Reproduced at AKDN.org, from Politique Internationale (English edition of special issue on Agence française de développement), n°134 – Winter 2011-2012
I am thankful for this opportunity to share with your readers some thoughts about development problems in various parts of the world, and in particular about the difficult issues of poverty and inequality.
Allow me to begin with a word of personal and institutional background. I was born into a Muslim family, linked by heredity to Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him and his family). It was fifty-four years ago that I became the 49th Imam — the spiritual leader — of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, succeeding my late grandfather.
The ethics of Islam bridge the realms of Faith and World — what we call Din and Dunya. Accordingly, my institutional responsibilities for interpreting the faith are accompanied by a strong engagement in issues relating to the quality of life, not only for the Ismaili community but also for those with whom they share their lives — locally, nationally and internationally. This principle of universality is expressed uniquely in the Holy Quran where it is written, “O Mankind, be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul … (and) joined your hearts in love so that by His grace ye became brethren.”
Click here to read at the source: His Highness the Aga Khan: a life in the service of development.
Ismailimail 
Associated with Politique Internationale (a prestigious French political affairs journal, dedicated to international relations), it has published interviews of world leaders, including His Highness the Aga Khan, whose interview with author and journalist Jean-Jaques Lafaye appeared in the spring 2010 issue (#127).
Here is a link Simerg who has an english version of it:
http://simerg.com/about/voices-%e2%80%9cthe-power-of-wisdom%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-his-highness-the-aga-khan%e2%80%99s-interview-with-politique-internationale/
This interview and Mowlana Hazar Imam’s recent thoughts that he shared in Politique Internationale are a must read.
Enjoy …
Azeem Maherali
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I love the developments by the Aga khan foundation, awesome programmes even here in kenya, nice hospitals e.t.c
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great saying!
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