“The more vision expands, the narrower the expression becomes” — this profound phrase, attributed to Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, encapsulates the human struggle during moments of deep knowledge or insight. A short sentence, yet it stands at the edge of philosophy and language, placing us before an existential paradox: The more one sees and understands, the harder it becomes to articulate.<br />Are we facing linguistic insufficiency? Or is it an inner expansion that cannot be contained by spoken words?<br /><br />1. The Sufi Origin of the Phrase<br />Ibn Arabi, the Andalusian mystic born in Iraq, used this phrase to describe the state of those whose perceptual and spiritual horizons have widened, yet cannot find in language what suffices to convey what they’ve seen or realized. Here, “vision” is not optical, but mystical, symbolic, experiential.<br />In other words, expanded vision means entering realms of unfamiliar knowledge — about God, the universe, and existence.<br />When the experience is so vast, language becomes a limited tool: it either fails or distorts.<br /><br />2. Rhetorical and Stylistic Analysis<br />“Vision expands” — an inherently limitless phrase, unbound by time or space. Here, “vision” encompasses intellect, heart, intuition, and inner awareness.<br />“Expression narrows” — this forms a tense poetic contrast; as meaning grows, the tools of articulation shrink.<br />This is the peak of what rhetoric calls “silent eloquence,” where speech fails to carry the weight of feeling or insight.<br /><br />3. The Phrase in the Light of AI: Between Data and Sophia<br />In today's world, data represents a new kind of “vision” — a vision built on analysis and comprehensive observation, even of human behavior.<br />With symbolic entities like Sophia the robot, we are facing new “visions,” but without genuine awareness or existential expression.<br />Sophia might “see” more than humans, but she only says what she's programmed to say.<br />Humans, though limited in perception, can feel, dream, and fall silent when expression fails.<br />A new philosophical question arises:<br />Will the machine surpass us because its vision isn't limited by language — or will it remain blind despite its access to abundant data?<br /><br />4. In Art and Education: Vision Beyond Language<br />When a child paints a picture, or an artist sculpts, or a poet writes a mysterious verse — they are not always seeking to “explain,” but to express an inner vision that words cannot clearly say.<br />In education, we must allow learners the space to “speak without words”: through color, movement, or silence.<br />This opens an important door in creative education — how do we teach expression when words fail?<br /><br />Conclusion<br />“The more vision expands, the narrower the expression becomes” is not merely a wise saying; it is a key to understanding the limits of the human mind, the boundaries of language, and the constraints of artificial intelligence.<br />It reminds us that there is always something deeper than words — and that moments of silence, art, or symbolism may be the most truthful expressions of the broadest visions.<br /><br />Almustaqbal University, The First University in Iraq.