Lindsay Lohan turns to Islam: Troubled actress carries the Koran as she steps out after court-ordered community service at a children's center

• Lohan was raised a Catholic, has since spoken about other 'spiritual beliefs'
• She was pictured holding the Koran after first day of community service
• The 28-year-old reportedly arrived two hours late to the children's center 
• Last year she told Oprah meditation put her in touch with 'greater powers'
• Supported Kabbalah as a teen star by wearing the red string bracelet
• Reportedly joined Courtney Love's Buddhist chanting group in 2012  

By Rachel Mcgrath For Mailonline

Published: 17:09 EST, 13 May 2015 | Updated: 09:18 EST, 14 May 2015

Lindsay Lohan was photographed carrying a copy of the Koran after her first day of community service in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday.

The actress - who is of Irish and Italian heritage and was raised as a Catholic - held a hard copy of the Muslim holy book in her arm as she finished a day of office work at a children's center. She reportedly arrived two hours late.

It comes as the 28-year-old embarks on an 'emotional detox', giving up alcohol and dating.

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Religious text: Lindsay Lohan was spotted carrying a copy of the Quran in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday

The Koran prescribes a lifestyle free of alcohol for Muslims - though readers of the book do not necessarily subscribe to the religion.

It is not the first time Lindsay has shown an interest in other religions.

During the height of her fame as a teen star, she wore a Kabbalah red string bracelet, which wards off misfortune brought about by the 'evil eye'.

She was also rumored to be attending Kabbalah classes, and in 2012 she reportedly joined Courtney Love's Buddhist chanting group.

Last year Lindsay described herself as a 'very spiritual person' in a docu-series with Oprah Winfrey.

'I'm a very spiritual person and I've become more spiritual as time has gone on,' she told the talk show host.

'I'm really in touch, whether it's prayer or meditation... there are so many powers greater than me in the world. I've been blessed and lucky enough to have been given a gift to share with other people.' 

Translated: The hard cover book was an English translation of the Muslim holy book

During the height of her fame as a teen star, Lindsay was often pictured wearing a Kabbalah red string bracelet, which is said to ward off misfortune brought about by the 'evil eye'.

In 2012, Courtney Love claimed to Access Hollywood Live that Lindsay had joined her Buddhist chanting group, and was coming round her house with seven other women to chant.

'It's good for her,' Courtney said at the time.  

Lindsay was in Brooklyn to start her court-ordered community service at the Duffield Children's Center in the Fort Greene neighborhood, where she worked in April 2014 while filming a docu-series with Oprah.

She snuck in the back door of the community center Wednesday morning to avoid the reporters and fans who'd gathered to catch a glimpse of the troubled star. 

Ivonne Lopez, the center’s early-childhood education director, emerged to confirm to the media Lindsay was inside the building.

She said she didn't know the exact time that the troubled starlet showed up but said it was 'early.'

'Currently she's doing administrative work and at some point she'll have an opportunity to engage with the children,' said Lopez.

Beliefs: Earlier this year, Lindsay posted this Instagram image quoting the Quaran but later deleted it

Religion: Lindsay Lohan has dabbled in Kabbalah before (pictured left with a Kabbalah red string bracelet in 2004) and was raised as a Catholic (pictured right in 2004 wearing a crucifix necklace) 

Spiritual: Lindsay Lohan told Oprah Winfrey last year that she believes in 'greater powers' that she connects with through medication 

Photos showing Lindsay with a youngster at the center were released on social media Wednesday morning.

The child is Donovan, a five-year-old she connected with during her Oprah docu-series.

Lindsay later took to Twitter to say she's 'so happy to be finally helping out all the kids at @WeAreBCS.'

'I just hope that i can make a difference to their lives,' she said. 

She's here: AIvonne Lopez, director of the Duffield Children's Center's early-childhood education program, confirmed to waiting media that Lindsay Lohan had shown up and gone in a back door Wednesday morning

At work: Lindsay, 28, also tweeted that she was starting her court-ordered community service hours and that she hoped that she'd be able to make a difference in the lives of the kids she'd be caring for

Repeat visit: The troubled actress first visited the center in Brooklyn, seen here on a 2014 Oprah Winfrey docuseries, where she first met five-year-old Donovan. She met him again on Wednesday at the center

Little pal: The Mean Girls star tweeted that she was 'so happy' to be back at the nursery school program

The Herbie: Fully Loaded star won permission to return to the Duffield Children's Center in Brooklyn, where she'd spent some time in April 2014, to fulfill her her sentence requirements.

The New York Post's Page Six said Wednesday that parents of children enrolled in the center's nursery program had been warned that Lindsay would be returning.

In a letter handed out when they came to collect their kids Tuesday, parents were reassured by staff that she’ll 'never be left alone' with their offspring.

'Ms Lohan has asked to return to complete her community services and may be placed in a classroom with your child,'the letter written by Lopez said.

'As with any volunteer, this would be under constant supervision from the classroom teacher and Duffield staff. Please know that all requirements for this volunteer work will be met, prior to her entering the classroom. Furthermore, volunteers are never left alone with children.'

Peppered with questions about what she thought of having the Mean Girls star at the center, Lopez said she thought it was a 'win-win' situation for both the nonprofit that runs the nursery program and the actress.

Workplace: The Duffield Children's Center operated by Brooklyn Community Service is inthe city's Fort Greene neighborhood and offers full day Pre-K programs

Fans: Lindsay supporters also came out to try and catch a glimpse of her

Media interest: It's not clear what staff and parents think about all the media attention that comes with having Lindsay around

The starlet has almost all of the 125 hours of community service handed down to her following a 2012 car crash in Los Angeles to complete and she has until the end of this month to do it. She had pleaded guilty to reckless driving and lying to police.

TMZ claimed that from tomorrow Lindsay is scheduled to work an eight-hour day and administrators will expect her to arrive on time.

Lindsay courted controversy when she was spotted arriving in New York City on Tuesday even though she'd claimed on her Instagram account on Monday that she was already back in the city.

The 28-year-old posted a picture of herself with the caption: 'Happy to be home in nyc with my family and friends. Missed this place. ready to help.'

But she may not have been exactly forthcoming with her whereabouts as she was spotted arriving at a hotel in the city after reportedly jetting from London. 

Lindsay has previously completed some of her work at the London-based charity Community Service Volunteers.  

Touching down: Lindsay was spotted arriving in New York City on Tuesday

Serving her time: She was handed down the 125 hours of community service due for a reckless driving charge as she was pictured in Los Angeles in May 2013 wearing rosary beads 

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