Browse Sections

• Education
• Business
• Blog
• Special reports

The price of faith

1/11/2002

TO prove is devotion to Islam a Rochdale chauffeur has spent £15,000 on a number plate that reads 'A11AH'.

Khalid Quershi thinks his holy registration is worth every penny. In fact he believes other, Muslims far richer than he, would have paid more.

Said Khalid, who lives in Rochdale but works in London: "I did not hesitate at all when I saw it advertised. I think it's worth it as Allah is very close to my heart. It was an opportunity I couldn't refuse.

"People have been stopping me in the streets asking me about the plate. They think it's a great buy and I've been offered money for it but have refused to sell."

But before Khalid bought it, he asked Muslim scholars if the transaction would be in keeping with Islam. They said it was, so long as he drove his Voyager saloon carefully and made sure that he kept it clean.

Khalid saw the number plate advertised in a car magazine. The ad read: "Number plate for sale, good for Muslims'. Curious, Khalid rang up and was told what the number plate read by the man had originally bought it because it matched his name.

Khalid was told the sale price was £3,000 and he rang off and decided to think about it. After a week he rang back and said he wanted to buy only to be told the price was now £12,000.

Despite this huge increase he said he would buy within three days. By that time the price had risen to £15,000. Khalid decided he could not wait any longer and handed over the cash.

"People might think I had been ripped off but there is no price high enough for faith," he said.