Abu Dhabi Crown Prince visits Afghan man who refuses to sell Sheikh Zayed carpet

After an Afghan carpet seller in the UAE refused to sell a picture of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Nahyan, “Baba Zayed,” as a symbol of respect loyalty to a country which has been home for years, he was surprised with a visit from the crown prince of Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

After his visit to the carpet store, Sheikh Mohammed took to twitter to share the man’s story, a story of loyalty to the late Sheikh Zayed. In his tweet, the crown prince said to the millions who reside in the UAE “this is your second country.”

The crown prince continued to narrate the man’s story and said: “This is ‘Baba Zayed’ two sentimental words from an Afghan carpet seller whom I was delighted to meet today [Thursday]. These two words had a very powerful impact. Through these words, he expressed the symbolism, love and respect he holds in his heart for Zayed when he strongly refused to sell a carpet bearing Zayed’s picture despite insisting on the offer. A story of loyalty told through Zayed’s humanity.

“The UAE embodies the good approach which Zayed had established as a global model of tolerance and coexistence. With it, it has won the hearts of millions around the world. There are many across the country who love us in their hearts, live with us and share our dreams and aspirations,” said the crown prince in a separate tweet.