“I was raised a Catholic but after-school partying and living a wannabe WAG lifestyle became my religion. I loved buying sexy clothes and hanging out with mates.
I’d also just come through a bad break-up and one night my Muslim mate invited me around for dinner. While I was at Susan’s she broke away to pray. I watched and she seemed so at peace with her life. That’s when I asked her about her religion.
Sitting with the other women I felt a weird sense of relief and acceptance come over me. For an hour my problems disappeared. I liked the boundaries, with the men separated from the women, and the sense of reverence, of kindness. For the first time ever I felt spiritually alive.
With my friend’s help, I converted. It was a radical change for me and many of my other mates thought I was mad. I persevered and discovered the Muslim community is made up of many races and everyone is very welcoming.
Now I pray five times a day, read the Koran, go to mosque and have been welcomed by everyone – there are lots of young white women my age.
I haven’t had a drink in six months – the longest since I started sneaking booze at 13. I’m healthier and happier.
I wear a hijab or head scarf almost all the time I leave the house and I also don’t eat pork – I tell friends my love of bacon butties has been replaced with a love of my new religion.”
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