In a city swollen by refugees but still mostly at peace, or at least not yet openly at war, a young man met a young woman in a classroom and did not speak to her. For many days. His Name was Saeed and her name was Nadia and he had a beard, not a full beard, more a studiously maintained stubble, and she was always clad from the tips of her toes to the bottom of her jugular notch in a flowing black robe.
-- Saeed and Nadia (1 )

Importance: The opening sentence of the novel identifies the place and the protagonists without giving any names. When the second sentence reveals Saeed and Nadia's names, it also gives the two details that will remain consistent throughout their lives: Saeed's beard and Nadia's black robe.

So he was unprepared for the feeling of awe that came over him, the wonder with which he then regarded his own...
-- Saeed (chapter 3)