Aligned Programs
The Ismaili Muslim community has a number of programs that represent and align the vision of the religious order and His Highness the Aga Khan.
The Ismaili Imamat is both a hereditary office and supra-national entity, representing the succession of Imams since the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
As the Imams do not govern any land, their role is spiritual not political. Moreover, “faith does not remove Muslims or their Imams from daily, practical matters in family life, in business, in community affairs. Faith, rather, is a force that should deepen our concern for our worldly habitat, for embracing its challenges, and for improving the quality of human life.”
It is the “absolute prerogative” of each Imam to designate his successor from his male progeny. The Imam “not only leads in the interpretation of the faith, but also in the effort to improve the security and quality of life of his community and of the wider societies within which it lives.”
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is dedicated to improving the quality of life of those in need, mainly in Asia and Africa, irrespective of their origin, faith, or gender. Its multifaceted development approach aims to help communities and individuals become self-reliant.
The network engages programs that honor cultural heritage, by investing “in heritage, architecture and the arts to enable communities to build on their past and look to the future with confidence.” Programs include architecture, historic cities, music, museums, and parks and gardens.
The network also tries to develop human capacity, by offering healthcare, education, and parental support. It received more than eight million outpatient visits per year, educates more than 900 thousand learners, and provides financial services to more than 50 million people. It also helps build resilient communities by mitigating and overcoming natural disasters and improving their habitats through programs focused on environment and climate change, agriculture and food security,
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