15-year-old has not been seen since July 4 when he slipped out of his house

The family of the missing boy Mohammad Perwez pray at their residence in Sharjah. Image Credit: Aghaddir Ali/Gulf News

Sharjah: At five years, Al Safa is old enough to know that her elder brother is missing but too young to understand the gravity of the situation. “Bhai chale gaye,” (“Brother has gone,”) she says with an impish grin, before darting into an adjoining room where her older siblings Sana, 13, and Aasia, 7 are engrossed in deep prayers.

In the two weeks that have rolled by since Mohammad Perwez, 15, went missing from his house in Sharjah’s Muweilah area, his desperate family has been holding onto hope and fervently praying for his safe return.

“We get up at 3am every day and perform Tahajjud (voluntary night prayer performed by followers of Islam) prayer, seeking divine help,” said Perwez’s father, Mohammad Aftab Alam, originally from the eastern Indian state of Bihar. “No parent should endure the agony of not knowing whether their child is dead or alive,” he said, choking back tears.

The child’s mother Tusi Parveen said she doesn’t need to wake up for the special prayer as she has barely slept since July 4 when Perwez slipped away from their house.

“Oh Pervez, please come back, I will never scold you,” Parveen said, her eyes transfixed on the door in anticipation.

It is believed the teen got upset when his mother chided him for watching historical Hindi drama Razia Sultan on YouTube and snatched his smartphone. Alam said Perwez had just Dh8 with him.

“How long can it possibly last? At first we thought he’d come back in the afternoon but when he didn’t show up until late evening we got worried and alerted the police.

Since then, the police has scoured the entire neighbourhood for clues but so far they haven’t had any luck.

Mohammad Perwez

On Tuesday, Sharjah Police posted picture of the teen on social and sought public help to trace him. Missing posters have also been put up in the emirates.

Alam, who works as a supervisor in an air conditioning company owned by his brother, said he will never stop looking for his son.

“Deep in my heart I know he’s somewhere around. We just need to find him.”

The eldest of three children, Pervez is nine grade student at Delta English School, located within a stone’s throw of the three storied Building No 3443 where the family lived.

Sister (left) and father of Mohammad Perwez at their residence in Sharjah. Image Credit: Aghaddir Ali/Gulf News

Alam said his son followed a strict routine during the summer break. ‘He’s would wake around dawn for Fajr prayers and then learn Quran and Tajweed from a home tutor who’d visit our house at 5.30 am. In the evening he’s go for Quran memorization lesson to a nearby mosque,” said Alam, proudly showing certifications of appreciations given to him by the mosque.

The family had just returned from an Umrah trip. “Pervez’s grand father also accompanied us to the pilgrimage I haven’t told him about Perwez. He’s an old man and would be devastated to know that his beloved grandson has been missing for two weeks,” said Alam.

Pervez’s sister Sana who studies in grade VII, said the house looks barren without her fun-loving brother. “I pray for him every day. Our prayers will not go waste,” she said.