Of the famous stories told is that of the Aga Khan III, who died in 1957. He was the spiritual leader of the Ismailis, a Shi'ite sect (as were the Fatimid) based principally in India but with followers around the world.
 
Aga Khan, who was celebrated in 1945 by being weighed in diamonds by his adherents, had chosen Aswan as a winter residence. When he died, he was buried here, and every day, his widow, the Begum, placed a red rose on his tomb.
His Mausoleum has an excellent view, including Aga Khan's white villa below, and is near the Monastery of St. Simeons on the west bank at Aswan. His Begun still lives in the villa three months of the year. It is a very elegant pink granite structure of late 1950 origin. The mausoleum remained open until she died in 2000. Today, it is locked like a silent grave, and nobody knows if or when it will reopen.
Aga Khan came to Aswan a very sick man, barely able to move. But he was made significantly more comfortable during the last years before he died of cancer, by the ancient, natural therapeutic techniques of the Nubians, namely the Mud body Mask and the Sand Burring. Since Pharaonic time, Aswan was known for its environmental, Climato therapy, as scenes on walls at the Kom Ombo temple reveal.

Sand burring is useful for curing various diseases such as rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis. Burring is done in hot sands in the surrounding mountains. The calm and beautiful landscape and pollution free environment also contribute to speedy recovery. Aswan's, clear sunshine all the year round together with extremely dry weather provide an ideal atmosphere for curing rheumatism and bronchial asthma. Sand Burring is also believed to earth the body of the extra ionic, electric and magnetic charge we accumulate from city pollution.
Mud mask is a therapeutic thermotherapy for skin and joint ailments. The mud is brought in from the rich Nile banks. The turbulent flow of the Nile in the area does not allow the harboring of the Bilharza snail, which needs still, stagnant water to survive.

The Mud Mask is done at noon during the months of summer for best results. This mask helps clean and tighten pores, while nourishing your skin without drying it.  You body is coated with a rich mineral mud, then lay back in the heat of the day to enhance the relaxation and penetration of the mud. After bathing in the Nile to wash away the mud mask, your skin is gently hydrated and moisturized, leaving you clean, refreshed, and glowing. It is also know to sooth the pains of rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis.