Ahead of Iraq Deployment, 37 Korean Troops Convert to
Islam

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200405/200405280041.html

"I became a Muslim because I felt Islam was more
humanistic and peaceful than other religions. And if
you can religiously connect with the locals, I think
it could be a big help in carrying out our peace
reconstruction mission." So said on Friday those
Korean soldiers who converted to Islam ahead of their
late July deployment to the Kurdish city of Irbil in
northern Iraq.

At noon Friday, 37 members of the Iraq-bound "Zaitun
Unit," including Lieutenant Son Hyeon-ju of the
Special Forces 11th Brigade, made their way to a
mosque in Hannam-dong, Seoul and held a conversion
ceremony.
Captain Son Jin-gu from Zaitoon Unit recites an oath
at ceremony to mark his conversion to Islam at a
mosque in Hannam-dong, Seoul on Friday. /Yonhap

The soldiers, who cleansed their entire bodies in
accordance with Islamic tradition, made their
conversion during the Friday group prayers at the
mosque, with the assistance of the "imam," or prayer
leader.

With the exception of the imam, all the Muslims and
the Korean soldiers stood in a straight line to
symbolize how all are equal before God and took a
profession on faith.

They had memorized the Arabic confession, " Ashadu an
La ilaha il Allah, Muhammad-ur-Rasool-Allah," which
means, "I testify that there is no god but God
(Arabic: Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger of
God."
Soldiers from Zaitoon Unit pray after conversion
ceremony at a mosque in Hannam-dong, Seoul on
Friday./Yonhap

Moreover, as the faithful face the "Kaaba," the
Islamic holy place in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, all Muslims
confirm that they are brothers.

For those Korean soldiers who entered the Islamic
faith, recent chances provided by the Zaitun Unit to
come into contact with Islam proved decisive.

Taking into consideration the fact that most of the
inhabitants of Irbil are Muslims, the unit sent its
unreligious members to the Hannam-dong mosque so that
they could come to understand Islam. Some of those who
participated in the program were entranced by Islam
and decided to convert.

A unit official said the soldiers were inspired by how
important religious homogeneity was considered in the
Muslim World; if you share religion, you are treated
not as a foreigner, but as a local, and Muslims do not
attack Muslim women even in war.

Zaitun Unit Corporal Paek Seong-uk (22) of the Army's
11th Division said, "I majored in Arabic in college
and upon coming across the Quran, I had much interest
in Islam, and I made up my mind to become a Muslim
during this religious experience period [provided by
the Zaitun Unit]."

He expressed his aspirations. "If we are sent to Iraq,
I want to participate in religious ceremonies with the
locals so that they can feel brotherly love and
convince them that the Korean troops are not an army
of occupation but a force deployed to provide
humanitarian support."

(englishnews@... )






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