XINING (CHINA): Ishmael is a big fan of Osama bin Laden. "He is a hero," he said, stroking his beard. "He is a good Muslim." Maybe not such a strange comment
to hear from a Muslim in Iraq or Saudi Arabia, but Ishmael is a Chinese citizen who lives in the remote province of Qinghai, in a country which is officially
atheist and strictly controls religion.
With just over 20 million adherents, according to the government, there are as many Muslims in China as in Syria, or Yemen, two predominantly Islamic countries.
And Islam is alive and well in western China. Ishmael, who, like many other Muslims in Qinghai, prefers using his Arabic name to the Chinese one on his
identity card. He is a student at an Islamic school attached to a mosque in Xining.
There he learns Arabic and Persian, as well as studying the Koran and other Islamic teachings. But politics is technically banned by law from being mentioned
either in Ishmael's school or mosque.
A large blackboard near the entrance to the mosque, on the dusty outskirts of Xining, reminds worshippers of their duty to love the motherland and love
the Communist Party as part of being a good Muslim, an admonition that riles some.
With just over 20 million adherents, according to the government, there are as many Muslims in China as in Syria, or Yemen, two predominantly Islamic countries.
When I was at university in Beijing, China, my tutor was Huihui (Han Chinese Muslim ethnic group) and a member of the Communist Party (which very few are permitted to be). The word Ma ("Horse") was made an official surname in ancient times and given to all Muslims, native or foreign.
There are so many Muslims that I got to eat halâl food on campus at Peking University!
Is your religion real when it costs you nothing and carries no risk? Is your religion real when you fatten upon it? Is your religion real when you commit atrocities in its name? Whence comes your downward degeneration from the original revelation?
Salam,
I have been told by my non-muslim Chinese friends that there are indeed many muslims in China. There is a part of China (mostly muslim), I forget where, that actually wants independance from China...the people in that part look more mongol (I think) than Chinese.
I have seen some Chinese notes (money) which also have Arabic text...
A benefit, the muslims bring, atleast to my friends, is the availability of Kebabs!
Somebody told me that actually Muslims exceed 70 millions people with 45,000 mosques. But most of them (in Xinjiang) are not counted by government because they live in mountainous and remote area.
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