A Zamfara State pilgrim in the just concluded 2023 Hajj, Aisha Nahuche, who returned a missing $8,000, has explained why she returned to the owner in Saudi Arabia.
In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Nahuche, who is an indigene of Nahuche village in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, stated that this is her first time going for Hajj.
“It was my first time to go to the Holy Land and as such, I saw a lot of things during the Hajj. One of the things I experienced during the Hajj was that we went through tough times due to the change in the weather. The weather was too harsh. The heat was too much. Some people died as a result of the excessive heat.
“Another thing I experienced was the type of food we ate while in the holy land. Their food is quite different from ours here in Nigeria. I had to force myself to eat their food because there was no alternative. I experienced a lot of things like seeing different types of people from all over the world.”
While explained how she found the a purse which contained the sum of $8,000, she said, “The money in question was in a purse and it was lost by its owner in the Holy Mosque of Mecca. I came across the money when I was going around the Holy Kaaba as part of Hajj activities.
“I didn’t know what was in the purse until I returned to my hotel room. Immediately I opened the purse, I saw some money in dollars and I quickly closed the purse and went direct to Sheikh Ahmed Kanoma who is a prominent Islamic scholar in Zamfara State.”
According to her, she returned the purse because she didn’t want to incur the wrath of Allah.
“You see, I was in the Holy land of Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj which is the five pillars of Islam. I was there to seek the blessings of Allah. So, if I had refused to return the money to the owner, do you think Allah will be pleased with me?
“I am also sure that Allah will surely ask me about this money in the world hereafter. This could also lead me to hellfire. So, that explains why I decided to return the money to the owner when I found it. I returned the money to avoid the wrath of Allah.”
