Opening Your Inner Eye Through Inspirational Religious Literature (11 Min. Read)
How Ismaili Esoteric Teachings and Inspired Literature Awaken Inner Vision and Deepen Spiritual Life
“Forever Expanding”
By: Khayāl ‘Aly
1/14/26
Not all religious literature
is at the same level,
even within one
spiritual community.
Some materials explain
basic doctrinal principles
while others improve
your soul’s immunity.
It’s important to know
your religious history,
but don’t forget to seek out
the real esoteric wisdom.
If you spend all your time
on exoteric writings,
how will you get the keys
to enter the heavenly kingdom?
Prayer and good ethics
are of course necessary,
but you also have to deepen
your noetic understanding.
Don’t limit yourself
to issues of this physical world
when your rational soul
is meant to be forever expanding.
Forever Expanding: From Information to Illumination
The poem “Forever Expanding” reflects a central insight of Ismaili spirituality: that faith unfolds through levels of understanding, and not all religious writings serve the same spiritual function. While prayer, ethical conduct, and foundational teachings are essential, the poem urges the seeker not to stop at outward forms alone, but to pursue deeper, inner meaning through taʾwīl — the unveiling of spiritual realities beneath the surface of religious language.
This emphasis on deeper understanding is not new. It stands firmly within the guidance of the Imams themselves. Mawlānā Sulṭān Muḥammad Shāh⁽ᶜ⁾ emphasized the transformative power of true religious knowledge, saying: “If you study the books of religious knowledge and act upon them, you will be angels.”1
He further taught that genuine understanding comes through guided engagement with inner meaning, rather than surface reading alone: