The child Ayub Mahmoud Atwa abu Saaluk was surprised – really surprised. He was so surprised, that as soon as he saw the frightening site, he immediately dropped his fishing rod, got to his knees and began praying to Allah.
No, it wasn't the burning bush, nor was it the sight of frogs swarming the street. What Saaluk had seen on the Herzliya beach which caused him to break out in prayer was the face of a fish. Not just any fish - a fish which eerily resembled the face of a human being.
"As soon as I saw the face with the lips I dropped down to pray. I saw the fish had lips, eyes, and 33 vertebras. At that moment I took the fish and placed it in water so it won't die, and left back to our village with my friends. I wanted everyone to see it, but he died shortly after I got home," he told the NABA information agency.
'Lips are used to crack seashells on the ocean floor' (Photo: Dr. Mahmoud Abu Saaluk)
What Saaluk had seen was the front side of a stingray which happened to get caught up in the fishing line while swimming off the coast of Herzliya. Dr. Dani Golany, a marine biologist from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, who inspected the photos of the humanlike face-fish said it is a common guitarfish who is common to the eastern Mediterranean.
"This is not a rare fish in our area and the pictures indicate is a premature female." In reference to the humanlike expression on the fish's face, Dr. Golany said that the mouth has no teeth, and the lips are used to break open shells on the ocean floor. The large holes are the nostrils of the fish, and the eyes are placed on the top part of the fish. As to the culinary possibilities of the fish, Dr. Golany said it was edible, but not very tasty and of course, not kosher either. "In Gaza this fish is a delicacy," he said.
But despite the present deceased condition of the humanlike specimen, Saaluk has some interesting plans for it. "I am keeping the fish because hundreds of people are coming to our house to see it. I have never seen anything like it before. Even the people are not used to seeing this type of fish and because of that we must respect Allah and obey him. If the management of the mosque near my house will allow, I will stuff him and place him on display so people can come and see it."