A few hours before dawn, when most New Yorkers are fast asleep, a middle-aged man rolls out of bed in Brooklyn, dons a billowy red outfit and matching turban, climbs into his Lincoln Town Car, drives 15 minutes, pulls out a big drum and \u201d\u201d there on the sidewalk of a residential neighborhood \u201d\u201d starts to play.<\/p>\n
The man, Mohammad Boota, is a Ramadan drummer. Every morning during the holy month, which ends on Sept. 21, drummers stroll the streets of Muslim communities around the world, waking worshipers so they can eat a meal before the day\u2019s fasting begins.<\/p>\n
But New York City, renowned for welcoming all manner of cultural traditions, has limits to its hospitality. And so Mr. Boota, a Pakistani immigrant, has spent the past several years learning uncomfortable lessons about noise-complaint hot lines, American profanity and the particular crankiness of non-Muslims rousted from sleep at 3:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverywhere they complain,\u201d\u009d he said. \u201cPeople go, like, \u201d\u02dcWhat the hell? What you doing, man?\u2019 They never know it\u2019s Ramadan.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n