As a Muslim-American female teenager, I have always found it difficult to balance the religious, traditional world with the modern, secular world. The extent of my conservatism on certain issues has been influenced by both these worlds. My desire to investigate my Muslim peers’ attitudes and reactions toward these differences gave me the idea for my research. However, it was my mother who gave me the strength and determination to actually go through with this experiment. Unlike other parents, my mother did not simply teach me the “right” way to be a good Muslim. She emphasized that practically every practice encouraged by the Islamic community was an interpretation of the Qur’an, not direct law. Her open mindedness broadened my horizons, and I started to question many common religious customs. My study has allowed me to explore the extent to which my peers think in the same manner I do. Read More

• Social Science