Historically and in accordance with Ismaili tradition, the Imam of the time is concerned with spiritual advancement as well as improvement of the quality of life of his murids. The Imam’s Talim lights the murids’ path to spiritual enlightenment and vision. In temporal matters, the Imam guides the murids, and motivates them to develop their potential. Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim al Hussaini, His Highness Prince Aga Khan, in direct lineal descent from the Holy Prophet (S.A.S.) through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (A.S.) and Hazrat Bibi Fatima (A.S.), is the Forty-Ninth Imam of the Ismaili Muslims.
— The Constitution of The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims – Preamble (F) and (G)
One of the central elements of the Islamic faith is the inseparable nature of faith and world. The two are so deeply intertwined that one cannot imagine their separation. They constitute a “Way of Life.” The role and responsibility of an Imam, therefore, is both to interpret the faith to the community, and also to do all within his means to improve the quality, and security, of their daily lives.
— His Highness the Aga Khan at Tutzing Evangelical Academy, Tutzing, Germany May 20, 2006
Ismailimail 
A good allegory from nature that hints at the non-dichotomous nature of Faith and the World is the constant flitting back and forth, between existence and non-existence, of the tiniest particles of matter and energy(light). This process occurs everywhere in the cosmos: matter and their anti-matter counterparts come into existence and when they collide with each other extinguish each other to release energy or light; the process then reverses itself, ie, energy or light extinguishes itself and the particles of matter come back into existence again:
http://spiritandlife.wordpress.com/2007/11/05/a-cosmos-full-of-signs-and-symbols-that-evoke-the-perfection-of-allahs-creation-and-mercy/
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