Guardians of Esoteric Knowledge: Exploring the Agents of Ta’wil in Ismaili Thought (Part 1)
A discussion on the ta’wil and ta‘lim of the Qur’an and how esoteric knowledge reaches the believers.
In accordance with Shia doctrine, tradition and interpretation of history, the Holy Prophet (S.A.S.) designated and appointed his cousin and son-in-law Hazrat Mawlana Ali Amīru-l Mu’minīn (‘Alayhi-s-salām), to be the first Imam to continue the Ta’wīl and Ta‘līm of Allah’s final message and to guide the murids, and proclaimed that the Imamat should continue by heredity through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (A.S.) and his daughter Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra, Khātūn-i-Jannat (‘Alayhā-s-salām).
Ismaili Constitution 1998
Preamble, Section (B)
As seen in the above section of the Ismaili Constitution, the Imam places immense importance on his role as the continuer of the ta’wil and ta‘lim of Allah’s final message. But how many of us truly understand what this means? What do these terms mean? And how can we be certain that it is Imam Shah Karim⁽ᶜ⁾ who fulfills these functions? Although these questions have already been addressed by many others from different perspectives, in my view, a concept as central and vital as ta’wil to the Ismaili tariqah of Islam deserves exploration from every possible angle. We will begin by clarifying the meaning of these terms and then demonstrate how the living Ismaili Imam serves as their ultimate source.
The word ta’wil shares shares its Arabic root with awwal, meaning “first”
or “beginning.” Ta’wil, as a verbal noun, signifies “turning towards and returning back to the origin or beginning.” In the context of the Imam’s responsibilities as outlined in the Ismaili Constitution, ta’wil refers to the process of uncovering the original essence of the Qur’an — an interpretative journey that unfolds across multiple stages or levels, each revealing progressively deeper and more concealed spiritual and intellectual meaning of the divine message.
The word ta‘lim shares the same Arabic root letters as the well-known word ‘ilm, which means “knowledge” or “science”. Ta‘lim refers to the transmission of ‘ilm in the form of instruction or teaching. As we know, a science can be presented in various forms of instruction to make it easy for students to receive the knowledge. Similarly, ta‘lim is a kind of ‘packaging’ for ta’wil and can manifest or be delivered in various forms. According to the Ismaili Gnosis article, “How Hazar Imam Teaches the Esoteric Interpretation (Ta’wil) of the Holy Qur’an”, the Imam packages and conveys the ta’wil in at least six distinct forms of ta‘lim. One such form is embedded within the set of tariqah rituals practiced by the Ismaili Jamat as prescribed by the Imam’s instruction.
A prominent example of such a tariqah ritual is the daily recitation of the Ismaili Du‘a. The Imam has emphasized a number of times in his farmans (authoritative guidance) the importance of not only reciting the Du‘a but to also know its meaning:
I would like my spiritual children — and here I address myself to the younger children — when you learn your Du‘a, also to learn the meaning of your Du‘a. I do not want you to recite the Du‘a without knowing what is the meaning of the Du‘a. It is essential that our young children should know what is the meaning of the Du‘a….
— Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni⁽ᶜ⁾
Bombay, India. November 8, 1967
I would like each and every spiritual child not only to know the Du‘a by heart, but to understand the meaning of the Du‘a. It is fundamental for you and for your children and for the future of our Jamat that each and every one of you, particularly the younger members of the Jamat, should understand the meaning of the Du‘a.
— Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni⁽ᶜ⁾
Poona, India. February 22, 1969
It is clear that if the Imam emphasizes the importance of understanding the meaning of the Du‘a, then it is not merely a ritual to be performed daily but also an act to be reflected upon for the purpose of extracting ta‘lim — the teachings of the Imam for his murids (followers). For the lesson I wish to convey here, we need look no further than the very first part of the Du‘a, a significant portion of which is taken from Surah al-Fatiha of the Qur’an. Within this surah, I would like to draw the readers’ attention to the following verses:
Guide us on the straight path (sirat al-mustaqim), the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favors, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray.
— Holy Qur’an 1:6-7
In these verses the Qur’an introduces us to the concept of sirat al-mustaqim (the straight path), a concept our Imam emphasizes repeatedly in his farmans, often giving blessings that we may remain firm on it. But we must ask ourselves: what exactly is this straight path? From this set of verses, we learn that it is a path of specific individuals and that they have received favors (or bounties) from Allah. Yet, does Allah not bestow favors upon all people? Indeed, to some extent, all people — and even all creatures, including inanimate things — are embraced and encompassed by God’s mercy and blessings:
My Mercy encompasses all things
— Holy Qur’an 7:156
Of the favors of thy Lord, We bestow freely on all — These as well as those: The bounties of thy Lord are not withheld.
— Holy Qur’an 17:20
It is evident, therefore, that the people mentioned as being on sirat al-mustaqim or to whom this path belongs are those who have received a special form of mercy (rahma) from Allah, rather than a general type of mercy, as confirmed in the following verse, which indicates that some are elevated over others:
To each [category] We extend — to these and to those — from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted. Look how We have favored some of them over others. But the Hereafter is greater in degrees and greater in distinction.
— Holy Qur’an 17:21
The dilemma we now face is: how are we to identify who these favored people are? Fortunately, we can have full faith that the guidance of Allah is not partial; rather, it is complete. To deepen our understanding, let us turn to another verse that uses similar language about Allah’s favors being bestowed upon specific individuals:
And whoever obeys Allah, and the Messenger will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed favors: the prophets (nabiyyin), the truthful ones (siddiqin), the martyrs/witnesses (shuhada’), and the righteous (salihin) — what honourable company!
— Holy Qur’an 4:69
We now know some more specific details: the straight path belongs to the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs/witnesses, and the righteous. However, we again encounter a problem. Upon closer examination, we find that the prophets are no longer with us physically, and the other categories are somewhat ambiguous. Take, for example, the shuhada’, often translated as “martyrs” but perhaps better understood in esoteric terms as “witnesses.” Even if we accept the category of martyrs as self-evident, martyrs, by definition, are also deceased. Naturally, it seems illogical to believe that only by dying in a war for Islam can one honor the straight path. One could argue that a martyr might also be someone who lives a full life dedicated to the cause of Islam, ultimately passing away in such service. Yet, even this does not provide a clear understanding of what such a life entails or who God would definitely deem to be such a person — with the same certainty by which we can name a prophet, for example. If these other groups are named alongside the prophets, they cannot simply refer to ordinary people we encounter daily who exhibit some degree of righteousness, truthfulness, or self-sacrifice. Instead, we must interpret these qualities in their most special and exalted sense.
Again, we must remember that, just as before, Allah’s guidance is indeed complete and does not fail us. To further illustrate this, we can turn to Qur’an 28:34, where an example of one of the favored individuals is given. Hazrat Musa (Moses)⁽ᶜ⁾ said:
“My brother Harun (Aaron) is more eloquent than I and therefore send him with me as a helper so that he may confirm me (yusaddiquni), for I fear that they [the Pharaoh and his people] may accuse me of falsehood.”
Here, we see Hazrat Musa⁽ᶜ⁾ asking Allah for assistance through his brother Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ so that he can confirm his prophethood and the truth of his message. The Arabic word yusaddiquni (to confirm me) shares the same root as siddiqin (truthful ones), which is one of the groups mentioned in Qur’an 4:69. The noun form, siddiq or sadiq, means “someone who performs the act of confirmation or verification.” This connection reveals that the Qur’an identifies Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ as one of the siddiqin, making him among those upon whom Allah has bestowed the greatest favors. As such, Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ stands as an exemplar of the sirat al-mustaqim.
And how great these favors must be, allowing Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ to be in a position where he could verify Hazrat Musa⁽ᶜ⁾’s prophethood and prophecies! We must therefore understand that the favors of Allah manifest most powerfully and completely in the form of intimate knowledge. The following verses further confirm this truth.
God will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks.
— Holy Qur’an 58:111
We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing.
— Holy Qur’an 12:76
Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ clearly possessed a complete and intimate form of knowledge, enabling him to perform this act of tasdiq or confirmation. This ta’wili understanding of Hazrat Musa⁽ᶜ⁾ seeking the help of Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ is further confirmed by our great Ismaili sage and da‘i (summoner to the Imam), Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw.
The word ṣadaqah is derived from ṣidq, which means “to tell the truth”, that is, to believe in the truthfulness of the lord of ta’wīl so that their souls may be purified from doubt and suspicion. Ta’wīl verifies the truth of the sharī‘at. Do you not see that God, may He be exalted, says in the story of Moses and Aaron: “So send him (Aaron) with me as a helper to verify me” (Qur’an 28:34). That is, Moses asked God, may He be exalted, to send Aaron with him so that he may verify his truth, i.e. he may explain the ta’wīl of the sharī‘at so that people may know its reality.
Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw, Wajh-i Din (The Face of Religion), Discourse 28, as quoted in Ismaili Gnosis, “Esoteric Interpretations of the Qur’an: The Foundations of Shia Ismaili Ta’wil”.
With this proof established, we know of at least one person who can be regarded as one of the masters of the straight path. But what are we to do now that Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ has also left this world? We must continue seeking guidance and follow the trail further. The following hadith provides us with significant direction in this regard. The Prophet said to Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾:
“Are you not happy that you should have in relation to me the rank of Aaron in relation to Moses, except that there is no prophet after me.”
Prophet Muhammad⁽ˢ⁾, as quoted in Ahmad b. Shu‘ayb al-Nasa’i, Khasa’is Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali b. Abi Talib (Tehran 1998, p. 76), and cited in Ismaili Gnosis, “Imam Ali declared the Successor of Prophet Muhammad in Sunni Hadith Literature”.
This hadith establishes for us that the term siddiqin includes not only Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ but Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ as well. Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw further affirms this reality in the sentence that directly follows the previously presented quotation.
The Prophet, God’s blessings and peace be upon him and his progeny, said to the Commander of the true believers, ‘Ali, peace be upon him: “You are the greatest verifier (muṣaddiq) of the truth.” That is, it was ‘Ali who through ta’wīl, verified his truth to the wise.
Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw, Wajh-i Din (The Face of Religion), Discourse 28, as quoted in Ismaili Gnosis, “Esoteric Interpretations of the Qur’an: The Foundations of Shia Ismaili Ta’wil”.
Having established Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ as a confirmer, or musaddiq/siddiq/saddiq, we are now much closer to our objective, but we have not yet arrived at the present. We must now make a firm connection with someone who is with us today, to whom we may turn for guidance. For this, we look to yet another verse of the Qur’an:
And those who disbelieve say: “You are not a messenger.” Say (O Muhammad): “Allah and he who has knowledge of the Book are sufficient witness (shahidan) between me and you.”
— Holy Qur’an 13:43
In this verse, we see that many did not believe in Prophet Muhammad⁽ˢ⁾ just as people heard the message of Prophet Musa⁽ᶜ⁾ and did not believe. The Prophet is inspired to respond to his detractors, stating that there are two witnesses to the reality of his prophethood: one being Allah Himself, and the other being “he who has knowledge of the Book”. If we recall and understand how Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ and Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ were confirmers of Prophet Muhammad⁽ˢ⁾ and Prophet Musa⁽ᶜ⁾, respectively, then we must logically conclude that such an act of confirmation is only possible if they were intimate witnesses — directly connected to the essence of the Prophet and, therefore, to the knowledge of the Book. They were witnesses through their ma‘rifah (intimate recognition) of the Prophet and, as a result, possessed full knowledge of the Book of Allah.
We should notice here that the Arabic word for “witness” used in 13:43 is shahidan, which is the singular form of shuhada’ used in 4:69. Therefore, Hazrat Harun⁽ᶜ⁾ and Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ are not only confirmers of the truth of the Prophet’s Message, but also intimate witnesses to the Messenger’s risalah (Messengership) through their own exalted spiritual station. But if the functions of confirmation and witnessing are vested in the same individuals, why does the Qur’an list them as two separate groups? Let us examine the passage below.
Knowledge (‘ilm) and wisdom (ḥikma) are, according to Ismaili belief, gifts from God, revealed to humanity through His prophets. God has successively dispatched six prophets bearing a law (sharī‘a): Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad. These prophets are called ‘speakers’ (nāṭiq), because they talk to men, proclaiming to them a sharī‘a, an exoteric ẓāhir) law with its commandments and prohibitions, its ritual obligations and legal definitions. By the side of each of these speaker-prophets stand an authorized representative (waṣī or asās) who knows and teaches the eternally immutable ‘esoteric meaning’ (bāṭin) of all these prescriptions and regulations — though only to a small number of the elect. Thus, Adam had his son Abel at his side and Noah his son Shem, Abraham’s waṣī was his son Ishmael, Moses’s waṣī was his brother Aaron, and Jesus Christ’s was Simon Peter. The speaker-prophet of our era was Muhammad. His waṣī or asās was his cousin and son-in-law ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
Heinz Halm, The Fatimids and their Traditions of Learning (London: I.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 1997), 17.
This passage illustrates that while Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ can rightly be called Imam, as Shia Muslims generally are accustomed to doing, he also serves the special function of wasi and asas because he directly followed the natiq (speaker-prophet) of his age as the first master of ta’wil for that era. Therefore Hazrat ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ holds two major roles or functions. This concept of one office possessing multiple roles or functions is explained by Sayyidna Nasir-Khusraw:
…the nāṭiq has three ranks, risālat (Prophethood), waṣāyat (legateeship) and imamate, while the asās has two, one being waṣāyat, (i.e. asāsiyyat [asās-ship]) and the other being imamate….
Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw, Wajh-i Din, translated by Faquir Muhammad Hunzai as The Face of Religion, Discourse 11, forthcoming.
As we can see, Imam ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾, like every other wasi of a natiq, serves both as an asas, the foundation of ta’wil, and as an imam. The word asas means “foundation” or “founder”, and it is in this capacity that ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾’s role as one of the siddiqin (confirmers) is established. Simultaneously, his role as one of the shuhada’ (witnesses) is derived from his position as an Imam. The following verse illustrates how Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham)⁽ᶜ⁾ was elevated to the rank of imamah (leadership) after already been performing the role of risalah (prophethood):
And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain words, which he fulfilled: He [God] said: “I will make thee an Imam for Humankind”….
— Holy Qur’an 2:124
The asas, as the foundation of ta’wil, however, holds the dual functions of wasayah (legateeship) and imamah (leadership) but not that of risalah (prophethood). This distinction makes it clear that Imam ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾, as the asas to Prophet Muhammad⁽ˢ⁾, is among the siddiqin by virtue of his foundational role in ta’wil. Additionally, he is among the shuhada’ by virtue of his position as the Imam. The reason why the shuhada’ are listed as a separate group from the siddiqin in Qur’an 4:69 is that, while there is only one asās in each cycle who embodies both roles, the role of shahid continues in the lineage of the Imams after ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾.
The term shahid (witness) has a deep connection with the imams and the institution of Imamat, extending beyond Qur’an 13:43. Several Qur’anic verses emphasize this concept:
How then if We brought from each people a witness, and We brought you (Muhammad) as a witness against these people!
— Holy Qur’an 4:41
…And I (Jesus) was a witness over them as long as I was among them….
— Holy Qur’an 5:117
And remember the time when God took a covenant of the Prophets, saying, ‘Whatever I give you of the Book and Wisdom, then there comes to you a messenger, verifying (musaddiqun) that which is with you, you shall believe in him and help him.’ And He said, ‘Do you agree, and do you accept the responsibility which I lay upon you in this matter?’ They said, ‘We agree.’ He said, ‘Then bear witness (fashahadu) and I am with you among the witnesses (shahidin).’
— Holy Qur’an 3:81
(Remember) that day when We shall summon the people (of every age) with their imam.
— Holy Qur’an 17:71
From the above references, we see that an imam is always present in the world, serving as a witness over every community and their deeds. This function of shahid-ship has continued unbroken in the lineage of imams, from Mawlana ‘Ali⁽ᶜ⁾ to the present living Imam, Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Husayni⁽ᶜ⁾. Thus, Imam Shah Karim⁽ᶜ⁾ is among the people favored by God on sirat al-mustaqim, as described in Qur’an 4:69, and serves as the current master and lord of the ta’wil and ta‘lim of Allah’s final message. This, however, raises an important question: why do we not find explicit farmans or speeches in which the Imam explains the ta’wil of the Qur’an? In what way does the Imam perform this work in our time? Might this be connected to the group of favored people on sirat al-mustaqim that we have not yet explored — the salihin?
The word salihin means “righteous ones”. While this might seem like a broad term that could apply to many people, it specifically refers to a group closely associated with the natiqs, asases, and imams. Therefore, this form of righteousness is not ordinary but rather a special righteousness derived from an intimate connection to the essence of prophetic revelation. The natiqs, asases, and Imams are, in one sense, distinct groups; yet, as demonstrated, they are united by their shared access to the light of ta‘lim and ta’wil. On one level, these groups are separate in their functions, but on a deeper level, they are united as bearers of divine knowledge and wisdom. In Qur’an 4:69, the progression of these groups reflects their succession in the world: the mention of the asāses (siddiqin) directly follows the nāṭiqs (nabiyyin), and the mention of the imams (shuhada’) directly follows the asāses. It logically follows that the ṣāliḥīn are the group that comes immediately after the imams in this spiritual hierarchy.
In Ismaili thought, these individuals are called hujjaj (singular: hujjah) in Arabic or hujjatan (singular: hujjat) in Persian, and may also be referred to as hujjahs or hujjats. In the Indian Ismaili tradition, they are known as pirs. The term hujjah means “proof”, “evidence”, “argument” or “guarantor”. This title reflects one of their essential functions, which is to establish the legitimacy of the imams and their tariqah through logical demonstrations and arguments. However, their greatest function lies in their very being, as their inner spiritual luminosity serves as proof or evidence of the transformative results of obedience and spiritual closeness to the Imam of the Age. This deeper meaning of “proof” is exemplified in how the present living Ismaili Imam, Shah Karim Al-Husayni⁽ᶜ⁾ Aga Khan, is referred to as the Hujjat al-Amr (Proof of the Divine Command), in the first part of the Ismaili Du‘a. The Imam does not necessarily engage in debates or arguments about the existence or nature of God; instead, he serves as God’s proof through his own luminous state, his guidance, and his ability to spiritually and personally illuminate others.
In Paradise of Submission, a masterful compendium of Medieval Ismaili thought, the renowned Muslim scholar and Ismaili chief missionary (da‘i al-du‘at), Nasir al-Din Tusi writes:
For just as the body of the Moon is in itself dark but illuminated by the Sun, taking the Sun’s place in its absence, and lighting up the Earth in proportion to the amount of light that it has been capable of obtaining from the Sun, so the soul of the supreme ḥujjat, which by itself knows nothing and is nothing, is illumined by the effulgent radiation of the divine assistance (ta’yīd) from the Imam…. By virtue of his capacity to receive the grace of the lights of knowledge (fayḍ-i anwār-i ‘ilm) and according to the measure of his aptitude, he enlightens people about the Imam, showing the way to him — may salutations ensure upon mention of him. He establishes the truth of the Imamate and the community of the Imam with arguments and proofs which no impartial and intellect man can deny.
Sayyidna Nasir al-Din Tusi, Rawda-yi Taslim, translated by S.J. Badakhchani as Paradise of Submission (London: IB Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2005), 131-32.
In above quotation, we see that the inner luminosity of the hujjah arises from the divine assistance (ta’yid) granted by the Imam, which empowers the ḥujjah to guide people along the spiritual path of knowledge, leading them to attain true recognition (ma‘rifah) of the Imam — the Hujjat al-Amr (the ultimate “proof” of God). This ta’yid is described as “lights of knowledge” (anwar-i ‘ilm), signifying that the ḥujjah possesses an intuitive understanding of the Imam’s inner nature — and, by extension, the inner meaning or ta’wil of the Qur’an. The esoteric knowledge (batini ‘ilm) granted by the Imam is received wordlessly, directly within the hujjah’s intellect. Nasir al-Din Tusi likens this process to the way the Moon derives its light from the Sun.
Further elaborating on the role and position of the hujjah, Hakim Nasir-i Khusraw, who himself held this exalted rank in the Ismaili Da‘wah (Summons), explains:
The ḥujjat gives knowledge to the dā‘īs and the people through speech, and the Imam gives it to the hujjat through amr (command) and khayāl (imagination)…there is continuous ta’yīd from the Imam to the ḥujjat.
Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw, Wajh-i Din, translated by Faquir Muhammad Hunzai as The Face of Religion, Discourse 15, forthcoming.
This spiritual illumination, granted through the Imam’s ta’yid, manifests in the souls of the hujjahs and pirs and has inspired the creation of profound, wisdom-filled ginans, qasidahs and prose works of ta‘lim and ta’wil. Among such works are those referenced in this article by Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw and Sayyidna Nasir al-Din Tusi. In fact, this article is essentially an expansion and exposition of a ta’wili discourse by Nasir-i Khusraw himself:
‘Guide us to the straight path (al-ṣiraṭa’l-mustaqīm)’ (1:5). Since He has commanded us to seek the straight path, it is a proof that on the path which is not straight but crooked is found that which is other than God. If God had made only one path on which we had to walk and traverse, He would not have commanded us to say this prayer. [The straight path is the way of those upon whom God has bestowed His favours, and they are the prophets, the truthful, the witnesses, and the righteous.] As He says: [‘All who obey God and the Messenger are in the company of those] upon whom God has bestowed [His] favours: the prophets (nabiyyīn) the truthful (ṣiddīqīn), the witnesses (shuhadā’), and the righteous (ṣāliḥīn)’ (4:69).
Thus, it is established that the ṣiraṭ is not [a path for the body] but the path of the soul which it should traverse, because God obliged [this path] first for the prophets, then their legatees (waṣīs) and the true Imams, and then their [proofs (ḥujjats)], as mentioned. These are the ones whom God has obliged: the prophets who are the Messengers, and they are so called because they convey the news of that world to the people; ‘the truthful’ by which He means the legatees who [ex-pounded] the ta’wīl of the sharī‘at the book to the people, and by so doing disclosed the reality of the parables which they contained and proved to the wise that the Messengers are truthful; by ‘the witnesses’ are meant the true Imams as they are the witnesses of God among the people; and by ‘the righteous’ are meant their [proofs] because the betterment of the souls of people is due to them.
Sayyidna Nasir-i Khusraw, Gushayish wa Rahayish, translated by Faquir M. Hunzai as Knowledge and Liberation: A Treatise on Philosophical Theology (London: I.B. Tauris in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 1998), 104-105.
From this exposition, we see how the Ismaili hujjahs, through the ta’yid of the Imam, are graced with the knowledge of ta’wil and uniquely favored with the ability to perceive the depths and essence of the Prophet’s divine revelation, keeping them steadfast on the straight path. However an important question remains: how exactly do ordinary members of the Ismaili Jamat benefit from this esoteric knowledge? Where does the average mu’min or believer fit into all of this? To find out, stay tuned for Part 2.

Ya ‘Ali Madad,
Navid Amiri
January 17th, 2025
Contact: n11amiri@gmail.com
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