Disgraced

by

Ayad Akhtar

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Imam Fareed Character Analysis

Imam Fareed is a Muslim cleric who’s wrongfully accused of funding the terrorist organization Hamas using charity money he raised for his mosque. He’s not present during the play’s action, but other characters—notably Abe, Emily, and Amir—talk about him often. Abe and Emily are adamant that Amir (who’s a Pakistani American lawyer) should publicly support and legally represent Imam Fareed—though Amir is hesitant to get involved, fearing that he’ll be discriminated against for associating with a case that involves Islamic terrorism. Emily pressures Amir into speaking out in support of Imam Fareed to a journalist. The New York Times ends up running an article that makes it look like Amir is Imam Fareed’s lawyer, even though he only observed the trial. As a result, Amir’s bosses grow suspicious about his ties with the Muslim community. They run a background check on him and discover that Amir tried to pass himself off as an Indian Hindu (when he’s actually Pakistani and was raised Muslim). This leads Amir’s bosses to discriminate against him, passing him up for a promotion and making Jory (Amir’s less-qualified colleague) a partner at the firm instead. Imam Fareed’s situation speaks to the how pervasive Islamophobia is in the United States, causing people like the imam to be treated unfairly simply for supporting their communities.

Imam Fareed Quotes in Disgraced

The Disgraced quotes below are all either spoken by Imam Fareed or refer to Imam Fareed . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Unintentional Racism and Resentment Theme Icon
).
Scene 1 Quotes

I don’t like what’s happening. Somebody’s gotta do something about it.

Related Characters: Emily Hughes Kapoor (speaker), Amir Kapoor/Abdullah , Hussein (Abe Jensen) , Imam Fareed
Page Number: 12
Explanation and Analysis:

White women have no self-respect. How can someone respect themselves when they think they have to take off their clothes to make people like them?

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Hussein (Abe Jensen) , Imam Fareed , Amir’s Mother
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 2 Quotes

I think you’re overthinking this.

Related Characters: Emily Hughes Kapoor (speaker), Amir Kapoor/Abdullah , Imam Fareed , Steven , Mort
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:

Let me get this straight: Some waiter is a dick to me in a restaurant and you want to make a painting. But if it’s something that actually might affect my livelihood, you don’t even want to believe there could be a problem.

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Imam Fareed , Diego Velázquez , Steven , Mort
Related Symbols: Portrait
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 3 Quotes

He drinks. Drinks again. Stares down into the bottom of his glass. Burning.

Beat.

Then all at once, he SMASHES the glass on the terrace floor. Shards fly.

Beat.

The burst of violence doesn't seem to have soothed him.

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah , Imam Fareed , Steven , Mort
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:

He knew about my name change. Your birth name is not Kapoor, Steven says. It’s Abdullah. Why did you change it?

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Imam Fareed , Steven , Mort
Page Number: 45
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 4 Quotes

When you step out of your parents’ house, you need to understand that it’s not a neutral world out there. Not right now. Not for you. You have to be mindful about sending a different message.

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Hussein (Abe Jensen) , Imam Fareed , Tariq
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:
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Disgraced PDF

Imam Fareed Quotes in Disgraced

The Disgraced quotes below are all either spoken by Imam Fareed or refer to Imam Fareed . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Unintentional Racism and Resentment Theme Icon
).
Scene 1 Quotes

I don’t like what’s happening. Somebody’s gotta do something about it.

Related Characters: Emily Hughes Kapoor (speaker), Amir Kapoor/Abdullah , Hussein (Abe Jensen) , Imam Fareed
Page Number: 12
Explanation and Analysis:

White women have no self-respect. How can someone respect themselves when they think they have to take off their clothes to make people like them?

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Hussein (Abe Jensen) , Imam Fareed , Amir’s Mother
Page Number: 17
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 2 Quotes

I think you’re overthinking this.

Related Characters: Emily Hughes Kapoor (speaker), Amir Kapoor/Abdullah , Imam Fareed , Steven , Mort
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:

Let me get this straight: Some waiter is a dick to me in a restaurant and you want to make a painting. But if it’s something that actually might affect my livelihood, you don’t even want to believe there could be a problem.

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Imam Fareed , Diego Velázquez , Steven , Mort
Related Symbols: Portrait
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 3 Quotes

He drinks. Drinks again. Stares down into the bottom of his glass. Burning.

Beat.

Then all at once, he SMASHES the glass on the terrace floor. Shards fly.

Beat.

The burst of violence doesn't seem to have soothed him.

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah , Imam Fareed , Steven , Mort
Page Number: 33
Explanation and Analysis:

He knew about my name change. Your birth name is not Kapoor, Steven says. It’s Abdullah. Why did you change it?

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Imam Fareed , Steven , Mort
Page Number: 45
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 4 Quotes

When you step out of your parents’ house, you need to understand that it’s not a neutral world out there. Not right now. Not for you. You have to be mindful about sending a different message.

Related Characters: Amir Kapoor/Abdullah (speaker), Emily Hughes Kapoor, Hussein (Abe Jensen) , Imam Fareed , Tariq
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis: