This image interpreted within Sufi as Alif as a path, metaphysics by associating the two circles with the circle of Essence (Daira al-Dhat) and the circle of Manifestation (Daira al-Zuhur).
The left circle represents Essence (Dhat), which is beyond form and definition. It signifies the Unseen, the Absolute Reality (Haqiqah), which exists beyond time, space, and perception.
The right circle represents Manifestation (Zuhur), which includes the material world, creation, and the observable cosmos (Mulk). It is the realm in which the Absolute Essence takes form, expressing itself through divine attributes (Asma wa Sifat).
Where these two circles overlap, we find the Vesica Piscis, symbolizing the threshold between the Unmanifest and the Manifest, between the Hidden (Batin) and the Apparent (Zahir). This is the realm of spiritual realization, where the seeker moves beyond mere appearances and perceives the unity behind existence.
The human figure, measured in proportions of the Golden Ratio (1.618), exists at the meeting point of Essence and Manifestation—a bridge between the Divine and the created world. The human being, in their highest state, embodies both the hidden and manifest realities, aligning with the Quranic concept:
“We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the Truth.” (Surah Fussilat 41:53)
Thus, this image can be seen as a symbolic representation of the journey of the soul, where true knowledge (Ma’rifah) is attained through recognizing the harmony between the inner divine reality (Dhat) and its outer expression (Zuhur).
Sufi shah
