Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan Iii

Sultan Mohamed Shah, the only son of Aga Ali Shah became the 48th imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims at the young age of 7. He was known as the Aga Khan, a title he inherited from his father. He grew up under the care of his mother who took a great interest in his education. Until the age of 18 years, Aga Khan III received education in Bombay and Poona. He was later given the title “His Highness” by the British Government. The Aga Khan believed that the poor status of Muslims in India was illiteracy, and therefore, education was the greatest solution. He felt that education should be a medium of service to others and a tool for modernization. Sultan Mohamed Shah, along with some of his close colleagues donated a significant sum of money to the Aligarh University. At the age of 29 the Aga Khan realized the poor political conditions for Muslims in India and formed the All India Muslim League, of which he was elected permanent president. Sultan Mohamed Shah was unanimously elected the president of the League of Nations in 1939. In 1948, the Aga Khan III completed seventy years of Imamat which is the longest period in the history of all the 48 Imams. In this time he was married to four different women. Sultan Muhammad Shah passed away on July 11, 1957. In accordance with his last will, his grandson, Prince Karim was succeeded to the Imamat as the 49th Imam.
Sultan Mohamed, also known as Sultan Mohamed Shah, Aga Khan III, was born on November 2nd 1877 in Karachi, Pakistan. His birth was a very happy occasion for his grandfather, Hazrat Imam Hassanali Shah, Aga Khan I, who named him "Sultan Mohamed”. He grew up under the care of his mother, who belonged to the Persian Royal Family. As a child he took a keen interest in animals, particularly horses. At the young age of seven, Sultan Mohamed Shah’s father passed away, and he was appointed to the throne of Imamat. As such a young child, the Imam was surrounded by many advisors who helped guide him along the way to make the

References: Sultan Mohamed Shah Timeline (n.d.) Retrieved November 20, 2007, from http://ismaili.net/sultan/sms.html History Page. (n.d.) Retrieved November 21, 2007, from http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/main.html Aga Khan III. (2007). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved November 21, 2007, from Encyclopedia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9003969 Aga Khan III. (2007) In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 22, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aga_Khan_III&oldid=172719360 The League of Nations. (2005). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved November 22, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_League_of_Nations&oldid=17242517 "League of Nations," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2007 Retrieved November 22 2007 from http://encarta.msn.com Will of Aga Khan III. (n.d.) Retrieved Nov 23 2007, from http://ismaili.net/timeline/1957/19570711will.html