Ismaili and Aga Khan in History: Today 0711

Today in History: July 11

1957, July 11: Wafat of Mowlana Sultan Mohamed Shah July 11, 1957 - At forty minutes past midday on July 11, 1957, Hazrat Imam Sultan Mohamed Shah passed away peacefully at his villa in Versoix, Switzerland at the age of eighty leaving behind him a memorable history of his glorious and eventful life. In His last Will, He writes "I appoint My Grandson, the son of My son Aly Solomone Khan to succeed to the Title of Aga Khan and to be the Imam and Pir of all my Shia Ismailian followers...". Geneva July 11, 1957 Photograph of His Royal Highness the day He ascended the "Masnad" of Imamat.

1967, July11: Mowlana Shah Karim completed ten years of Glorious Imamat. Commemorative coins were issued to celebrate the event.

1982, July 11,: Leaders of the Jamat paid homage to Mowlana Shah Karim at Aiglemont on the auspicious occasion of the Silver Jubilee of Mowlana Hazar Imam's accession to the throne of Holy Imamat. President Sir Eboo Pirbhai (photo) delivered the address of homage to Hazar Imam on behalf of Ismailis worldwide. (photo1), (photo2), (photo3), (photo4)

1986, July 11: Mowlana Shah Karim's message regarding the New Constitution: " In providing the New Constitutional structure, I have also taken account of recent significant developments such as the increasingly international dimension of the Jamat's settlement, and especially My aspiration for the Jamat to play an even more active part than in the past in the mainstream of life in the societies in which it lives" "(photo)

1991, July 11: Mowlana Shah Karim gave Deedar to Jamats on Imamat Day in Nairobi Parklands and Dar es Salaam at the Diamond Jubilee Complex.

1997, 11 July: Nation's correspondent writes: "His Highness the Aga Khan today announced that he was making grants totalling $50 million to five institutions founded by him over the 40 years of his Imamat (spiritual leadership) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims". According to PRNewswire, "The Aga Khan's family has had a tradition of international service from the time of his grandfather's presidency for two terms of the League of Nations (forerunner of the United Nations) to the service rendered to the United Nations by his late father, Prince Aly Khan, his uncle, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan and his brother, Prince Amyn Aga Khan".
11 July, 1997: Titles and Awards received by H.H. the Aga Khan during the 40 years of his Imamat.
11 July, 1997: Interview "I think the message of Islam, is the dignity with which we must treat women in society. Now, the notion of how that happens in practice, is very much a question of interpretation. But the basic premise, is the dignity and equality of women in society. And that goes right through the revelation of Islam, it goes to the tradition and the life of the Prophet, and the Prophet's wife, Khatija, was a woman who participated actively in daily life.", Said the Aga Khan in the BBC Interview as part of the program Outlook

1998, July 11: Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Shia Ismaili Moslems, on Saturday opened a $30 million Ismaili centre in Lisbon to promote economic and social development programmes and cultural activities. Guided tour of the Center - click here. According to Prnewswire, The Aga Khan, who is accompanied on this visit to Portugal by his wife, the Begum Aga Khan, was yesterday vested with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit by President Jorge Sampaio for his "outstanding contribution to human understanding and to social and economic progress in different areas of the world." This is also the day he signed a new Ismaili Constitution, expanding on the Constitution signed in 1986 and gave Didar to the Portugal Jamat. (More tomorrow)

2004, July 11: IMAMAT DAY: Ismaili community marks Imamat Day - Story by NATION Correspondents - Publication Date: 07/12/2004 - Members of the Ismailia community yesterday marked the Imamat Day at a colourful ceremony in Mombasa. The Imamat Day is celebrated by the Ismaili community all over the world to mark the day when his Highness the Aga Khan ascended to the office of the Imamat. This year's celebration marked 47 years of the coming to the throne by His Highness the Aga Khan to lead the Ismaili Muslims. The celebrations, which were marked with fanfare, were held at the Aga Khan Sports Club. [More]

2007, July 11: The golden jubilee of Prince Karim Aga Khan’s ascension to the throne of the Imamat on July 11, 1957. July 2007-2008 has been declared the jubilee year during which new plans will be announced as a tribute to the Aga Khan’s humanitarian work. Over the last 50 years, the Aga Khan’s Development Network’s contribution to international development in developing countries is well known. [Photo]