104 Preface وَنادَيناهُ أَن يا إِبراهيمُYusuf AliWe called out to him,1 “O Abraham!In the Biblical version Isaac’s consent is not taken: in fact Isaac asks, 'where is the lamb for sacrifice?' and is told that 'God would provide it'. It is a complete human sacrifice like those to Moloch. In our version it is as much a sacrifice by the will of Isma'il as by that of Abraham. And in any case it is symbolic: “this was obviously a trial”; “thou hast already fulfilled thy vision”: etc.