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'Holy' aubergine blessed fasting family

1/ 1/2002

A MANCHESTER family feel they have received a blessing in disguise after uncovering the Arabic word for Allah 'written' across the flesh of a chopped an aubergine.

Care worker Parveen Khan of Old Trafford was making pakoras in time for Iftar - breaking of the Ramadan fast - when she started slicing an aubergine. She saw an Arabic-style pattern which became clearer as she sliced into the vegetable.

Parveen then showed the aubergine to her twin sister Shammim who said the pattern was in fact the Arabic inscription for the word God or Allah.

Mother of three Parveen said: "I was really shocked. You hear of these things happening in tomatoes but I hadnever ever dreamt something like this will happen to me especially in the holy month of Ramadan. All my children have been fasting and praying this month so I feel this miracle must have happened to me because of that very reason.

"After I showed my sister, we quickly took the aubergine to my mum's house. My mum couldn't believe it. After checking it very carefully she confirmed what my sister said. She was very happy. The whole family is in fact delighted. We feel very blessed and Ramadan feels more special for us this year."

The only dilemma left now for Parveen is what to do with the aubergine.

"I cannot eat it and we can't throw it away because of the inscription so I thought of taking the aubergine to a clean river and just let it flow away."