Jubilating the 113th birth anniversary of Prince Aly Salman Khan 

“Light upon Light” by Yasmin P. Karim

Prince Aly Salman Khan, A.S., esteemed son of the “Finest Imam we have had”, the 48th Hazrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah al-Husayni, A.S., and father of the present 49th “Imam of the Space Age”, Nur Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni, A.S., has etched a uniquely indelible mark in history.

For over 146 years, the world has witnessed the magnificent and glorious Imamat of Hazrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah al-Husayni, known as His Highness Aga Khan III. His son, Prince Aly Salman Khan, also played a pivotal role. 

Together, their guidance and vision have led to unprecedented advancements in both the physical and spiritual realms of science.

A source of perpetual inspiration
The life and works of Prince Aly Salman Khan stand as a pillar of wonder, marvel, and multidimensionality. His leadership on the international stage has profoundly shaped and developed human ethics and intellect.

A true champion, Prince Aly S. Khan was the only one in 1932 to complete the era’s longest civil flight. As an amateur jockey, he triumphed in numerous prestigious races, including steeplechases and Longchamp races.

An accomplished master of arts, languages, and literature, Prince Aly Salman Khan, A.S., was a distinguished diplomat, serving as Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly and Chairman of the U.N.’s Peace Observation Committee. He played a central role in the strengthening of Ismaili communities. In 1930, Hazrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah al-Husayni declared, 

“I am sending my beloved son to you; you should consider him equivalent to my own coming”
Willi Frischauer, The Aga Khans, London 1970.

Expressing the essence of bliss for humanity, Prince Aly Salman Khan, A.S., eloquently stated, “Bliss is a spiritual substance, maddah, which pours its grace, fayz,  over the soul and presents it with the sweet heavenly wine”

Light-upon-Light continues from the progeny of Holy Prophet Muhammad A.S.
“When the light of Qa’im shone forth,
Every forehead became a place of Divine Manifestation, akin to Mt. Sinai.
‘Ali is the Active Light of Qiyamat, and the same ‘Ali is the hidden and the loud Zikr”
Prof. Allamah Nasir al-Din Nasir Hunzai, Diwan-i Nasiri, Karachi 1978.

Prince Aly S. Khan pursued his passions for horses, motor racing, yachting, and skiing with great joy and zeal. While media coverage often highlighted his social life, portraying a “flamboyant” lifestyle, such a narrow perspective falls short of fully appreciating his comprehensive historical contributions and his profound love and care for humanity.

In the words of Om Habibeh, Mata Salamat Begum Aga Khan III, Prince Aly S. Khan was “phenomenally alive”. 
HELLO! Magazine, Interview, February 24, 1996.

And Bettina, in Bettina expressed, “I both loved and understood Aly, and it was with him that I found what I had been seeking my whole life long: inner peace”.

“My heirs will naturally be riders of horses. That is in our blood. The ‘horse and the rider’ have been the emblem of my race for a thousand years”.
1955 interview with W. R. Titterton, London, United Kingdom.”

Prince Aly S. Khan’s actions remain a source of inspiration for world peace and self-actualization. His guidance for the “two most important principles of life—Unity and Service” resonates deeply with those striving for harmony and self-improvement.