PALESTINIAN FAMILY SHOWS HOW ISLAM TREATS OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY
The Palestinian family returned to the Turkish authorities the money that the Ottoman soldier had given them for safekeeping more than a century ago, but never returned for it.
The soldier asked their family to save his money during the First World War. However, as a result of the war, the Ottoman Empire lost control of Palestine.
The Al-Alul family has kept banknotes for over 106 years. On November 4, she handed the money to Turkish Consul General Ahmet Rize Demirer in the city of Nablus, according to the Muslims Understand Facebook page.
Rageb Helmi al-Alul said in a speech at the ceremony that he kept the money safe after his father and grandfather passed away. Rageb’s great-uncle Muti al-Alul knew the Turkish soldier well, as both had served together in the Ottoman army when World War I broke out, Al-Alul said. The soldier gave the money to Muti for safekeeping, and Muti gave it to his brother Omar, Rageb’s grandfather.
No written records of the Ottoman soldier’s name have survived, and it was lost to the Al-Alul family. The fate of Muti and the soldier is still unknown.
The total amount of money is 152 Ottoman lira, which is equivalent to USD 30,000.