Mansur Katabalwa didn’t know he was being filmed.
He was sitting beside his motorcycle, between orders, with the Quran open in his hands. For him, it was an ordinary moment in his workday as a Talabat delivery rider in the United Arab Emirates. For the thousands of people who watched the video, it was a scene impossible to ignore.
Mansur is Ugandan and has been living far from his country for two years. He traveled across the world to give his wife and two children a better future; they are still waiting for him back home. Five months ago, he started delivering food by motorcycle. As he rides, he listens to Quran recitations on his phone. And when time allows, he takes out the physical copy he always carries with him and reads.
Three years ago, he lost his parents and his brother. It was during that period of mourning that he memorized the entire Quran. Today, every page he reads between orders is a way to stay connected to them.
He did it long before anyone filmed him. Going viral came later. The dedication was always there.