It was often seen that the presence of Hazrat Inayat Khan had a way of opening doors, minds and hearts that seemed irrevocably closed. The following anecdote of an exchange with a French tradesman was recorded by Kismet Stam, one of the Murshid’s secretaries.

Murshid wished yellow tiles to be encrusted on a certain chimney at Fazal Manzil. The man who was concerned with it was asked to bring them out.

“Yellow tiles?” he said. “They don’t exist.”

Murshid had the man come into his presence. “You see,” he said, “such yellow tiles…”, explaining what was wanted.

“Yes, yes,” the man immediately replied. “I’ll find them, sir!”

A few days later, the yellow tiles were there.