During His stay in Bushihr, the Báb achieved extraordinary
things and thoroughly demolished the foundation of people's corrupt practices.
The merchants of Bushihr had a custom that after a deal had been concluded they
would renege and barter to receive a considerable discount.
Some of them came to His Holiness, negotiated purchase of
indigo dye, and bought a very large quantity. After they had sealed the bargain
and moved the lots of indigo to their own office, they returned to renege and
bargain. His Holiness did not accept and said, "You made a bargain, signed
papers, and the transaction has been completed. I will not give a discount and
will not renegotiate." They insisted. He replied. "What I said is
final." They pleaded: "It is the custom of the country." He
responded: "Many of these customs are wrong and will soon be abolished."
No matter how much they insisted, He would not agree. The merchants were
obstinate, and at last He said, "[If] the price is high, return the
merchandise as I will not barter." They insisted: "It is the custom
here." He replied: "I wish to put an end to this custom." They
insisted: "If a merchant has bought commodities and moved them to his
warehouse, and then returns them, he will forfeit his standing with merchants."
"It is your choice," He told them, "accept the terms and refrain
from renegotiation.” Again they insisted: "But this is the custom of the
realm." Yet again, He reminded them, "I am ending this custom." Eventually,
He [the Báb] ordered the merchandise brought back to His shop and did not yield
to their efforts at bargaining.
He changed many of their unseemly practices during the period
He was a merchant in Bushihr.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, quoted by Mirza Habibu’llah Afnan
in ‘The Genesis of the Bábi-Bahá’í Faiths in Shiraz and Fars’, translated and annotated by Ahang Rabbani)
