Ismaili Isma'ilism ( ar, الإسماعيلية, al-ʾIsmāʿīlīyah) is a branch or sub-sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al ...

Shi'a Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...

believe in

panentheism Panentheism ("all in God", from the Greek grc, πᾶν, pân, all, label=none, grc, ἐν, en, in, label=none and grc, Θεός, Theós, God, label=none) is the belief that the divine intersects every part of the universe and also extends be ...

, meaning God is both

reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, re ...

and transcendent of it. While the figure of the Godhead is beyond this universe, even beyond the categories of existence/non-existence and being/non-being, the Godhead has created the Universal Intellect or ''aql-e-kul'' through his Divine Command or ''amr''. The Universal Intellect/Nous/First Cause is the first created being which is the manifestation of the Unconditioned, Simple and Transcendental Godhead. The Universal Intellect contains and encompasses everything that falls under the categories of being and existence, including all living beings.The

Imam Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve ...

is the pure, perfect soul that reflects the Light or ''nur'' of the Universal Intellect acting as its Epiphany on the face of the Earth. Therefore, salvation for the Ismailis is to gain recognition and vision or ''deedar'' of the ''nur'' of the Imam which is the Universal Intellect.

References

* Eren, B. (2015). The Origins of Nizari Ismailis and Their Strategy During the Reign of Hassan-i Sabbah. * Shia, I. History of Nizari Ismailism. Ismaili theology Panentheism {{spirituality-stub