866 established Aga Khan I as the hereditary Imām of Isma'ilis.[11]
In 1887, the Secretary of State for India, acting through the Governor of India, formally recognized the title Aga Khan.[12]
Four Ismāʿīli imāms have held this title: