Writers 
THE GIRL WHO ASKED WHY
By ♡NUR~BOOKS♡
The first question came on a Monday morning.
“Nurr, can I ask you something?”
I looked up from my notebook.
A girl was standing beside my desk.
I had seen her before, but I had never really spoken to her.
She had joined our class a few days earlier.
Her name was Emma.
“Sure,” I said.
She looked at my hijab.
Then she quickly looked away.
“I hope you don't think it's rude.”
I smiled.
“You can ask.”
“Why do you wear that?”
I touched the edge of my hijab.
“This?”
She nodded.
“It's called a hijab. For Muslim women, it is part of modesty and worship. But people wear it for different personal reasons too.”
Emma nodded slowly.
“So you're forced to wear it?”
The question surprised me.
“No.”
“Then why do you?”
I thought for a moment.
“Because it's part of my faith. I believe Allah instructed Muslim women to dress modestly, and wearing hijab is one way I practice that.”
Emma looked at me thoughtfully.
“So you actually choose it?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Okay.”
Then she walked back to her seat.
I thought that would be the end of it.
It wasn't.
During the next lesson, Emma raised her hand.
“Can I ask another question?”
Our teacher looked at her.
“About the lesson?”
Emma shook her head.
“About Nurr's religion.”
The class became quiet.
I looked at Emma.
Our teacher smiled.
“If Nurr is comfortable answering, she may.”
I nodded.
Emma turned toward me.
“What is Islam actually about?”
I smiled.
“That's a big question.”
She laughed.
“I know.”
I closed my notebook.
“Islam is about worshipping one God, Allah, and following the guidance He gave through His prophets. Muslims believe in prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, peace be upon them, and Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as the final prophet.”
Emma looked surprised.
“You believe in Jesus?”
“Yes.”
“Like... Jesus from the Bible?”
“We believe in Jesus as a prophet and messenger of God. Muslims respect him deeply, but we don't believe he is God.”
Emma was quiet.
“I didn't know that.”
“That's why asking questions is important.”
She smiled.
“Then I have another one.”
I laughed.
“Of course you do.”
“Why do Muslims pray so much?”
“Muslims pray five times each day.”
“Five?”
“Yes.”
“Isn't that difficult?”
“Sometimes school, homework, and everything else can make the day busy. But salah reminds Muslims to stop and remember Allah.”
Emma looked at the clock.
“So you just stop whatever you're doing?”
“When it's possible, we make time for prayer. It helps us remember that life isn't only about school, money, grades, or what people think about us.”
Emma nodded.
“That actually makes sense.”
The bell rang before she could ask another question.
As everyone packed their bags, Emma leaned toward me.
“I have a lot more questions.”
I smiled.
“I noticed.”
She laughed.
“But I'm going to ask them one at a time.”
“That's probably safer.”
We both laughed.
Neither of us knew that one simple conversation would change the way we saw each other.
And neither of us knew that Emma's next question would be the one that started everything.
“Nurr, what is the Qur'an?”
To be continued...