By Philip Mwakio

Fishmonger Omar Mohamed Awadh (left), and friends display a tuna fish that was caught in the Indian Ocean near Vanga. The fish’s sides were inscribed with writings from Muslim’s holy book, the Quran, saying Wa LLahu Khairu Razikin (All blessings come from the Almighty God).

Mombassa, Kenya, May 13, 2006 – A fisherman in South Coast’s Vanga area early yesterday morning caught a unique fish with patterns on one side that resembled Islamic calligraphic inscriptions.

The two-kilo tuna species was discovered at a Mombasa Old Town fish outlet ‘Takaungu Fish Shop’ after the shop owner bought it at Vanga and transported it to Mombasa for sale.

The fisherman, identified as Said Ali, is said to have packed the catch at Vanga and sold it to the owner of the fish shop, Omar Mohamed Awadh, who transported it to his shop in Mombasa.

Muslim scholars who arrived at the scene on receiving the news said the inscriptions were Arabic words stating Allahu Khairu Rrazioqeen, translated in English as ‘God is the provider’.

Vanga, a fishing port on the Kenya-Tanzania border in Kwale District, has over 500 fishermen.

Awadh said he would preserve the fish, so that many more people could see the message.

Enthusiastic buyers who had thronged the shop made offers to buy the fish at Sh10,000.

Source: Standard,

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