The external and internal dimensions of Islam.

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The words zahir and batin are two Quranic terms that, while not too well known outside specialist circles, describe something highly important in the Islamic tradition. Zahir refers to the outer dimension, or the outer face, of the Islamic faith. Batin on the other hand refers to the inner, spiritual dimension. At its most simple level the former term refers to acts while the latter refers to the intention behind those acts.