His father was a historian, biographer, and scholar of hadith, who wrote two volumes about the history of Egypt—one about the Egyptians and one based on traveller commentary on Egypt.
Tema isa oli hadithi ajaloolane ning eluloolane, kes kirjutas Egiptuse ajaloost kaks teost – ühe egiptlastest ning ühe rändajate kommentaaridest Egiptuse kohta.