The Aga Khan IV, who led the Ismaili Muslims and merged entrepreneurship with philanthropy, died in Lisbon at the age of 88. His leadership emphasized community service alongside personal success, with projects ranging from developing luxurious real estate to healthcare initiatives for the impoverished. He rejected the idea that wealth and charity are at odds, arguing that his prosperity allowed him to better serve his faith community. Known for his lavish lifestyle, he held substantial wealth, with estimates ranging from $1 billion to $13 billion, derived from diverse investments.
His projects included developing the island of Sardinia's ritzy Costa Smeralda resort area, breeding thoroughbred racehorses and establishing health initiatives for the poor in the developing world.
Therefore, the notion of the divide between faith and world is foreign to Islam.
Even though he had no inherited realm in the manner of other hereditary rulers, the Aga Khan's fortune was variously estimated at $1 billion to $13 billion.
The role and responsibility of an imam, he said in a speech in 2006, is both to interpret the faith to the community and also to do all within his means to improve the quality, and security, of their daily lives.
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