CHICAGO — Pro hoops player Alhaji Mohammed, an Uptown native and younger brother of Bulls center Nazr Mohammed, plans to feed or donate food to the homeless for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
"I woke up at 5:30 [Wednesday] morning, and this is what I decided to do," said Mohammed, who's competed for several professional teams overseas in the last decade. "I want to help out others in their life. I want to be clear that I'm not doing this for attention."
Ramadan, which lasts 30 days and is considered a "month of good deeds," began Wednesday night. Mohammed, whose Ghana-born parents were both Muslim, said he also would follow the tradition of fasting during daylight for Ramadan.
"It's a month of trying to clean your mind and a month of giving up everything," said Mohammed, 33.
My Goal For The One Month of Ramadan is to feed one homeless person each day. Wish Me Luck 🙏
— Alhaji mohammed (@AlhajiMohammed) June 17, 2015Justin Breen says Mohammed's humble roots shaped his life:
In the offseason, Mohammed lives in Louisville, where he played for the University of Louisville basketball team. He spent Wednesday at the St. Vincent de Paul homeless shelter in Louisville, making and serving meals for the residents there.
"Whatever they need me to do," said Mohammed, who played in Romania and France this past season. Over the last decade, he's also had stints in Spain, Germany, Iran, Kuwait and the Netherlands.
Mohammed said he would be returning to Chicago in a few weeks. He's seeking out local shelters and likely will hand out food gift cards to homeless people living in viaducts on the North Side, Mohammed said.
Mohammed grew up in low-income housing in Uptown. For his first two high school years, Mohammed attended Kenwood Academy — where Nazr Mohammed had honed his skills.
Mohammed transferred to Senn High School but left after one day because "I knew I would end up on the streets if I stayed there." He graduated from suburban Hillcrest High School before heading to Louisville.
When he's in Uptown, Mohammed carries a wad of $2 bills, which he distributes to the neighborhood's youngsters, especially those living in his old building.
"I love seeing the looks on their faces," he said.
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