30 Mosques in 30 Days: An American Trip

30 Mosques in 30 Days
Bassam Tariq

Day 18: Las Vegas
At the Islamic Society of Nevada, Bassam and Aman met Amanullah, a slots manager at the MGM Grand. He is also one of the board trustees at the Islamic Society of Nevada. He lives two very different and distinct lives. Amanullah explains, "In all my years, I've never gambled or sipped a drop of alcohol. I've never enjoyed seeing any of this around me, and as I get older, it becomes more and more difficult to stand this. The only thing that gives me peace is my family and the masjid." In the photograph above, kids on masjid grounds jump rope. Bassam explains, "We pulled up to the exit of the Islamic Society of Nevada in Las Vegas and were blocked by three kids daring one to jump over the chain. The kid fell a couple of times, but the times he leaped successfully were poetic."

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