umm Abdillah, Radio Islam Programming – 2014.01.22

Herewith, part 2/4 in a series of summaries of some discussions held at the 2^nd Imam Nanotwi Award Conference  in Azaadville, 17-20 January 2014.

Sh. Muhammad Yusuf (China)

The date when Muslims arrived in China is debated. Some say it was during the era of Usman (r) around 650–51 and received warmly by the emperor at the time.  Trade existed between pre-Islamic Arabia and China's South Coast, and flourished when Arab maritime traders converted to Islam. China's long and interactive relationship with the various steppe tribes and empires paved the way for a large sustained Islamic community within China. Islamic influence came from the various steppe peoples who assimilated in Chinese culture. Muslims served as administrators, generals, and other leaders who were transferred to China from Persia and Central Asia to administer the empire under the Mongols. In the Middle Ages, under the Ming Dynasty (1360-1644), Muslims were subjected to a program of the sinicisation of minorities, an assimilation of non-Han Chinese societies to the dominant Han Chinese state and society. This meant as a consequence, they had to practice their faith with discretion amid the predominant Buddhist and Taoist sanctuaries. Though things were different over the eras, the Tang dynasty; Song dynasty; Yuan dynasty; Ming dynasty etc. under China's current leadership, Islam is undergoing a modest revival. There has been an upsurge in Islamic expression, thousands of mosques and many nation-wide Islamic associations have been organised to co-ordinate inter-ethnic activities among Muslims.

We pray Allah grants the hidayah of Ieman into every Chinese home.

Sh. Dr Abdul Nazeer (Burma)

Myanmar is a state in Southeast Asia bordered by China, Thailand, India, Laos and Bangladesh. Burma's population of over 60 million makes it the world's 24th most populous country. Rakhine State (formerly Arakan) is a state in Burma. Muslims constitute more than 96% of the population near the border with Bangladesh and the coastal areas. Muslims arrived in Burma as traders or settlers, military personnel, prisoners of war, refugees, and as victims of slavery. The dawn of the Muslim settlements and the propagation of Islam is widely documented by the Arab, Persian, European and Chinese travellers of the 9th century. The current population of Myanmar Muslims are the descendants of Arabs, Persians, Turks, Moors, Indian-Muslims, Pakistanis, Pathans, Bengalis, Chinese Muslims and Malays who settled and intermarried with local Burmese and many ethnic Myanmar groups. They are mostly Sunni and follow the Hanafi school of Fiqh.

Extra text has been added to the summaries to provide added context.