White marble, famous for its rarity, its white color, and its ability to cool down buildings exposed to heat, was entirely imported from Greece. King Fahd then asked Ismail to use the same white marble in the Prophet's Mosque. The building has undergone several expansion stages throughout its history to accommodate pilgrims performing Hajj and Umrah.

Ismail is the youngest graduate of a secondary school in Egypt. He is also the youngest person accepted by the Royal School of Engineering in the country. He was later sent to Europe to pursue further education in the field of Islamic architecture.

"He got married at the age of 44 and his wife gave birth to a son before he passed away. Ismail chose to dedicate himself to worship and stay away from the media spotlight until his death at the age of 100."