Received this article from Kak Sarah. It's unbelievable, but then again why should it be unbelievable? It is true what they mentioned. "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." Read on... Sorry for the misalignment, I'm too lazy to correct it.

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 Hannamdong,
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, Muhammadur-
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