Fasting for the First Time

Euphoric. That's how Laila Prescott felt when she put on the hajab for the first time. The hajab, or head-covering, is central to the identity of many Muslim women and represents Islam's overwhelming respect for women and reverence of modesty. \n"I didn't want to take it off," Prescott said. "It just felt right." \nThe soft-spoken freshman officially converted from a Christian upbringing to Islam on Feb. 11.\nHaving spent most of her teenage years going to school and working in a predominantly Muslim portion of Detroit, Laila was accustomed to Muslim culture but didn't know very much about Islam. \nDuring her senior year of high school, she worked at the gym in the local community center along with three young Muslim men who would eventually become some of her closest friends. Her curiosity about Islam was sparked by a lighthearted comment made by her boss that those three men "were the only ones there that she didn't have any dirt on." Their lifestyle of avoidance of alcohol, tobacco, sex and impropriety intrigued Laila. \n"I wanted to know what could make them want to do that, how their convictions could be so strong," Prescott said.\nIn a three-hour conversation with co-worker Mohammad Waseem Imam, Laila asked questions about the tenets and fundamental beliefs of Islam, as well as the reasons behind his ascetic lifestyle. As the conversation progressed, she felt compelled to probe further and compare Islam to the non Trinitarian Christianity she had been raised with. By the end of her shift and the end of the conversation, she felt completely different. Imam had given her clear answers, and she realized the beliefs of Islam lined up with beliefs she already held. As she drove home, she knew she was changed. \n"Becoming Muslim wasn't a decision," she said. "I just knew in my heart that night that I was."\nNine days later, Laila officially converted to Islam by proclaiming the Muslim declaration of faith, the Shahada, in the breakroom of the community center. Afterwards, she immediately went home to tell her parents. Even though she was elated by her new realization of faith, Laila already knew her parents would be less than supportive. She told her mother first, who reacted with shock and tears. Then she told her father, who became angry. \n"They were mostly surprised and irritated that, since I wasn't 18 yet, I hadn't come to them to discuss it as a family," she said. "But there wasn't anything they could have done about it. It wasn't something that could have been changed by consideration." \nTen months later, Laila's parents are beginning to accept that her conversion isn't just a phase, and her religious ideas aren't the whims of a rebellious teenager.\n"(Becoming Muslim) wasn't like buying a sweater, jumping onto some trend that you throw away next season," she said. "Once you know, it's with you for life. You don't want it stop."\nThe month of October marked Laila's first observance of Ramadan, the monthlong Muslim holiday of daily fasting, intense prayer and intimate fellowship with other Muslims. In the Islamic tradition, Ramadan is the month when the prophet Mohammad received the Quran from the angel Gabriel. Observing Ramadan was a meaningful experience for Laila. \nThe morning prayers and the evening fast-breaking parties, called the Iftar, helped her get much closer to members of the Bloomington Muslim community. She also noted that the fasting was not as difficult as one might expect. She said that there were only a few days, maybe two, when it would get hard close to fast-breaking time.\n"There were definitely a few times when I wanted that Starbucks coffee or would stare down someone's Coke bottle while they were shoveling chips in their mouth during class," she said. "But mostly I was too busy to think about food." \nShe also thought the campus Fast-a-Thon was very successful. \n"It's important to educate non-Muslims about Ramadan and it was awesome to be able to involve some of the girls from my floor in my experience," she said.\nNov. 3 marked the end of this year's month of Ramadan with the three-day celebration called Eid. Laila began her Eid that Thursday morning at the Islamic Cultural Center on East Atwater Avenue with feasting, fellowship and a service whose theme was for Muslims to reward themselves and their families for keeping the month of Ramadan. After her Thursday classes ended, Laila left to Indianapolis for the weekend to celebrate the rest of Eid with her friend Sarah's family. \nFriday night, Sarah's family hosted an Eid party and feast at their tea shop where other Muslims sang, played music, read poetry and presented testimonials in celebration and thanksgiving. At the closing of Eid, they exchanged small gifts.\n"It's different from Christmas; you don't make an Eid list," she explained. "The small gifts become much more meaningful to you."\nNow that the month of Ramadan is over, Laila's life is returning to its normal flow, but she misses the togetherne ss facilitated by the celebration.\n"Eid was awesome. My Ramadan ended really well, but I miss it," she said. "I wish it could just keep going"