Samlesbury schoolgirl finds mini-Quran in bag of grapes (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)

Samlesbury schoolgirl finds mini-Quran in bag of grapes

1:23pm Thursday 8th October 2009

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A SCHOOLGIRL got more than she bargained for when she opened a box of supermarket grapes - and found a mini copy of the Quran.

The holy Islamic text, which measured just 12cms by 8cms, was in a brown leather zip-up case and had travelled all the way from Egypt.

Shocked Amy Bickerstaffe, 15, discovered it in a bag of seedless red grapes from Sainsbury's.

Amy, of Roach Road, Samlesbury, said: "It's the last thing I expected to find.

"I'll have to do some homework to learn the language if I decide to read it.

"I can't understand a word of it because it's all in Arabic."

RE student Amy, a pupil at St Michael's C of E High School in Chorley, even took the book in to a parent's evening to show to her teacher.

Mum Janet, 48, added: "We bought the grapes from Sainsbury's in Bamber Bridge and we didn't even notice it was in there until we got home and discovered it in the bag.

"It is just so bizarre it being in there and I am wondering now what the hidden message is.

"We've heard of messages in a bottle before but this is a first.

"It would be interesting to get it back to its original owner but that would mean going all the way to Egypt."

Salim Mulla, vice-chair of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said the mini Qurans were popular in many Muslim countries.

He said: "I have seen quite a few of these myself, particularly in Mecca, and my daughter has also got one.

"They are considered pocket Qurans. I have never heard of anything like this but it does not surprise me.

"It must have belonged to someone who packed the grapes and it must have accidentally got into the bag."

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