The Veiled Lover Once, in the heart of a vast Arab kingdom, there lived a king, known far and wide for his eloquence in poetry and his passion for worldly love. He was a ruler of immense power and beauty, with a sensitive nature that sought both wealth and pleasure. However, over time, his heart began to change. The allure of his kingdom and the pleasures of the world grew bitter, as a higher, divine love began to stir within him.
He found himself reflecting more on the mysteries of life, and the sweetness of divine love began to consume him. His poems transformed, no longer praising the fleeting beauty of the world, but yearning for the eternal beauty of the divine. One night, he reflected deeply:
“One must plunge into madness, forsaking the ignorance of shallow wisdom. Embrace true love in your heart, for merely by oneself, one cannot reach the truth. Without enlightenment from divine wisdom and spirit, one remains ignorant.”
Realizing that the life he was living was devoid of true meaning, the king became indifferent to his throne and crown. In the dead of night, without telling anyone, he left his kingdom behind, choosing instead the wilderness, the mountains, and the deserts, to seek true peace. As he wandered far from his land, he eventually crossed the borders of his kingdom and entered the region of Tabuk. To keep his identity hidden, he veiled his face, becoming known only as “the veiled stranger.”
The days grew harder. With little to eat and his body weak from fasting, the king found work with local laborers, molding bricks and toiling under the sun. Though his face was covered, his graceful demeanor and noble presence could not be hidden. The workers began to whisper among themselves, wondering if this veiled man might once have been a nobleman or even a king.
The rumors soon reached the ears of the king of Tabuk, who became curious about this mysterious laborer. Could it really be that a king had come to work among common men? Driven by curiosity, the king of Tabuk quickly made his way to the hut where the veiled man lived. Upon meeting him, he immediately sensed the truth.
“O noble one!” the king of Tabuk said. “I see in your radiant face that you are not an ordinary man. Surely, you must be a king! What has caused you to forsake the luxuries of kingship for the hardship of poverty? What made you abandon the comfort of the palace for the labor of a common man?”
The king of Tabuk spoke with humility and sincerity, pleading for the veiled man to reveal his secret. The veiled king, however, did not speak of worldly matters. Instead, he whispered something into the king of Tabuk’s ear—words of such profound love and pain that the king of Tabuk cried out in agony. His soul was pierced by the depth of the veiled king’s devotion to the eternal truth. In that moment, the king of Tabuk tore his royal garments, abandoning all thought of his own power and wealth.
Overwhelmed with the love of the eternal beauty, the king of Tabuk found himself yearning for something far greater than his throne. Together, in the dead of night, the two kings left Tabuk, wandering into the wilderness. They sought solitude and peace, so that they might fully devote themselves to the remembrance of their beloved Creator.
The veiled lover’s words had been so sweet, so full of the truth of divine love, that all the pleasures of kingship now seemed hollow to the king of Tabuk. Nothing in the world could compare to the ecstasy of knowing and loving the eternal. And from that moment, the king of Tabuk felt a profound connection with the divine.
Moral of the Story:
True fulfillment comes not from power, wealth, or worldly pleasures, but from the pursuit of inner peace and connection with the divine. No matter how great one’s worldly status, the heart’s deepest longing is for eternal truth, and in finding that truth, all else becomes insignificant. This story teaches us the importance of letting go of material desires and seeking the higher purpose in life—love, humility, and the divine.
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