Murtaza is a devout Muslim as the description of his daily routine testifies. He wakes up at 4:30 a.m. every morning in order to pray and recite the Quran. This helps him in his everyday life, regulating his attitude towards others. He puts a premium on being a good human being, loving others, respecting one’s elders, and being kind to the young. It also helps him stay clean of vices such as smoking. He explains that while he was proud of being a Muslim in India, Indian Muslims need to gain a lot more in socio-economical terms. This is a condition of existing structural inequalities, governmental inattention, lack of access to public educational facilities and he worries that such a retrograde social situation stunts the upward mobility of this minority population.
Since he is new to Devon Avenue, he humbly disclaims an in-depth knowledge of this region. Yet, what he likes about the street is that it is a multicultural space. He worries about the lack of employment opportunities for many residents from this street. Yet, he is hopeful that with the grace of god this will change because, as he put it, "after all, the United States is the land of opportunities." Text by Salman Hussain |
What Devon Ave. represents.
Daily routine.
On Hyderabad
On Games.
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