Korean Troops Convert to Islam

Korean Troops Convert to Islam

"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."  Moreover, as the faithful face the "Kaaba," the Islamic holy place in Mecca,  Saudi Arabia, all Muslims confirm that they are brothers. Soldiers from Zaitoon Unit pray after conversion ceremony  at a mosque in Hannam-dong, Seoul on Friday./Yonhap 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. Source: http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200405/200405280041.html