Abu Nazir

Lore & Background

Abu Nazir is introduced in the episode "Crossfire" through flashbacks to Brody's captivity. For the first time in five years of captivity, Brody is given suitable living quarters by Nazir. Nazir has a young son named Issa (Rohan Chand), whom he introduces to Brody. He asks Brody to live with Issa and teach him to speak English. As they spend time together, Brody teaches Issa to speak English and takes on a fatherly role, and the two form a close relationship. Brody grows quite attached to the boy, as the first source of meaningful human contact in many years. One day, the school Issa attends is destroyed by a drone strike. Issa and 82 other children are killed. Brody is devastated by the loss. Later, Abu Nazir and Brody watch a speech made by Vice President Walden (Jamey Sheridan) addressing the strike. Walden claims that a missile struck Abu Nazir's compound and that any images of dead children are merely images fabricated by the terrorists for propaganda purposes. The flashbacks end with Brody and Abu Nazir praying together as they prepare Issa's body for burial.

In Their Own Story

In the present day, after Brody is attacked in a parking lot, knocked unconscious, and taken away, he wakes up alone in a room with a computer monitor with a webcam. Abu Nazir appears on the screen in a video chat session. Brody confronts him with the knowledge that Tom Walker is alive, and that Nazir has been deceiving him for the past eight years. Nazir reminds Brody of the events that led them to this point, and that it was Brody's own decision to embark on this mission. Nazir attempts to reaffirm Brody's faith, and his commitment to the mission. After Nazir ends the conversation, Al-Zahrani walks into the room and tells Brody that Vice President Walden is going to ask him to run for office. Brody is to accept the offer as a sign of his commitment to the cause.

Reader's Guide

Abu Nazir is a key figure in Brody's backstory and present-day manipulation. He orchestrates Brody's radicalization through personal connection, using his son Issa to create an emotional bond. The drone strike that kills Issa and 82 other children is the pivotal event that cements Brody's commitment to Nazir's cause. In the present, Nazir uses a video chat to confront Brody about his wavering faith and reaffirm his mission. He directs Brody to accept Vice President Walden's offer to run for office as a sign of commitment. Nazir also has ties to Tom Walker, who is alive and working with him, and to Saudi diplomat Mansour Al-Zahrani, who acts as Walker's handler and delivers instructions to Brody.

Did You Know?

• Abu Nazir has a young son named Issa, played by Rohan Chand.
• Nazir asks Brody to live with Issa and teach him to speak English.
• Issa is killed along with 82 other children when his school is destroyed by a drone strike.
• Nazir and Brody watch a speech by Vice President Walden addressing the drone strike, in which Walden claims images of dead children are propaganda.
• Nazir appears to Brody via a video chat session in the present day to reaffirm Brody's commitment to the mission.