that locality brought him to me at the seminary. That young man spoke to me very insolently and asked me to prove that the blessed hair at that particular place was indeed the beloved Prophet’s.

With utmost courtesy, I asked him, “What is your name?”

He replied, “ꜤAbd al-Qādir.”

Then I questioned him, “What is your father’s name?”

He responded, “ꜤAbdullāh.”

I remained silent for a moment and then enquired, “Are you ꜤAbdullāh’s son?”

He answered, “Yes.”

Again, I was silent momentarily, and then queried, “Are you indeed ꜤAbdullāh’s son?”

Upon this question, he yelled, “Will you repeatedly ask me this question? Yes, I am certainly ꜤAbdullāh’s son.”

I held my silence and now his anger was boiling, so I said, “I do not accept that you are ꜤAbdullāh’s son. What proof do you have that you are his son. Until you provide me with evidence for this, I can never accept it.”

Hearing this, he fell silent.

I said, “Why do you not answer? Do you have proof that you are the son of ꜤAbdullāh?”

He was silent again, but his face had changed.