“…Poetry is the Voice of God speaking through the lips of man.” – Aga Khan III In Islam, poetry has historically been a major pathway for mu’mins to express their love and gratitude to Allah, the Prophet and the Imams. From the very beginning poetry has been central to the spiritual life of Muslims, particularly in the Shi’i interpretation of Islam. During the Fatimid era prominent poets such as Al-Mu’ayyad-fi’l-din al-Shirazi wrote numerous couplets and odes expressing affection to the Imam of the time. Aly’s vision was to create a robust yet timeless compilation of vibrant new music mixed with fresh sounds and youthful voices reciting the words that he had written in yearning for spiritual bliss. The result was An ode to Shāh Karim… a compilation of spoken word poetry of anticipation, ecstasy and the longing for Fana. This album is a joint effort of over forty Isma’ili youth artists from diverse professional backgrounds, cultures, and countries. From far and wide across Canada and internationally, these young voices and instrumentalists come together in this exuberant, bright and fresh burst of melodies and voices. In An ode to Shah Karim, together with Aly, they all present their expressions of craving, longing, and search for purity.