WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:13.000 This is the story of three Chicagoans, all raised as Christians, all who decided to ultimately reject that religion. 00:13.000 --> 00:14.000 The Internet is down. 00:14.000 --> 00:22.000 Nadira Rodriguez-Mohamed grew up Catholic, but found herself constantly questioning the long-held beliefs of her family. 00:22.000 --> 00:24.000 I always felt that something was missing for me. 00:24.000 --> 00:28.000 Ian Bushner is a law student at the University of Chicago. 00:28.000 --> 00:32.000 It felt like that there wasn't a God. 00:32.000 --> 00:37.000 Whitney Nichols, he's a new Loyola grad who grew up in suburban Streamwood. 00:37.000 --> 00:42.000 I guess what I was really looking for was what felt most natural and most logical to me. 00:42.000 --> 00:49.000 When Nadira entered high school in the mid-1990s, she became friends with a group of Muslim girls. 00:49.000 --> 00:57.000 They just had this level of contentment and a sisterhood that was, I wanted to be a part of that. 00:57.000 --> 01:01.000 Ian drifted towards the Muslim students at his high school as well. 01:01.000 --> 01:08.000 I remember defending some of my friends at school from accusations, you know, after 9-11, and then I started reading the Koran. 01:08.000 --> 01:13.000 I said, oh, here is a form of God that I've never been presented before. 01:13.000 --> 01:18.000 After September 11, you know, the interest actually increased. 01:18.000 --> 01:24.000 Dr. Asad Basoul is professor at Chicago's Islamic American College. 01:24.000 --> 01:29.000 He says the tragedy six years ago initially prompted angry questions. 01:29.000 --> 01:37.000 But eventually, many of the curious found answers to their own spiritual questions through Islam and converted. 01:37.000 --> 01:42.000 Sometimes, you know, negative things bring positive things, you know. 01:42.000 --> 01:48.000 In fact, according to a first ever random sampling of American Muslims by the Pew Research Center, 01:48.000 --> 01:55.000 21% of the nation's 2.4 million Muslims are converts to the faith. 01:55.000 --> 02:00.000 Eventually, I realized that I was looking to the Koran for advice, for direction, 02:00.000 --> 02:05.000 and at the point that you believe that the Koran is a revolution from God, then you're a Muslim. 02:05.000 --> 02:08.000 The conversion has meant many changes in their lives. 02:08.000 --> 02:10.000 Ian prays five times a day. 02:10.000 --> 02:13.000 You'll finish a prayer and realize, I've just screwed something up. 02:13.000 --> 02:16.000 I've done something mean to somebody. Let me go back and correct that. 02:16.000 --> 02:20.000 Nadira wears the scarf, or hijab, as it's called. 02:20.000 --> 02:25.000 It is part of my character, you know, modesty, and it's just part of who I am. 02:25.000 --> 02:29.000 I don't know if I'll ever be ready to wear the hijab. I've become more modest. 02:29.000 --> 02:31.000 I won't wear tank tops, and I won't wear shorts. 02:31.000 --> 02:35.000 Whitney says she has had to constantly defend her new religion. 02:35.000 --> 02:38.000 My father asked me right after I converted, you know, 02:38.000 --> 02:41.000 why do you want to be associated with these terrorists? 02:41.000 --> 02:44.000 And I'm like, this is what you see? Oh, no. 02:44.000 --> 02:50.000 And we kind of have to deal with the backlash of those who have chosen to do something so horrible. 02:50.000 --> 02:52.000 But all say there is no going back. 02:52.000 --> 02:57.000 At some age, everyone must decide what they believe and live their life accordingly. 02:57.000 --> 03:01.000 I'm Mexican, you know, I'm a female, and I chose this for myself. 03:01.000 --> 03:07.000 If you have a personal, you know, relationship with God, whatever that may be, 03:07.000 --> 03:09.000 however that may be, then you're in a good place. 03:09.000 --> 03:13.000 Mark Saxenmeyer, Fox News, Chicago. 03:13.000 --> 03:14.000 **Basnen age** 03:18.000 --> 03:19.000 You're so, I would love to try with your survival. 03:19.000 --> 03:21.000 Can you try delicious такой episode? 03:21.000 --> 03:22.000 Like you eat yoga. 03:22.000 --> 03:23.000 Like you eat yoga. 03:23.000 --> 03:24.000 I don't like when you ăn! 03:24.000 --> 03:26.000 You drink yoga. 03:26.000 --> 03:27.000 All you do what you make! 03:28.000 --> 03:29.000 You drink yoga. 03:29.000 --> 03:30.000 I'm so often bijna coming. 03:30.000 --> 03:31.000 F***. 03:31.000 --> 03:32.000 You drink yoga sci-feel brushless. 03:32.000 --> 03:33.000 You drink yoga. 03:33.000 --> 03:34.000 You drink yoga. 03:34.000 --> 03:37.300 I think it's 03:38.300 --> 03:39.000 difficultニ twenties.