AN AUDIENCE WITH KING FAISAL
BY MARTHA L. ROOT
JANUARY SECOND, 1930, I had the great honor to be received by His Most Gracious Majesty King Faisal of ‘Iráq. The meeting took place at 9.45 o’clock in the morning, in his beautiful Secretariat in Baghdád. I had come through the main thoroughfares of this colorful, interesting city where the tenth and the twentieth centuries, medievalism and the last word in modernity supplement each other. No city could be more thrilling to tourists than Baghdád. Its very name will interest you; it used to be called Dáru’s—Salám, which translated into English means “Abode of Peace.” This name is prophetic, for in the centuries ahead Baghdád is going to play a great rôle in universal peace—but that is not this story.
As the swift motor car turned into the Royal tropical gardens, aeroplanes circled high in the heavens overhead, while the great palm gardens themselves were carpeted with thousands of low-growing chrysanthemums in every tone of yellow and bronze, and mingled with these were many roses. The large long—extending one—story building, a European designed structure, was enhanced with great columns of beautiful Mosul marble. (Mosul, as you may know, was the Nineveh of Biblical days.) The whole Secretariat with its gardens was situated on the Tigris River, and it is not very far from the historic Riḍván Garden where Bahá’u’lláh declared His Mission in 1863.
Although the writer was fifteen minutes ahead of the hour for this interview, His Majesty King Faisal, who is very prompt, a man who works with tremendous energy and devotion to his people, had already arrived. He said he would receive the visitor immediately—so the early comer had the favor of a longer audience. The writer was shown into a richly furnished drawing-room perfect in appointments. It was London’ best, with marvelous furniture and eastern rugs whose designs and colors made one wonder if Babylon left these as a rare remembrance of the glory of ancient Mesopotamia, the land we now call ‘Iráq.
His Majesty the King, dressed in the conventional morning suit and with uncovered head, did not sit upon a throne; he came forward and extended his hand in greeting with a friendliness which showed he is the highest representative of Arab refinement which has come down to us through all the centuries from his glorious ancestor the Prophet of Arabia. For this cultured King is a direct descendant of Muḥammad; he is the son of the Sherif of Mecca, ex-King Husayn of the Hijáz. His Majesty King Faisal is very handsome, a man not yet in the fifties, who has a most deep and striking expression, for his soul has lived and learned and trusted God. He is very bright, very cultured and very charming. It was not solemn, ultraformal interview; he was very dignified but smiling, gracious, and like a true statesman he concentrated to give his best thought. He was democratic and he stands ready to serve mankind.
The writer knew that he met ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Haifa, Palestine, and so, after giving to His Majesty the warm greetings of Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá’í Cause and the salutations of all the family of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, her first question was: “What was your impression of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Center of the Covenant of the Bahá’í Movement?” Thoughtfully His Majesty replied: “‘Abbas Effendi, for that was the name I always used in speaking with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, impressed me as a very great, intelligent, wise man. I had great respect for him because he was working for the
{{bwpage|3|355}Section of the Bahá’í Esperanto Conference, part of the Universal Congress of Esperanto in Antwerp, taken just before the first session. In the front row seared, Miss Lydia Zamenhof in white, who served as honorary President of the Conference, and representatives from England, Persia, Germany, Holland, United States and other countries.
A group gathered for a Bahá’í talk. Miss Holsapple second from right.
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welfare of all humanity. I met him just
ten years ago, in 1920, in Haifa, Palestine.”
As His Majesty is a very busy man with ten people to see in the next hour, most of whom are diplomats, the journalist tried to be concise. The second point: the writer stated that all Bahá’ís in the five continents have heard of the interest His Majesty King Faisal is taking to settle the matter of the Houses of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád with justice to all parties concerned, and the Bahá’ís are very grateful to him. The King replied that he had only done his duty, that he had done what was necessary to maintain justice in this matter. His own words were: “Justice will always be followed. We have formed a committee to study the whole problem and settle it in such a way as to satisfy all groups interested in this matter.” He was so considerate, so frank, and gracious about the whole question.
Thirdly: His Majesty said that he certainly believes in the harmony and co-operation of peoples of all religions. He explained that in ‘Iráq this co-operation may be realized even before it is in other countries, because evolution here is very rapid. He says this religious world unity may arise here much sooner than we think!
Fourthly: we spoke of ‘Iráq and the League of Nations. His Majesty King Faisal says that the British Government has made a definite promise that ‘Iráq shall enter the League in 1932, and he believes this promise will be fulfilled absolutely.
Fifthly: the writer asked him if he believes in an Arab United States, and he replied that it is the ideal of every true Arab.
The sixth question was: "What is Iráq’s aim for universal peace?” His Majesty’s answer was: “‘Iráq cannot play a great role in universal peace at present. The important thing she can do, is to keep unity in her own domains, maintain good relations with all her neighbors, and work hard to develop the country to the highest culture and spirituality possible.”
The writer in saying good—bye to His noble Majesty, told him that many thousands of people from Europe, United States, South America, Australasia as well as Eastern peoples will come to Baghdád when the Houses of Bahá’u’lláh are opened to the public. Whatever the glory of Baghdád has been in the past, it has a greater future awaiting it, for it was in Baghdád that Bahá’u’lláh declared Himself to be the Prophet of God in this universal epoch. His Majesty King Faisal replied so justly, so kindly, that the Bahá’ís will remember him always as a monarch who is one of the greatest humanitarians in the Middle East.
Driving away in the motor car back to the hotel, the departing journalist this morning wished that she had a book to read the biography of this just and earnest King. There is no book, she only knows that he is a devout but a liberal Muḥammadan, and that he was born in Mecca. He is an ardent nationalist and he is aiming at general Arab unity; at the same time he believes all Arab States should put their own houses in order, then unity with ‘Iráq, Ḥidjáz, Palestine and Syria will not be difficult. He is an advocate of reform, but a reform which will be the result of education and evolution. The writer knows that he is furthering the cause of education in ‘Iráq very much, and he works indefatigably to promote the education of women in his country. Besides his continual occupation in higher politics in his country, His Majesty devotes some time to practical farming. He has set up a model farm outside of Baghdád where he is carrying out experiments in cotton growing, for cotton is a product which will bring great wealth to ‘Iráq just as it did to the Nile Land.
This sketch would not be complete without speaking of the King’s own family. His Majesty King Faisal has one wife the Queen, and though the writer has not yet met her, she hears that the Queen and her son and four daughters are all very interesting. His Royal Highness Emir Ghází, heir apparent to the throne, is about nineteen years old. He studied for two years at Harrow, England, and he is now in a military school in Baghdád preparing to be an officer.
This is only the briefest outline of the delightful audience with His Majesty King Faisal and a note or two about his family and his busy and historic life.
