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Holy number ‘stolen twice’
21/11/2003
A Manchester teenager who paid £5,000 for the Islamic 'holy
number' 786 on his mobile says it has been stolen.
In September last year we headlined Sulayman Ahmed purchase of the
number 0786 786 786 7. This has great significance for many Muslims
as they believe it is a coded reference to the phrase: "Bismillahir
rahmanir rahiem" which means: "In the name of Allah, the most
beneficent, the most merciful".
After his story appeared Sulayman, now aged 20, claimed he was
offered up to £250,000 for the number but he says he has always
turned would be buyers down out of religious principles.
He now claims that on two occasions someone rang his mobile phone
company Vodafone claiming the number belonged to them and as a
result of the fraud his phone line was cut off.
The first time it happened Sulayman said he had to send copies of
Asian News with his story in to Vodafone to prove he owned the
number. The telecoms giant restored the number to him.
When it happened a second time Sulayman repeated his complaints but
this time he claims Vodafone have failed to act and return the
precious number to him.
He is now seeing a solicitor in a bid to get his number back and
bring Vodafone bosses to account.
He said: "I can't believe people will go to the extent of ringing
my phone company and changing my details to theirs so they can have
the number to.
"I've been contacted by so many people wanting buy the number but
as far as I am concerned it's priceless and I did not want to give
it away at any price.
"And now some clever person has stolen the number.
"I can't believe Vodafone, being such a big company, allowed it to
happen. My solicitor has written to them asking for an
explanation.
"I hope the person with my number will read this article and kindly
hand it back to me otherwise I'm willing to go to court over
it."
No-one was available to comment at Vodafone.
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