His Ideas Inspired My Nonprofit. They Hold Keys to Staving Off Tyranny
His Ideas Inspired My Nonprofit. They Hold Keys to Staving Off Tyranny
AKDN / Anya Campbell
Media Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy (USA)
Date: 21 February 2025
The teachings of the late Aga Khan IV, spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, point to the role of civil society as a bulwark against the “frightful despotism” that George Washington warned about. Founder and President of Interfaith America, Eboo Patel writes, “I remembered that the Imam had given one of his…
The teachings of the late Aga Khan IV, spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslims, point to the role of civil society as a bulwark against the “frightful despotism” that George Washington warned about. Founder and President of Interfaith America, Eboo Patel writes, “I remembered that the Imam had given one of his most fulsome explications of pluralism on the very campus where I was due to speak. In this 2014 talk, the Aga Khan IV described our increasing reliance on digital communication tools as contributing to “growing centrifugal forces.” These, he said, were “forces of fragmentation” that isolate individuals, divide us, and threaten core institutions and democratic societies.” The Imam highlighted how pluralism is a shared value across many cultures and faiths. He cited his own tradition, Islam, quoting the Qur’an when he said that humankind is descended from “a single soul” and given by the Divine both human rights and social duties.