The Fate of the Arrogant King

The Fate of the Arrogant King (Final Part)

Writing No. 2361

Thursday, September 29, 2022

By Muhammad Faheem Alam

“This… if only I hadn’t let pride control me, and treated my benefactor, Hakim Dawood, with neglect. If only I had repaid his favor with gratitude… if only…”

The servant does not take payment from friends… Farewell!” With that, the Greek physician left the court. The king and all the courtiers were left stunned, their eyes wide in astonishment.

The physician returned to his own country, Greece. A year later, he visited the neighboring kingdom again, this time searching for a rare herb found only in its forests.

After obtaining the herb, he decided to meet the king, curious to know how he was faring. He entered the court eagerly. But he was met with the same indifference the proud king had once shown him. The physician’s heart ached at the cold reception. He had never expected such ingratitude from the king, who had repaid his past kindness so poorly.

Storms of anger and frustration raged inside the physician’s mind. Being ignored was a sharp, painful blow, like a volcano ready to erupt. Without realizing it, he completed his journey and returned to his homeland. He decided to teach the arrogant king a lesson.

Entering his private laboratory, he began preparing a special remedy. After hours of meticulous work, he emerged holding a small pouch. “Take this to the neighboring king. Convey my greetings and say: ‘Accept this from the Greek physician Dawood.’” He handed the pouch to his loyal servant.

The servant delivered the gift to the king. “Your Majesty, the renowned Greek royal physician, Dawood, has sent this offering,” he said, presenting the pouch.

The king opened it to find some seeds and a letter. It read:

“Peace and blessings upon you! May your fortunes rise!

Your Majesty, these are a few extremely precious seeds I have obtained after years of effort. Burn them over glowing embers to release their smoke. InshaAllah, they will bring you astonishing benefits.”

– Hakim Dawood, Greek Physician

The king stared at the seeds, recognizing them—they were the same seeds used by the physician to treat his neck. He commanded glowing embers to be brought and placed the seeds over them. As he leaned forward to inhale the smoke, a sudden violent sneeze shook him. His neck vertebrae shifted painfully, leaving his neck stiff and immobile. The entire incident happened so quickly that everyone present was stunned.

“Seize that insolent servant! And bring his audacious master, Hakim Dawood of Greece, here in chains… aah…!” the king bellowed, his own voice straine

The soldiers rushed to capture the physician in Greece, but he was nowhere to be found. They scoured the country from corner to corner in vain, returning empty-handed.

Thus, the proud king faced the consequences of his arrogance and ingratitude. He was left humiliated, helpless, and full of regret.

“Ah… if only I had not let pride blind me! If only I had treated my benefactor, Hakim Dawood, with respect, repaying his favors with kindness… if only…”

Advice Paragraph:

This story teaches a timeless lesson: arrogance and ingratitude lead to downfall. No matter how powerful or wealthy one becomes, neglecting those who have helped us invites regret and consequences. Always value the kindness and guidance of others, repay favors with respect, and remain humble—true greatness lies in gratitude and humility, not pride.

No matter how powerful or wealthy one becomes, neglecting those who have helped us invites regret and consequences. Always value the kindness and guidance of others, repay favors with respect, and remain humble—true greatness lies in gratitude and humility, not pride.