“Waking up every day and hearing the mosque, the Athan, the call to prayer and just walking out … that was a normal thing. And I live in America.”

Abdulrahman Abdinur’s father, originally from Somalia, lived in New York before moving to Detroit in the late 1980s. Abdinur’s father, a Muslim religious leader, came to the area because of the strong Muslim community, lower cost of living and opportunity to build a life for his family.

Abdinur remembers how important it was for his father to own his own home, complete with a backyard and a front yard, and mosques nearby. Abdinur grew up on the east side of Detroit near Hamtramck. He recalls his younger days and how special it was to hear the call to prayer then stepping outside into his neighborhood.

“I felt like I had the best childhood,” he said.

This story is part of our Destination Detroit initiative, which shares the rich history of the people who have shaped Southeast Michigan through a collection of interviews.

Watch more stories at onedetroitpbs.org/destinationdetroit.