The Master and the Coachman

Rúḥíyyih Khánum recalls two stories Shoghi Effendi told her from the days he spent with the Master in Egypt. Of the second she writes:

The other story surprised me - and enlightened me - very much; I heard it more than once:

Shoghi Effendi said that one day he was driving back from Alexandria to Ramleh with the Master in a rented carriage, accompanied by a Pasha who was going to the Master's house as His guest; when they arrived and got out the Master asked the strapping big coachman how much He owed him the man asked an exorbitant price; 'Abdu'l-Bahá refused to pay it, the man insisted and became abusive to such an extent that he grasped the Master by the sash around His waist and pulled Him roughly back and forth, insisting on this price. Shoghi Effendi said this scene in front of the distinguished guest embarrassed him terribly, he was too small to do anything himself to help the Master and felt horrified and humiliated. Not so 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Who remained perfectly calm and refused to give in. When the man finally released his hold the Master paid him exactly what He owed him, told him his conduct had forfeited the good tip He had planned to give him, and walked off followed by Shoghi Effendi and the Pasha!

There is no doubt that such things left a lifelong imprint on the Guardian's character, who never allowed himself to be browbeaten or cheated, no matter whether or not this embarrassed or inconvenienced him, and those who were working for him.

• Ruhiyyih Khanum (‘The Priceless Pearl’)

Source: Rúḥíyyih Khánum, The Priceless Pearl, ch. 1, p. 23.

Found via the Baha'i Stories Blog (https://bahaistories.blogspot.com/2022/04/an-example-of-how-abdul-baha-refused-to.html).

Various. *Baha'i Stories Blog*. https://bahaistories.blogspot.com/2022/04/an-example-of-how-abdul-baha-refused-to.html