The Most Powerful Man You've Never Heard Of

Charlie D'Amelio was one of the first famous internet personalities and amassed a following of 155 million on TikTok. This enormous following may indicate that she can set trends with just the push of a button, but it doesn’t prove that they have any real effect on society. The Aga Khan IV, born Prince Karim Al-Hussaini in Geneva, Switzerland, spent his early childhood in Kenya. There, he was privately tutored and later moved back to Switzerland to the most expensive private school in the world, the Institut Le Rosey. He graduated and then first attended MIT but soon transferred to Harvard where he got his bachelor’s degree in Islamic studies. The Aga Khan IV was planning on pursuing a doctorate in the subject but instead got his throne as the leader of the world’s Ismaili Muslims, a branch of the Shiite tradition of Islam with a following of 15 million people across 35 countries. This title claims direct lineal descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, who is considered an Imam (leader of his faith). Along with this prestige, the inheritance is part of a 1,300-year-old legacy with billions and billions of dollars that the Aga Khan IV could invest into any aspect of his life. While he did indulge in many luxurious commodities such as private jets, yachts, and islands, he contributed vast amounts of his fortune and power towards worthy causes, focusing on benefitting his community and the communities around him. 

One such contribution took place in war-ridden regions and countries such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Here, he funded money for what is now a $600 million telecommunications company, expansive improvements in health care, power generation, microfinance, and education. He also founded the Aga Khan Development Network, which spends $1 billion annually to improve health care, housing, education, and rural economic development throughout the Islami community across over 30 developing countries. However, his investments were not purely humanitarian but also artistically and societally inclined. He created the Aga Khan Award, a $1 million, world-renowned architecture prize for communities in which Muslims have a significant presence. Although, judges don’t determine the winner based just on where Muslims live, but rather on the difference architecture makes in the lives of people and local communities. This showcases the extensive beneficial impacts that the Aga Khan IV fortune has had throughout the world.

His outreach doesn’t just stay within his own community, but it stretches across a plethora of others. The Aga Khan was described in the UN’s statement on The passing of His Highness the Aga Khan IV as, “a bridge-builder between cultures and faiths, promoting mutual understanding and respect”. He earned this praise by staying out of controversial politics while still fostering stellar relationships with other world leaders. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau honored him as “an extraordinarily compassionate global leader, a man of vision, of faith, and of incredible generosity.” This acclaim stems from a longstanding relationship with the Aga Khan IV, in which thousands of Ismali Muslims were permitted to emigrate to Canada. Once there, they went on to make a significant impact in the community and were elected to important positions in the government including a Member of the Order of Canada, a Federal Member of Parliament, Lieutenant Governor, and Senator. The highly esteemed Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, highlighted his profound impact, saying, “[his] legacy will continue to live on through the incredible work he led for education, health, and development around the world”. The Aga Khan IV’s ability to captivate world leaders from different cultures exemplifies his positive effect on not just his own culture but the ones around him.

Ultimately, people and especially kids, constantly get carried away by celebrities and influencers whose real value to the world is miniscule in comparison to the people we never hear about. No matter where we look, there is always something drawing our attention away from what truly matters, making it crucial to ensure we don’t fall too far down the wrong path. Otherwise, we may wind up missing all the extraordinary work that people are doing in order to strive towards creating a better world for everybody. Regardless of race, gender, religion, or culture, the world needs more people like the late, great Aga Khan IV.