CONVERSION IN SKIES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 196, 12 April 1932, Page 7

CONVERSION IN SKIES

PRJNCESS EMBRACES FAITH OF ISLAM IN AIR LINER. STRANGE' CEREMONY. The English beauty and heiress who is a princess of Borneo, revealad why she left England as a Christian in an aeroplane speeding at 100 miles an hour, and landed in France a Mohammendan after a ceremony in midair in the flying mosque (says the Montreal Star). I chose the air for by conversion because I wished it to he performed in no earthly territory," the heiress, Princess Muda of Sarawak and daughter of the late Sir Walter Palmer, said. The fore compartment of thei Silver Wings liner of the Imperial Airways was converted into a mosque. The , ceremony was carried out 5000 feiet ' in the air, halfway between England I and France. I Dr. Khalid Sheldrake, president of j the Western Islamic Association, performed the ceremony. Shouting loudly to overcome the roar of the motors, he prayed to Allah, "the Benefieent, the Merciful, all ; praise due to Allah, Lord of the ' world . . . the Benefieent, the Merciful." | Then he placed his hands over the . palm of the right hand of the princess, who repeated the words of the Koran. "I bear witness that nothing de-

i serves to he worshipped but Allah, ' Allah, and I bear witness that Mohammed is the apostle of Allah, Al1 lah." | "I give the name of Kljair-ul-Nissa ! fairest of women," Dr. Sheldrake j shouted as sol'emnly as possible in the circumstances. j Princess Muda wore a hlack-fur I coat and a Tblack frock. The red fez Iworn by Dr. Sheldrake was the only Eastern touch to the scene. No Regrets. The Silver Wings' crew was aboard ! in regular unif orm. A stewafd s-er-I ved luncheon to the Princess and Dr. j Sheldrake after the ceremony. The | aeroplane carried other regular passengers. The princess has made other changes in her religion. She was reared in the Protestant faith, and latqr; beeame an ardent Christian Sciqntist. i In 1930 she became a Roman Gatholic, and was reeeived in private audi- ) »ence by the Pope, wearing1 native Ma- | layan costume at his requ'est. The Princess said she was assured that truth could he found only in , Mohammedanism. i "My religion was ljaost austere and made no allowance for human nature," she said. "It tried even to c,qntrol the tKoughts of its followers. But Mohammedanism is a straight, dixect, and pure message from God." "I have counted the cost, arid know that it will mean hitter criticisih and possibly alienation from my family, but I n,ever will regret my • action, " she said. The princess will become thel'custodian of one of the most valuable garments in the world, a tunih which Mohammed is said to have worn more than 1300 years ago. The garment is valued at £500,000. The faithful from many parts pf the world are expeeted to inspect the tunic when' displayed at a large bait ip London. Piincess Muda was'left a foftune by her father, ' the late Sir' Walter Palmer, who was a partner in I 'biscuit manufacturing firm.