China Removes Domes and Islamic Decorations of Mosques
Beijing, MINA – The Chinese government removes domes and other decorative elements from mosques in the country. According to a report in The Telegraph, the move is part of an effort to melt Chinese culture to suppress Islamic influence.
The Nanguan Mosque in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia province, for example, has removed its green dome and golden minaret. In a picture shared online by the deputy head of the British mission in China, Christina Scott, shows the mosque has been changed color and decoration. Thus quoted from Ihram on Tuesday.
The words ‘Masjid Nanguan’ are still plastered on the mosque building, but it is written in Mandarin. Alongside the photos, Scott wrote that the Tour Guide suggested the Nanguan Mosque in Yinchuan was worth a visit.
The similar removal of Arabic-style domes and mosque elements was also seen in Linxia, a city known as ‘Little Makkah’ in the neighboring province of Gansu. The steps come as the Chinese government’s campaign against religion has escalated since Xi Jinping served as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party has carried out a widespread crackdown on all religious institutions in recent years. Relevant directives provided included bulldozing churches and mosques, barring Tibetan children from studying Buddhism, and imprisoning more than one million members of the Muslim ethnic minority in so-called ‘re-education’ camps.
President Xi Jinping has ordered that all religions must cynicise or assimilate Chinese culture to ensure they are loyal to the official atheist party.
Late last year, China’s central government ordered to review and edit all translated versions of classical religious books, to ensure that their messages reflect the principles of socialism. In this regard, top state officials on religious issues said the new edition should not contain any content that contradicts the beliefs of the Communist Party.
In China, mosques and other places of worship must be registered with the government before they can legally operate. Each province has its own religious association, which is under the control of the local religious and ethnic affairs bureau. (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
