Extract from a talk by Hand of the Cause of God A.Q. Faizi in 1969 in
Australia:
'Abdu'l-Baha traveled in Europe after He had been released from prison,
and he traveled in America too, to propagate the Faith of His Father. One
of the greatest and cruellest enemies, one of the princes of Persia, was
in Europe at the same time as 'Abdu'l-Baha. One day he went to
'Abdu'l-Baha and said, "I have come to ask you one question. Look at me,
my hat is covered with diamonds, my garments have all sorts of jewels, and
yet when I walk in the streets, nobody looks at me or pays any attention
to me. And yet, when you walk in the streets and you have the simplest
garment in the world, everyone makes way for you. They come to you. There
are always hundreds of people at your door. I want to know why."
'Abdu'l-Baha knew him and knew that because of him many of the Baha'is had
been put to death. Therefore he told him, "Your Highness, will you sit
down a little and I will tell you a story." The prince sat down. The name
of that prince was Zillu's Sultan, the son of Nasiri'd-Din Shah. The
Master said: "Once a wise man passed the square of a certain town and
found one of the richest people of that town gloomy and sad, brooding over
his sorrows in the corner of the square. He went to him and asked, "What
is the matter with you?' He answered, 'I have enough money to be the
greatest merchant in this town, but I am not satisfied. I want to be
greater than that.' The wise man said, 'For instance, what would you like
to be?' The merchant replied, `I want to be the governor of this town.'
The wise man said, 'If I make you the governor of this province, not the
town, but the whole province, will you be satisfied? Please search your
heart and give me the true answer.' The man pondered and then said:
'Honestly, I will not be satisfied. I want to be a minister.' 'I will
make you a Minister, but give me another honest answer, will you be
satisfied?' After that, he wanted to be King of the country, and the wise
man said, 'I will make you the king, will you then be happy and satisfied?
Do you want anything beyond that?' The man replied, 'After that there is
nothing.' 'Abdu'l-Baha then said to the prince, "Your Highness, I am that
nothing."
