The King's Messenger

When the Báb began telling people that a new Messenger of God would soon come He was still quite young, just twenty-four years of age. But His words had divine power. And so it was not long before the whole of Persia knew about Him. Even Muhammad Shah heard of Him. He wanted to know more about the Báb. And so he sent his most learned servant, Vahíd, to find out all he could about the Báb.

On the way, Vahíd thought up the questions he would ask the Báb. They were the most difficult questions he could find. Vahíd had never discovered anyone who could answer these questions. Would the Báb be able to do so?

The Báb listened attentively to Vahíd's questions. How surprised Vahíd was when the Báb then began to answer the difficult and complicated questions. These were the right answers. Vahíd was sure of that. He also knew that he himself would never have been able to find them. And he thought, too, that he was the most learned man in the land.

Vahíd wanted to ask some more questions. He went to see the Báb a second time. But when he wanted to begin, he had completely forgotten what he wanted to ask. This had never happened to him before. A few moments later he heard the Báb begin to speak. To his amazement, the Báb was giving the answers to the questions which Vahíd had forgotten. Although Vahíd had said nothing, the Báb knew exactly what he had been going to ask.

When Vahíd went to see the Báb for the third time he had a plan. He wanted the Báb to explain a chapter from the Qur'an for him. But he would not say which chapter. If the Báb were to explain that particular chapter and do it better than he had ever heard it done, Vahíd would be certain that the Báb was a Messenger of God. Then he would become His follower.

But what happened? When Vahíd met the Báb, his whole body began to tremble. He could hardly stand on his feet. Quickly, the Báb went to him, took him by the hand and sat him down beside Him. The Báb asked what he could do for him. But Vahíd could not speak a word.

Then the Báb asked if He should explain the Súrih of Kawthar for him. Tears streamed down Vahíd's cheeks. This was exactly the chapter from the Qur'an that he had wanted the Báb to explain without being asked. When He had explained the chapter from the Qur'an, Vahíd knew for certain that the Báb had a divine Message. No one in the whole world could make him doubt this now. Vahíd then became one of the staunchest followers of the Báb.

(by Hitjo Garst, From Mountain to Mountain)

Source: Hitjo Garst, From Mountain to Mountain, via Baha'i Stories for Children (https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-kings-messenger.html). The account of Vahíd's three interviews with the Báb is in The Dawn-Breakers (Nabíl-i-A'ẓam), pp. 171–175.

Various. *Baha'i Stories for Children*. https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-kings-messenger.html