Dr.Ismail was the brilliant architect behind the Haramain expansion.

                                                       

All those who have visited the Haram Sharif in Makkah to perform Hajj or Umrah must have noticed one thing - the soles of the feet do not burn, but feel quite cold while doing Tawaf around the Kaaba under the open sky under the scorching sun.

Because there is an amazing history behind it.

Dr. Mohamed Kamal Ismail (1908–2008) was an Egyptian engineer and architect; It is more to stay behind the public eye,He felt comfortable.He was the first and youngest student in Egypt's history to graduate from the Royal School of Engineering after high school. He was also the youngest among the students sent to Europe, and the first Egyptian engineer to hold three doctorate degrees in Islamic architecture.

Dr. Mohammad Kamal Ismail was the first engineer to plan and design the Haramain (Mecca-Madina) expansion project.He took the burden of implementation on his shoulders. Despite being recommended by Saudi King Fahd and the bin Laden group to oversee this massive operation, he did not accept any remuneration; He returned a large check! His honesty and sincerity towards work made him a favorite and special confidant of King Fahad, King Abdullah.

He told Baqer bin Laden, for the work of these two holy mosques On the last day of judgment, I will stand in front of God if I get paid?

In personal life he got married at the age of 44. His wife died giving birth. After that he never married again. He devoted his whole life till his death to the maintenance of the House of Allah. Shunning the limelight of money, fame, and media, he invested his entire 100 years of life in the service of the two mosques of Mecca and Medina.

There is a wonderful incident in his life with the marble work of the Haram Sharif of Makkah-Madinah. He wanted the floor of Masjidul Haram to be covered with marble which has special heat absorption capacity for Tawaf pilgrims. This particular type of marble was not readily available. This type of marble was found only in a small mountain in Greece.

Dr. Mohammad Kamal Ismail went to Greece to purchase & got necessary marble then returned to Makkah after signing the contract and the stock of white marble also left. On time, the white marble work of Masjidul Haram floor was completed in a special design.

Exactly 15 years later, the Saudi government asked him to similarly cover the surrounding area of Masjidoon Nabi with white marble. But Dr. Mohammad Kamal Ismail felt disoriented! Because that special type of marble is only in the whole world except that small place in Greece. There was nowhere to be found and half of what was there had already been bought and used in the Haram Sharif of Makkah. What remained of the marble - it is little compared to the spacious square of Masjidoon Nabi!

Dr. Mohammad Kamal Ismail again went to Greece. He met with the CEO of that company and asked how much of that mountain is left? The CEO said that the rest of the mountain was sold soon after he bought it 15 years ago! Hearing this, he was so upset that he could not even finish his coffee! Decided to return to Makkah on the next flight. Before leaving the office, think of going to the office secretary and asking for the name and address of the buyer who bought the rest of the marbles.

Although it was a difficult task, he promised to check the old records on Kamal's repeated requests. Leave your name and phone numberWhile coming out, Kamal thought to himself - who bought it, knowing it after 15 years - or what is the use?

Before leaving for the airport the next day, the office secretary said on the phone that the buyer's name and address had been found! Kamal thought as he slowly walked towards the office - what's the point of getting the address? Many years have passed...

When he reached the office, the secretary gave him the name and address of the buyer. Dr. with the address. Mohammad Kamal Ismail's heart rate increased when he saw - the buyer of the rest of the marble is a Saudi company!

Kamal returned to Saudi Arabia that day. On reaching there, he met the company's director admin and asked - what did they do with the marbles, which they bought from Greece many years ago?

Director Admin couldn't remember anything at first. Contacted the stock room of the company and asked to know - 15 years ago brought from Greece white,What was done with the marbles? They found that the white marble is all in stock, not used anywhere!

Hearing this, Kamal started crying like a baby. When asked why he was crying, he told the whole incident to the owner of the company. Dr. Kamal asked the company to issue a blank check on behalf of the Saudi government and settle the amount as desired. But when the owner of the company found out - this white marble is a prophet(SAW) will be used to build the mosque square, he immediately refused to accept the exchange price and said, Allah subhanutayala bought it for me and He made me forget about it; Because this marble has come for the purpose of the Prophet's mosque...!

The Takeaway for Professionals:

Dr.Ismail’s story transcends faith. It’s a powerful reminder that when we operate with absolute integrity and pure intention (Ikhlās), the universe—or the Divine—often conspires to remove obstacles we never could have foreseen. Our work becomes part of a larger story, creating a legacy that outlives revenue and recognition.

True success isn't just about what we build, but why we build it.

What leader or historical figure has inspired you with their selfless dedication?

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Explore the full story of this remarkable engineer here: https://buymeacoffee.com/Kabir1989

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