A believing servant saw me.
As they were passing by, they noticed me…
They stopped, turned back, and came near.
They gazed at my face for a long, long time…
First with their eyes, then with their hands, they caressed me.
They inhaled my scent,
Again and again…
Before leaving, they placed a kiss upon my cheeks,
And whispered softly, “How beautifully He has created…!”
In that very moment, I understood why I exist.
Suddenly, angels surrounded us;
With envy, they watched what took place.
They witnessed the majesty
Of a human being who believes in the LORD they cannot see
As if they were seeing Him…
And they recorded everything in the finest detail.
I, too, was in the “photographs” they took…
O my LORD, who answers every prayer,
I was once a lifeless seed.
You accepted my prayers;
I became a beautiful flower.
I came to life through Your Power,
I was adorned by Your Artistry,
I smiled through Your Grace.
Now, I have one prayer left
That I have saved for the Day of Judgment:
“O LORD, do not let the fire burn
The eyes that saw me…!”
-Ümit Şimşek
From the book “Bakıp da Göremediklerimiz”
Translated from Turkish. A Note on the Translation:
The phrase “Ne güzel yaratmış!” is a Turkish expression of wonder (often associated with the phrase MaşaAllah), acknowledging that the beauty of a created thing is a direct reflection of the Creator’s skill. The poem beautifully shifts from the flower’s physical experience of being admired to its ultimate spiritual plea for the person who showed it love.