06-18-2003, 05:16 AM
I have planned previously that someone should comment on the topic first and I make additional comments, only on behalf of myself rather than Chinese Muslims.
China is a country having considerable freedom of belief but not as much as some countries and regions including Hong Kong of course. I mean, practicing religion is free but preaching or publicizing it have been limited in a degree such as you can’t practice or preach religion outside approved religious sites including Christian churches, Buddhist and Taoist temples, and Masjids (in terms of this point, “family gathering” of Chinese Christian is illegal. This is why US government often accuses Chinese government). You can’t have media such as television and radio stations for religious purpose. Religious publications are permitted to circulate inside the religious communities but not in public bookstores. However, as for the last point, it is not observed strictly and the Koran and Bible are easily available in public bookstores. You can’t set up primary school or high school with religious lessons (however, many private Arabic schools admitting high school graduates are set up by Muslims and approved by the government while Christians and Buddhists don’t have the like schools, it seems there is a preference towards Muslims granted by the government in this respect. The reason may be Islam is related to minority problem, which is a serious one to be treated in China). This is a general picture of religion in China.
But, I am NOT INTERESTED IN the governmental policies. Since Chinese Christians do pretty well in absorbing new members under the same conditions, why can’t we? Several days ago, I talked with a Han Muslim (reverter) brother and both of us believe some Muslims in China use their energy in the wrong directions. They usually react far overly, emotionally and unduly towards some things that they deem profane Islam such as holding illegal or unapproved demonstrations, but, on the other hand, they lack the drive to preach as many Christians have done. If there are, the profanations are from misunderstanding and are not ill-natured in many cases. The Muslims’ behavior is in no means helpful to preaching Islam. Hence, even under the current conditions, if we do things in a right way, there is a great room for non-Muslim Chinese to revert. I am told that “family gathering” of Christians have been given a tacit consent while some Muslims seems afraid of taking such gatherings because some unapproved activities including demonstrations have defamed Muslims. There is a joke I was told in my hometown: the Huis (Muslims) are afraid of the Hans (non-Muslims), the Hans are afraid of the government, and the government are afraid of the Huis. Sound funny?
As for the image of Islam in China, I must confess twenty years ago were better than now. Why this happened? Because Bali Bombing and the like events have defamed Islam. I HATE these people who carried out Bali bombing not because I am interested in whether those killed or wounded are innocent or not (of course they are innocent but I am not interested), but because their actions do no good to Islam at all which only extinguish the traces of good impression towards Islam among some non-Muslims (if there are) and prevent more people from embracing. And I call on them to cease such actions immediately and unconditionally for the sake of Islam.
As for how common Chinese view Muslims, I’d like to quote a brother’s word, “My classmates have sympathy for Muslim counties but look down on it”. The argument is pretty typical especially for the last point. Why this happens? In my humble view, most Muslim countries are undeveloped even including Saudi Arabia who is wealthy but not good at science and technology (maybe Malaysia is the only exception who does good both in economy and religion, I am so gratified with this because Malaysia is the third semi-conductor exporter in the world and can produce automobiles). China is a country in rapid development and so that some Chinese tend to look down these who don’t. A girl with the net name of Zhenzhen visited Turkey and Egypt lately because Chinese citizens can tour the tow countries after a tourist agreement between China and them. Some of the impression she got are good while some are bad, and the bad is, in her words, “people there liter time away at café and are lazy” (I don’t mean to be impolite, my desire for the countries to be more developed is in no ways less than the brothers and sisters there. I do believe to be developed and to be religious are of equal importance, and this is true of Muslims in China). However, she gets interested in Islam after back, visits Islamic forums, discuss with us, and take the full advantage of the long vacation due to SARS to study Islam (It seems that she works in tourist line). Insha’ Allah, she may become a Muslim. Even now she is not a Muslim yet, she has sponsored four Muslims students in primary school or high school.