Living Islam in Springfield | #2 in a four-part series

This past March, Springfield’s Muslim community observed the holy month of Ramadan - a time of fasting, reflection, and spiritual devotion. From dawn to sunset, Muslims fast not just from food, but from distractions, turning inward to strengthen their faith. But for Muslims, this spiritual grounding extends far beyond one month.

According to the 2022 Illinois Muslim Report, 70% of Illinois Muslims attend the mosque at least once a month, with 50% going weekly, and Springfield is no exception. During the final ten nights of Ramadan, the mosque becomes a center of intense prayer and reflection. Often Springfield community member Hafiz Osama Pervaiz, who has memorized all 114 chapters and over 6,200 verses of the Quran,is called on to lead the prayers.

Those verses from the Quran outline what many Muslims see as a roadmap for success: have faith, do good, and remind others to stay truthful and patient. It’s a message that resonates year-round for those striving to live out good values in everyday life. For Muslim converts, that journey can be especially personal. Springfield native Jon Cragoe had to change deeply rooted habits when he converted to Islam, including how he and his family ate meals. Jon explains, “Because I’m a convert who takes halal food seriously... I had to personally re-engineer all of my favorite foods. It took me a while to recreate my version of Joe Rogers [chili]. After a good solid three years, I came up with the recipe. It was the only option for (my) family who is also stuck eating halal... When I'm imitating Springfield chili, I'm imitating what I feel to be the best of the best."

For many Muslims in America, faith and identity are deeply intertwined. A 2022 study found that 84% of Illinois Muslims say their religion is central to who they are. A separate 2016 study found that those who feel connected to their faith are also more likely to strongly identify as American. That combined sense of identity is something Shaista Sheikh, who moved from India to Springfield 24 years ago, has embraced — and now works to instill in her children. Shaikh shared, "I want [my children] to be confident no matter where they go... that they are Americans who follow Islam and their parents are from India. Teachers in the 186th district really hand held me, They not only saw me as my identity, but also helped me navigate the culture."

Longtime resident, educator, and mother Soad Soliman also reflects on how the younger generation expresses its faith in new ways — and how that’s prompted her to grow too. Soliman expressed, "I can practice my religion freely and enjoy it, actually. The (thing I ) most love is that I can practice, I can wear my hijab, I can do everything... I really enjoy practicing my religion here. I really enjoy being here. Masha'allah, we have a lot of (the) younger generation... They express themselves differently than us... But then when you put yourself in their place, it does make sense for them. I've changed a lot since I started.”

The younger generation is staying deeply connected to their faith, particularly in Springfield. Aalia Azeem, a University of Illinois Springfield student and leader of the Muslim Student Association, credits Springfield’s strong sense of community for helping her deepen her understanding of Islam and its teachings. Azeem reflected, "For me personally, I used to live in Indiana and compared to Springfield, I feel Springfield is way more connected than how it was in Indiana and there's more of a community feeling here. I think the community here makes a good effort to get together and do activities and events, which I didn't really experience that much when I lived elsewhere."

In Springfield, faith isn’t just observed—it’s lived, shared, and passed on to the next generation.

Amina Rahman

This article is part of the Healing Illinois 2025 Reporting Project, “Healing Through Narrative Change: Untold Stories,” made possible by a grant from Healing Illinois, an initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Field Foundation of Illinois that seeks to advance racial healing through storytelling and community collaborations.

After a recent central Illinois case gained national media attention, prompting almost daily protests, this project sought to engage diverse rural communities with information that brings neighbors together and moves us forward.

Managed by Press Forward Springfield, this project enlisted 3 central Illinois media outlets to produce impactful news coverage on the disparities and tensions within and among the region's diverse communities while maintaining editorial independence.

The citizen and student NPR Illinois J-Corps, or Journalism Corps, is a vision and project to identify and train people in communities throughout central Illinois to cover or increase coverage of under-covered areas.