I took our photograph through the windshield of a taxi on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt.

Our subject is well-groomed considering he spends much of his life cleaning streets with primitive equipment. Off the boulevards he no doubt lives in cramped, poorly-maintained housing, lacking private amenities. In spite of this he has trimmed his beard, stands erect, and projects pride in his work. He gazes directly at us in a strong but non-confrontational way. Pay attention to the dark patches on his crown and forehead; these are his prayer bruises, known in Egyptian slang as zabeebas, literally meaning: raisins. The marks set apart pious middle-aged Muslim men. Most have spent decades (every day several times daily) touching their skulls to the ground — against hard, thinly-carpeted pavement in their worship of the one Almighty and True God.