Man sees Allah’s name on a chapatti

9:45am Thursday 12th July 2007

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Scores of people in Bradford have flocked to look at a chapatti with what appears to be the name of Allah on it.

The discovery was made by Iftab Iqbal, 26, of Great Horton, when he sat down to a family meal.

As he prepared to eat he suddenly noticed something unusual about one of the chapattis on his plate. The bread appeared to bear scorch marks which spelled out the name of Allah in Islamic script.

He showed it to his stunned family and since then neighbours and members of the Muslim community have flocked to view it. All agree that the markings on the food appear to spell out the holy name.

Mr Iqbal said: "It was definitely an unusual event. A lot of religious leaders have come to check it and they have confirmed that it is very clearly the name of Allah in Arabic.

"In every other respect it is just a normal chapatti. This has never happened before. We left it as it is, it has gone a bit hard now but it is still clearly visible."

Such sightings are by no means a new phenomenon and are not restricted to the Muslim faith. In 2006 in London a man claimed to have discovered the face of Jesus in the roots of an asparagus plant. There have been numerous other sightings down the years.

David Sutton, of the Fortean Times, a magazine specialising in the paranormal and unexplained phenomena, said: "It is surprisingly common actually. In recent years, because of the sizeable Muslim population in the country we have seen more and more incidents relating to Allah, particularly in aubergines as when they are cut open the pips often look like Arabic calligraphy.

"Such sightings are not exclusive to Islam, we have seen angels in the clouds, the Virgin Mary has been seen on numerous items. It is a fundamental aspect of religious thinking. Most religions tend to have an interest in signs and wonders.

"We are now seeing non-religious icons appearing, such as Elvis. The general terms for them is simulacra. Where a sceptic would see nothing at all someone of faith may well see something. I think the fascination comes down to the juxtaposition between the mundane and the wondrous."

By Paddy McGuffin