Fifty-Four Dusun Embrace Islamic Faiths in First Nine Months

Tutong

Some 54 Dusun people have embraced Islam as their new faith for the first nine months this year. Statistics released by the Islamic Dakwah Centre of the Tutong District said that the number was increased as three conversion ceremonies were held separately in the district yesterday. The latest to convert was a family of six Dusuns. The head of the family, Awang Yatim Bin Bulod, 31, is now known as Awang Muhammad Adi'alim Bin Abdullah Bulod.

The conversion was conducted by officers from the Tutong Dakwah Centre. Awang Haji Mat Zain Bin Haji Muntol, Chief Religious Officer in the Tutong District, It witnessed the conversion. He also presented souvenirs to the new converts. The ceremony took place at the family's residence in Kampong Long Mayan yesterday.

Taken From: http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Oct03/041003/nite08.htm

Families: Guardsmen investigated after marrying Iraqis

PACE,Florida (AP)

Two Florida National Guard soldiers who married Iraqi women against their commander's wishes are being investigated for allegedly defying an order, their families said.

The men, both Christians who converted to Islam so they could be married under Iraqi law, had expected to return to Florida this month, but a new Army policy that requires troops to remain in Iraq for 12 continuous months may keep them there until April.

In the meantime, Sgt. Sean Blackwell, 27, of Pace, and Cpl. Brett Dagen, 37, of Walnut Hill, want to send their wives to theUnited States because of threats from anti-American Iraqis.

Vickie McKee, Blackwell's mother, said Friday her daughter-in-law has asked that the women not be identified for that reason. Both women are physicians.

"She's being threatened over there on almost a daily basis," McKee said. "He just wants to know that she's safe."

McKee, who said the Army is trying to prevent the women from coming to theUnited States, has delivered letters from her son and his wife to the district office of U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller. Dan McFaul, a spokesman for Miller, said the congressman can do nothing until the women request visas.

Taken From: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/10/03/iraq.marriages.ap/index.html

Iran: International Qur’an contest concludes

Tehran,

The 20th International Qur’an Competition has concluded here, and winners included those who performed well in the memorization category and those who excelled in the recitation. The winners in the first category were from Iran (first), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Libya respectively. The winners in the recitation category were from Iran (first) followed by Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Azerbaijan respectively. In the translation category the winners were Iran (first), followed by Morocco, Lebanon, Yemen, and Kuwait respectively. At a function to honor the winners, the Speaker of the Iranian Shoura Council, Mahdi Karoubi, handed the winners their prizes.

Taken From:http://www.islamicnews.org/english/index.html