37 Korean Troops Convert to Islam

Society Religion & Philosophy
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Ahead of Iraq Deployment, 37 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.”

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.”

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

:slight_smile: was a good read.

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thanxs for posting article my brother..these things will happen beac islam is the religion of peace ....may ALLAH put us on right path

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by chalna: *
thanxs for posting article my brother..these things will happen beac islam is the religion of peace ....may ALLAH put us on right path
[/QUOTE]

Yeah...This brother posts some really interesting articles which tells you he isn't really little at all...

Thanks from me too, brother Little Human...This sister appreciates it...:D

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Subhan Allah

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Allah(swt) guides whom He wills.

SubhanAllah

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:mash:

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Interesting :slight_smile:

By the way, for those of you who had not heard of chosun.com or were scratching their heads whether this news story is fact or fiction, the same news was also reported in other news sources, including Yahoo News.

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That’s great. I wish more muslim countries get their acts together and look at these Koreans as examples and send their soldiers to kill the fanatics. :k:

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In fact in SaharaIndia TV this was a news sometime back, but the commentory was entirely different.
It said that the Korean troops accepted Islam before deployment to Iraq so that Iraqi gurrillas do not harm them.
I did some efforts but could not find a supporting web news to support Sahara news of the day.

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maybe they just did it so the extremists dont kill them, sadly the extremists did not have problems killing muslims who did not agree with the extremists view of the world, so even converting wont help these guys.

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Yeah, I heard about this.. good for them :slight_smile: But I’m also kinda worried about them.. Koreans can be quirky and I’m not sure they’ll quite fit in the way they think they might but I’ll wish em luck in Iraq. Hopefully the experience reinforces their faith and they stick with it.

Anyway, that Seoul mosque is pretty cool (I didn’t get a chance to go in when I was there, but heard good things about it.. and it looks nice from a distance :slight_smile: ) I tried finding a pic online but this is the best I could find. On a side note.. there are only apx 30K Muslims in all Korea and only 7 mosques! (source)

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Wow that was interesting thanks for sharing here :slight_smile:

Wish them all the best.

LOL :smiley: You are welcome sister. :hehe:

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Re: 37 Korean Troops Convert to Islam

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by little human: *

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

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.

[/QUOTE]

they havent been to middle east have they where all those stupid sheikhs rape their maids and screw more than 4 wives? not treated as foreigners in saudi?.lolz. this is a joke!.

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ISLAM ZINDABAD ISLAM PAINDABAD

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Well if someone attack your country and takes your family out of your house, what will you do?
Becareful becuase if you fight for you land and home you will be lablled as a ‘fanatics’ from the smartest people around the globe : )

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by stupid idiot: * Well if someone attack your country and takes your family out of your house, what will you do?
[/QUOTE]

It will provoke a retalliatory response.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by stupid idiot: * Becareful becuase if you fight for you land and home you will be lablled as a 'fanatics' from the smartest people around the globe : )
[/QUOTE]

Muslims are the only people in modern times who are not allowed to defend their lands. But everyone else has the right to launch 'pre-emptive strikes'.

While muslims are buisy debating whether Jihad to defend Muslim Lands is right or wrong, the non-muslims have already grabbed two muslim countries and are buisy plundering them.

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Re: 37 Korean Troops Convert to Islam

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by little human: * 37 Korean Troops Convert to Islam
[/QUOTE]

Al-hamdulillah.

I hope those who allege that Islam was spread by the sword have read this article.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Fraudz: *
maybe they just did it so the extremists dont kill them, sadly the extremists did not have problems killing muslims who did not agree with the extremists view of the world, so even converting wont help these guys.
[/QUOTE]

baja faarmaya aap nay...

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Re: Re: 37 Korean Troops Convert to Islam

quote:

Originally posted by little human:

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

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.

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by suroor_ca02: *

they havent been to middle east have they where all those stupid sheikhs rape their maids and screw more than 4 wives? not treated as foreigners in saudi?.lolz. this is a joke!.
[/QUOTE]

your response doesn't make much sense here...its out of context. So, please be careful...shukria.

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No one questions, why only troops going to Iraq are accepting Islam, and why not some more? And once they are Muslim, what will they do their in favor of their new brothers Muslim Iraqis? These new Muslim troops must fight against America?
I laugh when I read so many self praising posts for a reason that Iraq going foreigners accept Islam before entering their.
Muslims do no attack women in war, I have my reservations, because in terror attacks theory says something else.
Someone is challenging if islam is spread thru sword.
Are you sure that these Korean soldiers in fact became Muslims because they are not afraid of knives shown for beheading some Italians.
Some Korean troops have accepted Islam, there is no need to make it a religious challenge.