The British ambassador to Saudi Arabia has performed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca after converting to Islam.

Simon Collis made the holy trip - which it is a duty for all able-bodied Muslims to make at least once in their life - with his wife Huda Mujarkech.

The 60-year-old is the first UK ambassador to perform Hajj.

Mr Collins has been pictured wearing the white robes traditionally worn for the pilgrimage which re-enacts the actions of the Prophet Muhammad.

The photograph was posted on the twitter account of Saudi Arabian writer and female activist Fawziah Albakr, who wrote in Arabic : "First British ambassador to the Kingdom undertakes the Hajj following his conversion to Islam. Simon Collis with his wife Huda in Mecca. Praise be to God."
Among the Twitter users to offer congratulations Saudi Arabia's Princess Basmah bint Saud, who wrote: "Special congratulations to the ambassador and his wife."

Mr Collis took to Twitter to thank well-wishers and revealed he had converted to Islam shortly before marrying his wife.
He wrote: "In short, I converted to Islam after spending 30 years in Muslim societies and before getting married to Huda."
The British diplomat has served as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia since 2015.
He has held several posts with the Foreign Office, including as ambassador to Iraq, Syria and Qatar.

In 2012, he was withdrawn from Syria by the Foreign Office following security concerns and has openly criticised the Assad regime for its role in the civil war.
Mr Collis was also British consul-general in Dubai and Basra and has also served in Tunis, New Delhi and Amman.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-37371868

BuddhaPalm:


Either the assassins are extremely incompetent or you now have 2 lives left.

The Cat with Nine lives Abi?

holluphemydavid:
One tin I hate so much about nairaland is Dat, when it comes to Christians thread, every religion can comment, but once it's Islam thread, dey will be giving stupid conditions, Dat alone had made me to stop browsing nairaland

So why are you back

why was princess diana killed?
becouse it was evident that if she marry her egyptian muslim lover, not only wiill she convert to islam, the religion [Islam] would henceforth run in the British royal blood.

Has it occure to anyone that there might be a THIRD DIMENSIONAL ANGEL to this story?
Like the PREDATORS SUDDENLY REALISING THEY ARE THE PREY?

What if the FOUR had actually set out to collaborate, say, a hineous crime (like human ritual) then suddenly Madam Chi and her friend realised they are the intended victims?

What am saying is, even after the escape she can only relate a (what should be a safe)version. Something to prove she was a victim while at same time exonorating her from any implicitive previous alliance (with the chief).

Usually it is only in such scenarios (as above) that u have mind boggling and confussing allegations and counter allegations.
But then also, the original vanguard reporter was not narative or even investigative enough in his report. Probarbly let useful clues out.

WHICH IS RAELLY MORE VIOLENT, THE QUR'AN OR THE BIBLE?

Below is the transcript of a very interesting broadcast on March 18 2010 on National Public Radio (NPR), as well as a book excerpt from the author of the book that NPR used for the story. The audio of the program is also available at the link below. Despite the provocative title, it is nonetheless very interesting, and something of a surprise that this was broadcasted on a nationally syndicated station in America

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124494788

NAIRALAND IS INDIGINEOUS AND SPECIFIC,it enlghtens the Nigeria Indigens be they home or abroad,and ofcourse freinds of Nigeria. While FACEBOOK is unerversal and general, connecting people globally. The advance world only leap toward such mighty feat (as FACEBOOk) long long after they ve had thier share of satifying their peoples indigenous quest.
How many of us can claim to know about our land (history and background)as much as we do of the western world? An average social kid on lagos street would biograph Michael Jackson from the day he was born to the very minute he died, yet he cant tell a s**t about who Ayinla Omowura is.
I go for Nairaland. Its timely and purposeful.

I can't claim am what u r looking 4 as i don't know "exactly" what (kind of Man) searching,

but i still might be able to help , if i know how to reach u aside this forum

Funny

@Forum
joke or real, fact or fiction - a well reasoned and thought out advice is never wasted.
For all anybody knows somebody somewhere out there could actually be in such a situation (i mean - true life) and by some stroke of luck or divine making this person (victim) could happen upon this site or topic and befor you know it , he's applying these genuine suggestions.

@poster
if you u real, sorry man. Take heart and think straight. Remember u ain't dead until u'er dead. Follow the advice giving and see if u could still dialogue with your girl to accertain the "original contact source". It may even be from where u least expect or suspect and if so, others (around) need to be warned to be weary of that source.

But if u'er fake or simple fronting for someone (a true victim), then listen good these advices.
know why , course u may need them someday

Did you by any chance attend and graduated from of RIMI COLLEGE (Kaduna state)?

Around 1988/89?

Please do link up

osereka:

REASONS
1 AMERICA WILL INVADE IRAN
2 AMERICA WILL INVADE SYRIA, LEBANON,
PALESTINIA AND ALL THOSE ARAB NATIONS THAT
HAVE OIL. THIS AM VERY SURE OF.
THAT IS WHY AMERICA CAN NEVER ALLOW IRAN TO HAVE NUCLEAR BOMB.
THAT IS WHY THEY NEED THAT VAST LAND TO PACK THEIR ARSENAL.
ALL THE FUEL THEY NEED FOR THEIR MISSION IS THERE IN IRAQ.
THAT PLACE IS NOT AN EMBASSY BUT A MILITARY BASE FOR BROTHER SAM

believe it or not this is a prelude to another form of colonization.
when they finish with the arabs, then it will be our turn the africans that have it
BLACK GOLD, aka crude oil.

", A PRELUDE TO ANOTHER FORM OF COLONIZATION"

Yes! Thats exactly what it is and i hope Africa could take the time out to understand this imminent danger. This "self justified" invasion of Arab nations is not really about fighting or curbing "assumed" terrorism and religious extremism, rather its about political and economic annihilation.

Good idea i'll say.
Nairaland is too great to exist only the pages of a website.

Apart from majority determining the VENUE AND WHEN, i think such an event should be more than just a bash. (i mean more than just eating, drinking and intros)

How great it would be to consider the idea of WEBCASTING such an event. Yeah, broadcasting it live on the INTERNET for people accross the world to watch.
The technicalities involve in setting up such an idea should not be much of a task for a brilliant and organised chap like Seun Osewa.

Folks give it a thought will u?
As venue the venue:, , lagos is fine(for Nairaladers resident in nigeria) and as for time: , a notification period of three months from the day a concensus is arrived at this forum.

Then as for those outside Nigeria, they could hook up a webcam and headset so that as they watch us live,we too could also see their faces and "howdy" them.

Nice this would be but then its only a suggestion.

texazzpete:

Why do people shamelessly display their ignorance? This is why i always advocate that people should read as widely as possible.
The article states

A new US. embassy is currently under construction in the Green Zone of Baghdad. The compound will be comprised of 21 buildings across 104 acres. Once completed, the new $592-million US. embassy will likely be the biggest, most fortified diplomatic compound in the world

21 freaking buildings in one of the most dangerous spots in the world, each building required to be constructed out of fortified concrete and with bulletproof windows with lots of latest, cutting edge technology and yet you people are shouting anc comparing it to the renovation of one reaking building in Nigeria? This figure also probably factors in the labour, much of which would be brought in from outside Iraq (can't have blueprints falling into terrorist hands)

How can sensible, logical people comment on an article without even reading the source? The first three posters should be really ashamed of their lack of wisdom.
the poster has the most blame for his dumb 'terrorism' comment. The only excuse he has is that maybe he just can't read. Even an anti-american should be honest.
pathetic

MR/MRS. (whichever u are)

are u a chronic Visa lottery hopeful? What make u think anybody - after reading a mere headline - would jump off to post an issue "over it" in this forum?
Is it ur exaggerated love for UNCLE SAM or misunderstanding of world politics and event that is obfuscating you from seeing the "terror" in the act of building a $600 million dollar worth embassy structure in a country that never really had any meaningful diplomatic relationship with you
Nairaland - i understand- is a forum for intelligent discussion and exchange of ideas and not a place for display of verbal abuses. If u think u know better,if u are widely read and extensively current, then cultivate the diplomacy of educating others without the display of an"area boy/girl" act of semantic gymnastic

i beg America does not give a SH*T about Ur defence of its worldwide known atrocities
own up and face reality.

An atheist country building a $600 mil dollar embassy structure in a predominantely Muslin nation?
can u imaging!

Building a $592 million dollars American embassy building in Iraq , what has this got to do with fighting terrorism? If really -fighting terrorism - is why the Americans are in Iraq.

I see this as "mother of all act" of terrorism

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=3619098

I feel so proud of the month of Ramadan.

Imaging a population of "well over" 400 million muslim faithfuls worldwide embarking on
the same religious obligation; starting at about the same day and ending similar wise. All the while observing the same spiritual reverence!

I think Islam is simple beautiful.

RAMADAN KAREEM

I

RAMADAN is a month in the Islamic calender in which - for about twenty eight to thirty days - Muslim faithfuls (all over the globe) observe fasting from sunrise to sunset.This month is also considered the most spiritually benefiting period in all the Islamic calender.

You can get more lights on the true significance of this Holy month from Islamic sites like islam.com and al-islam.com or even from our own Nigerian online sunnews newspaper under the column "sunlight of islam"

HAPPY RAMADAN FASTING TO ALL MUSLIM FAITHFULS

MAR'AB YA RAMADAN

I think it has to do with the "CONCEPT OF EXISTENCE". "THE RULES CREATION", The evoking of "A LIVING" from the "DEAD".

This seeming phenominum - as much as i might not be knowlegeable enough to detail it here -has both "SPIRITUAL" and "BIOLOGICAL" explanation which (do not be surprise to see that) would not contradict each other.

BRING IN DRAMA!
Yeah,u heard read me right!
Bring in drama! introduce activities to your marriage. If posibble pre-define your unification as a venture(before going to the alter).See both yourselfs as rangers sent from another world to conquere planet earth various intriguing challenges.
dont just make marriage a "FUCKING" affair becouse that is usually the first aspect that will bore you.
child bearing and raising,intra family relationships, religion,buisness, politics, entertainment are all but few of the issues u could weave into your marriage and make them matters of serious intreast. with u and your spouse on one side (the winning side) and the world on the other side.
Before u know it (God's willing) ur grandchildren are all over the place and you'll find yourself whistling nonstalgically to your spouse ", funny how time flies.

I have posted a couple of replies and enquiry through the "reply" knob but
i have never seen the "add new topic" button.

so??

thanks pal but could u paste me the weblink to this magazine

Please anybody with info wether there is a website that links old friends or school mate here in Nigeria? like those link agencies on yahoo and so on.
Thanks

talk less, listen more! chances are i'll learn how u folks operate on NAIRALAND pretty fast enough

Hmmm

pipe dream i'll say. but come to think of it, obj dreamt it, and where he failed - yar'adua might scail through

i think there is great amount of lights to be shed here, am just discovering this forum.u will hear from me soon