When China Meets Islam

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Its been a long time since I wrote anything mindful or something heavy….like I wrote on the previous entry….the weeks had been straining mentally and physically….

Okay…I just finished reading the book called Rahsia Islam di China (Secret of Islam in China) written by Ann Wan Seng (Malaysian Chinese Muslim). What is he trying reveal is how Islam had influence the China towards the creation of China today from aspect of culture, social, politics and administration.

First of all, the spreading of Islam was first initiated during the reign of Khula’ Ar-Rasyidhin, Saidina Umar Al-Khattab even though some had suggests that the arrival of Arab Muslims can be as earliest as 618 AD. He sent Saad Abi Waqqas to the Dynasty Tang’s emperor for the emperor to accept Islam as a way of life but the emperor refused to do so. Compared to the Persian and Roman Empire, the China’s Emperor had an open policy. He still allowed the Arab Muslims to live in China and spread Islam to His people. His open policy had helped Islam to spread at an accelerating rate. Plus the relationship through trading had helped as well.

The dynasties after the Tang’s dynasty also put Muslims at higher ranks by giving a lot of land, allowed to build mosques, promoted to high position in administration. The dynasties are Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties. The Muslims were not only been giving opportunity in administration but also helped in forming a new dynasty. Therefore the new dynasty appreciated Muslims community due to their importance in maintaining the longevity of a dynasty.

There many examples of Chinese Muslims that excel and appreciated by the China’s dynast. One of the examples is Admiral Cheng Ho or Zheng He. He is the sea admiral who sailed from China to Africa visiting many place such as Malay Land (present day Indonesia and Malaysia), Siam (present day Thailand), and Mecca.

After the dynasty Ming, Chinese Muslims faced dark ages through the reign of Ching Dynasty (under Manchurian). Ching dynasty applies a strict and oppressive policy towards Muslims. They used divide and conquer policy by creating tension between Muslims and Han (non Muslim’s Chinese). This act still on going until the formation of Republic of China and this even includes during reign of Communists. The oppressive measure is still applied until today.

This book had opened my eyes about the Chinese Muslims in China especially the Uyghur ethnic. Also how the China was not capable of making majestic invention without the help of the Muslims. (Therefore it proved that the Chinese accepted before the Malay Land accepted Islam --> there is still a doubt on this matters)

(19 Nov 2013) Alhamdulillah, after four years of researching, I have finally found resources stated that Islam did arrived to Malay Land as early as it came to China. Also, the islamisation of the Malay Land was more rapid and eventually transform the whole strata of the Malay culture and mind in comparison to the Chinese. 

You can read it here but it is written in Malay Language; one of the Islamic Language other than Arabic, Urdu, Persian and Turkish.

 Ringkasan Sejarah Islamisasi Tamadun Melayu

More about experience going to one of the Muslim places in China can be read at my friend's blog http://warungkampung.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/adventures-in-china-part-1-yinchuan/ .

KA

2221 　8 月 3 日