"I wish that car would go faster!" Alain muttered, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "We’ll be late for Feast!"
Papa shrugged. "Perhaps it is God’s will."
Alain glanced at Papa in disbelief. "Why would God want us to be late for Feast?”
"Sometimes it’s hard to understand the will of God," Papa told him. "Did I ever tell you about the brothers from the city of Mashad in Persia?"
Alain relaxed his grip on the steering wheel.
Papa began, “Sháhvirdí and his brother ‘Azíz were merchants. Sháhvirdí was a Bahá’í, but his brother was not. Together they traveled throughout Persia. Although they sold little of their merchandise, they were always greeted warmly by the Bahá’ís in each town. Nevertheless, ‘Azíz wanted nothing to do with this "new" Bahá’í religion.
"‘Azíz worried much of the time. He worried that they would never sell their goods and return to Mashad. He worried that they would be robbed by the bandits that hid along the roads.
"When ‘Azíz expressed his concerns, Sháhvirdí would calmly answer, ‘Inshá’lláh! (God willing) Then he would return his gaze to the books that he read — books that he kept like a treasure in their own case.
"This made ‘Azíz curious. What, he thought, could be in those books?"
Alain interrupted. “Those books were the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, weren’t they, Papa?"
Papa nodded. "Yes, they were. And one day, when Sháhvirdí was getting provisions in a nearby town, ‘Azíz opened the case, took out a book, and began to read. He read about love and unity, the end of prejudice and the Kingdom of God on earth. ‘Azíz’s heart was moved by these words, yet his mind was suspicious.
“That night, ‘Azíz had a dream. He saw all the prophets of God—Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muhammad, and the others— lined up before a Blessed Being, Who wore a green táj. The Blessed Being beckoned him to Him three times before 'Azíz dared to come forward, walking on the backs of the people who lay prostrated on the ground. He threw himself at the Blessed Being’s feet.
"Praise be to God, the best of all creators!’ the Blessed One said to him.
“'Azíz awoke the next morning, and the brothers continued their journey.
"When they reached Istanbul, they took lodging in an inn. Before long, ‘Azíz found himself talking to the father of the Bahá’í martyr, Badí [the youth that took Baha’u’llah’s message to the king of Persia] ‘Azíz had many questions for the father of Badí. He had never dared to ask these questions of his brother. All were answered to his satisfaction. It was then that Azíz declared himself to be a Bahá’í!
"Praise God!’ ‘Azíz’ exclaimed. ‘If I had sold my goods, I would have returned to Mashad with only material rewards! Praise God that instead, I have found spiritual treasure."
Alain smiled. "So it was God’s will that ’Azíz became a Bahá’í. But if things had gone according to ‘Azíz‘s will, he would have returned to Mashad and never learned about Bahá’u’lláh!"
"Look, we are here!" said Papa.
Alain parked the car behind a beat-up truck that was being hooked up to a tow truck.
“Car trouble?" Alain asked the man who was attaching a chain to the truck.
"Yes," said the man. “It’s a good thing you weren’t here twenty minutes ago. You might have been in a serious accident. The brakes on this truck failed and it hit that tree over there."
Alain looked in the direction the man was pointing. He could see a big oak tree, the bark of which was scarred and chipped where the truck had hit it.
"Nobody was hurt, thank God," said the tow truck driver. "But I wouldn’t want to think what might have happened if you’d been here at the same time!"
Alain looked at Papa as a chill ran down his spine.
"Inshá’lláh," (God willing) Papa said.
('Brilliant Star', vol. 29, no. 6, January-February 1998)
