same. He reforms those who have the mind-set of wasting time, and also carries out self-accountability by performing Fikr-e-Madinah if he utters an unnecessary statement. This was the very Madani mind-set of our pious predecessors. For persuasion, let us listen to two faith-refreshing parables and learn some admonitory Madani pearls from it.

1. Reformation of the one who wasted time

It is stated on page No. 829 of the 2^nd volume of the book ‘Ihya-ul-‘Uloom’, published by Maktaba-tul-Madinah, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami: Sayyiduna Abu ‘Ali Fudayl Bin ‘Iyaad (فُضَیل بن عِیاض رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه) was sitting alone in Masjid-ul-Haraam when one of his friends came to him. Sayyiduna Abu ‘Ali Fudayl Bin ‘Iyaad رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه asked him the reason he had come for. He replied, ‘O Abu ‘Ali! I have come to amuse you.’ Sayyiduna Abu Ali Fudayl Bin ‘Iyaad رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said, ‘By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! This is something of a great worry! You do want to beautify your speech for me and [wish that] I beautify my speech for you? You lie for me and I lie for you?  (Therefore, it is better that) either you go away from me or I will go away from you.’

(Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 2, pp. 287)

2. Observed Siyam for one year as expiation for one useless question

It is stated on page 173 of the book ‘Minhaj-ul-‘Aabideen’ published by Maktaba-tul-Madinah, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami: Sayyiduna Hassaan Bin Sinaan Taabi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه passed by a massive and towering house and asked its owner: ‘How long has it been since you constructed this huge house?’ Having asked this question, he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه felt deeply embarrassed in his heart and addressing his Nafs [i.e. inner-self], he said: ‘O the arrogant Nafs! You waste precious time in [asking] useless and purposeless questions.’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه then observed Siyam for one year as an expiation of this useless question. (Minhaj-ul-‘Aabideen – Arabic, pp. 65)