CAIRO, July 6 : One day she was a well-known actress, living In the last lane. The next she was a pious Muslim, shunning lame and fortune, reports Reuter.

Neurine, in her late 3Os, is among millions of Egyptians who are rediscovering Islam and adhering more strictly to Its teachings

They Include a string of actresses. singers and belly dancers who over the past six years have suddenly donned Islamic dress to spend their time praying and reading the Quran.

■God be praised my day used

said Neurine. wearing a

have not got enough time because there are so many spiritual things to catch up with.... I have found my peace," she told Reuter.

Nessrine says her decision a few months ago to wear the Islamic dress was not a whim. Sociologists agreed.

The wearing of the higab (Islamic dress) Is part of a

which is the return to reM-glon. to Islam," said Dr Ezzat Hegazi from Cairo s National Centre for Sociological and

fined to Egypt There are

ferent parts of the Islamic world." he said

Islamic custom stipulates that

a woman cover her body in public, although hands, face and feet can be exposed.

gone beyond that, shrouding themselves from head

Shams ElBaroudl. a sex symbol in Egyptian films in the 1970s, put on Islamic dress almost six years ago, she has abandoned society and now cove rs her face with a veil when she leaves her home.

Arabi and his actress wife Hanaa Tharwat — who also wears face veil - left the film industry at the peak of their careers about five years ago Arabi now owns

downtown Cairo and serves customers personally

"Actresses, though public figures, are no different from ordinary people who decide to wear the hlgab," said Hegazi. "At first it seems strange.... an actress ends her career, but ordinary people carry on with their regular work."

Nessrine said she decided to stop acting when her mother saw her father in a dream. He was angry with his daughter. Her mother concluded it must be be cause Nessrine did not pray regularly — Islam stipulates that a Muslim must pray five times a dayi at specific times.

Nessrine tried to pray, and

that same day people she had not heard from for years called her up to say they had dreamed similar drcams to her mother's. It was then that Neurine decided to wear the veil.

She said her husband Mohsen Mohieddin, 31. who played a prominent role in the French-Egyptian film "Adieu Bonaparte" was happy with her decision and toM her he would also stop acting

"What ^Tunu^wtbs^.al.niJ tty. how they show off whoredom... how can one deal with them," said Nessrine in central Cairo.

"Materialism has taken over human beings, the language now is that of money,'

added Mohieddin.

"God has bestowed honour on the woman who wears the higab... He protects her from sick hearts and immorality," Nessrine said. "At least she is not a moving shop window for people to admire."

Nessrine dismissed criticism from dome colleagues that wearing the veil had be come a fashion amongst actresses

She said she now spent her time doing things she en Joyed — studying the Quran and its interpretation, sewing, playing the piano -as well as tedious house work.