Zakaria Salem, a Palestinian refugee living in Glasgow, declined a cash reward after returning a lost wallet containing over £1,000 to its rightful owner in Edinburgh. The wallet, found last month, held a bank card, £1,050 in notes, a £1 coin, and identification. Salem contacted Positive Action in Housing (PAIH), a human rights charity, to help locate the owner.
Finding and Returning the Wallet
Salem, who does not speak English, found the wallet while out with a friend. He told PAIH: “As you know, I don't speak English, so I have the wallet with me now. It also contains a bank card. To be honest, I don't know how much money is in it, so we should return the wallet to its owner. If you can reach the owner of the wallet, ask him to send you his address and phone number. I have no problem going to his residence and returning his wallet. I apologise for the inconvenience.”
The charity contacted Edinburgh Libraries and the city council. A few days later, the elderly owner got in touch. When he learned Salem was a Palestinian refugee, he offered £200 from the wallet as a reward. Salem, a father of three whose family lives under bombardment in a tent in Gaza, refused, saying: “Thank you, but this isn't my right; it's his money. Thank him profusely. My happiness lies in him receiving his wallet in full.”
Charity's Response and Broader Context
A PAIH spokesperson noted: “Zakaria really needs money to pay for his son’s university fees so he can study from his mobile phone with lecturers whose universities and entire infrastructure have been bombed out in Gaza, and to pay for food and electricity. But he did the right thing and refused to take money from an elderly man. The gentleman asked us to wish Zakaria well. We agreed to send his wallet by special delivery so he received it the next day. Zakaria went with a member of our staff to post it.”
In a related act of kindness, a Syrian family in Glasgow’s southside hosted a Syrian-style Sunday brunch for neighbours and the community on June 21, welcoming all. The family, who grow their own fruit, were described as “a ray of hope in these hard times.”
Call Against Prejudice
PAIH added: “So next time you hear refugees, Muslims and people of colour being vilified in the press, remember Zakaria and the Syrian family. Remember that the criminal actions of a tiny minority are being used to smear entire communities, while countless acts of honesty, decency and kindness pass unnoticed. People should be judged by their own actions, not by their race, religion or where they were born.”
The charity highlighted recent attacks on Muslims in Edinburgh and a woman reportedly struck by a car in England, expressing fear that hate crime will rise. PAIH is helping Salem bring his family, including his pharmacist wife, to Scotland and has contacted the Home Office. The Foreign Office has offered to evacuate his wife and youngest son, but the Home Office must agree.
