It happened once upon a time that the madman Bahlool was walking in the dusty road past a magnificent palace when the owner of the abode himself emerged. Seeing Bahlool in his rags looking at the fine home, the man said proudly, “What do you think of my mansion? I suppose you have never seen anything so grand in all your life.”

“It would be incomparable,” said Bahlool, “if it not for an irreparable flaw.”

“Flaw?!” said the man, astonished. “What flaw? This palace is built by the finest architect in Baghdad from only gold and marble – every room has carpets of wool and silk. The furniture is carved from fragrant woods. What flaw do you claim to see in it?”

“The flaw is in its origin,” Bahlool replied. “If it has been built with honest money, then it is an extravagance, and the Quran declares that Allah hates the extravagant.”

Startled and at a loss for words, the man stared at Bahlool. “If, on the other hand,” Bahlool went on, “it is built with dishonest money, then this palace is a demonstration of your treachery, and therefore could never be considered beautiful. Rather it would be a sign of the punishment that awaits you when you come to be judged by Allah.”

Then Bahlool walked on, leaving the rich man in silence.