I’d like to begin this piece with the verses of a great poet—who, in the words of a dear friend of mine, is “always plugged in”—verses that touch my heart with the same intensity every time I read them.
As we search for the deeper meanings behind these lines, we’ll reflect on what they might be saying to the people of today—to us.
This is a couplet by Sheikh Galib: “Look kindly upon yourself, for you are the essence of the universe;
You are the human being who is the mirror of the cosmos.” Oh, what a sigh!
In the line “Look kindly upon yourself, for you are the essence of the universe,” the phrase “zübde-i âlem” means “the essence of the universe, the pinnacle of creation.” Here, Sheikh Galib reminds humanity to look closely at themselves, for they are the most precious essence of existence.
He emphasizes that humanity holds a special and chosen place among the beings created by God.
In the line “You are the pupil of the eye of the universe,” the phrase “pupil of the eye” refers to the “pupil of the eye,” and the word “universe” means “all beings, the universe.”
Thus, in this verse, Sheikh Galib states that human beings are the pupil of the universe’s eye—the center and most precious part of all existence.
This couplet expresses the Sufi concept that humanity, as a “microcosm,” is a summary and reflection of the greater universe (macrocosm).
Sheikh Galib expresses the grandeur of humanity and the mystery of its creation through these lines.
It is the most elegant expression of valuing oneself without falling into the trap of a narcissistic ego.
It is as if Sheikh Galib, while touching our hearts on one hand, is also reminding us of our uniqueness on the other, urging us to build our lives on that principle of worth and to shape our personalities through that sense of uniqueness.
The value a person places on themselves also places a great responsibility upon them.
What else can a person who feels this responsibility do but pay close attention to every word that comes out of their mouth and every action they take, with the awareness that they are the apple of the universe’s eye?
This “self” is not the ego’s false “self.” On the contrary, it is the nothingness that emerges when the “I” disappears. When the “I” is no longer present, what begins to shine is that divine light.
In other words, it is our true self.