It was 6 o’clock.

The road leading to the Betel neighborhood where Abubakr Ahmed, a high-profile Muslim rights activist preacher lives, looks like a scene of staged confusion.

Street lights go and off seemingly at random. Anxious drivers stuck in a long traffic jam honk their horns in vain.

 Many shopkeepers begin closing their shops. Street vendors are also collecting their wares. Pedestrians from all walks of life rush to get home. The street is filled with loud confused noises of human beings, vehicles, and the murmuring sky.

 “It’s business as usual,” said a visibly fatigued taxi driver. “It’s also Ramadan, and the day’s iftar time is approaching,” he added, referring to the meal Muslims use to break their fast at sundown.