8 Preface قالَ رَبِّ أَنّىٰ يَكونُ لي غُلامٌ وَكانَتِ امرَأَتي عاقِرًا وَقَد بَلَغتُ مِنَ الكِبَرِ عِتِيًّاAhmed Ali“How can I have a son, O Lord” he said, “when my wife is barren and I am old and decrepit?”