Atlanta ( CNN ) -- Kerry Swift stands in the kitchen of her Georgia home , warming food and setting out cutlery for her guests . Another humid summer day in the South nears its end . She is hosting a dinner party tonight with numerous families attending , and her guests are slowly trickling through the door . `` Salaam-a-lakom , '' she says , greeting her guests as they enter the foyer . The women are in headscarves , and the men are in modest attire . They respond cordially and thank Kerry , also known as Kareemah Budair . Kareemah is hosting Iftar , the meal in which Muslims break their Ramadan fast . It is often celebrated in a community setting such as this . Kareemah says she was raised as a devout Catholic but converted to Islam 17 years ago . Like many young people , she searched for meaning in her life after graduating from college . `` I started to meet people of different faiths , '' she says . `` The Muslims I met , I really connected with . I started asking about the teachings , and I just connected with the ideas . '' Kareemah 's features immediately give away her Irish heritage . One ca n't help but wonder what it 's like to see life through her eyes . `` It 's a blessing , honestly , '' she says , her green eyes sparkling from within the framing of her headscarf . `` I know that there 's a lot that 's in the news , but the everyday life experience of a Muslim and as an American is that people have decent values . They value life , and they value different cultures . I ca n't say it 's hard . I would feel guilty saying that it 's hard . '' Spate of attacks trouble U.S. Muslims . In an elegant comparison , Kareemah relates her strict Catholic upbringing to her current devotion to Islam . `` I really valued faith , '' she says . `` I mean it 's kind of ironic that I 'm looking like the nuns that I admired . '' The sound of prayer playing from an iPod echoes through her house . It is time for her and her patrons to break their fast . The men and women move to separate rooms and sit around their respective tables . In keeping with the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad 's practices , they eat three dates to begin the breaking of their fast . Depriving oneself of water and food , from sunrise to sunset , is the core practice of Ramadan . A moderate Muslim will only honor the fast , but a pious believer 's day is filled with prayer and reflection . `` The miracle of it is that Allah has partnered the fast with the prayer , '' says Kareemah . `` It 's an opportunity to purify ourselves , and either one by itself does not work . '' After only a few dates and small sips of water , the guests file into their respective prayer rooms , separated by gender . They will recite a final prayer before sitting down to the hostess 's elaborate dinner . The house is quiet and serious , as Kareemah 's husband , Maher , sings out the prayer . It is an awe-inspiring moment , showcasing discipline and devotion in its barest form . This home in suburban Atlanta is suddenly transformed into a house of Islamic worship . More than 20 minutes later , the prayers are over , and it is time to feast . Tonight , Kareemah and her family provide the bounty of food they set out on the table . The guests line up to eat , as Maher piles food on each plate . This evening , Kareemah 's family and friends are among their peers . Every adult in her home tonight abides by the strict demands of Islam and Ramadan . In predominantly Muslim countries , laws strictly enforce Ramadan , banning eating and drinking in public during daylight hours . In the southern United States , most people do n't observe Ramadan , so for the relatively few Muslims there , doing so can be a challenge . `` Sometimes , you are the only fasting person in your workplace or your classroom , '' explains Ali Gebril , speaker at the Roswell Community Mosque in metro Atlanta . `` Everybody else is not practicing , but you 're practicing . So you feel that you are doing this alone . It 's not easy , but we do it because we believe that the order came from Allah , and you should do it wherever you are . '' 'Do n't call me late for Iftari ' This month , more than 1 billion Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid Al Fitr , which officially ends the Islamic month of Ramadan . Many hope that they can continue to emulate the spirit and generosity of this month throughout the year . `` The idea is to go back to life better than when we entered Ramadan , '' says Kareemah . `` To try to improve ourselves and Inshallah ( 'God willing ' ) improve the world through that process . '' By the end of the night , the dinner is done , and Kareemah and her guests sit and share stories of how they cope with fasting and the other strict rules of Ramadan . But no one ever questions its purpose or its value . They feel purified by it , ready to begin another year of life , reflection , love and personal growth .
Kareemah Budair hosted a gathering for Atlanta at her suburban Iftar home . The feast marks the breaking of the fast during 17 years ago . Raised Catholic , she converted to Kareemah Budair the holy month of Ramadan . Of Ramadan , she says : `` It 's an opportunity to purify ourselves ''