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MERE SHOW
ONCE a fakir had the occasion to be a Raja's guest at dinner. Kneeling and bending long and low, he said a lengthy Namaz which impressed the Raja very favourably. He made his guest sit by his side and they dined together. The Raja ate sparingly and the fakir had perforce to follow suit. His host admired him all the more for his temperate habits.
The fakir took his leave with due respect from the Raja. The moment he reached home, he shouted to his wife, "Serve my food immediately. I feel famished after the long and strenuous Namaz I had to say in the Raja's presence.".
"But didn't you dine with him?" asked his wife in surprise. "Of course, I did!" he replied. “But I didn't wish to appear a glutton in his eyes, so I said a lengthy Namaz and ate a sketchy meal."
"I'll serve your meal presently, but you'll have to say your Namaz over again. Just as the seeming meal hasn't satisfied you, so, too, the seeming Namaz could not have satisfied Allah!" she quipped.
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