73 Preface قالوا أَتَعجَبينَ مِن أَمرِ اللَّهِ ۖ رَحمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ عَلَيكُم أَهلَ البَيتِ ۚ إِنَّهُ حَميدٌ مَجيدٌYusuf AliThey said: “Dost thou wonder at God’s decree? The grace of God and His blessings on you, o ye people of the house!1 for He is indeed worthy of all praise, full of all glory!”2Ahl al bayt = people of the house, a polite form of addressing the wife and members of the family. Blessings are invoked on the whole family.This little episode of Abraham’s life comes on fitly as one of the illustrations of God’s wonderful providence in His dealings with man. Abraham had had a tussle with his father on behalf of Truth and Unity (6:74); he had travelled to far countries, and was now ready to receive his great mission as the fountainhead of prophets in his old age. Humanly speaking it seemed impossible that he should have a son at his age, and yet it came to pass and became a cornerstone of sacred history.