The International Union of Muslim Scholars have issued a statement condemning the Chinese government for its persecution of Uyghur Muslims in occupied East Turkestan (Xinjiang).
The following statement was published on the IUMS website last week:
“Frequent news has been reported for years now regarding the oppression of Muslims in China, especially in East Turkestan. Muslims there are facing persecution in their freedom, religious beliefs as well as their social lives. There are many attempts to force them to abandon their religion, amongst these attempts and forms of oppression:
- Gathering millions of Uyghurs, and detaining them in concentration camps which they refer to as ‘rehabilitation’ camps. There they are subjected to many types of degrading procedures that aim to tear them apart from their faith, culture, and religious affiliations.
- Oppressing them in their mosques and places of worship and prohibiting them from teaching, practising their religion and even restricting their freedom of travel.
- Forcing them to host strangers in their homes to monitor their daily lives, and report any action or behaviour that resembles the Islamic faith or adheres to any of its teachings, such as praying, fasting, wearing clothes that resemble the Islamic faith, owning a Quran or a prayer mat, or even abstaining from smoking and drinking.
Overall, the news regarding the Chinese government’s policy towards Muslims is that which seeks to erase the Islamic faith and eradicate any sense of belonging to it. Accordingly, the International Union for Muslim scholars points out the dangerousness of such oppressing policies and refuses to accept them and condemns the injustice happening to the Muslims in China and warns of the consequences that may occur due to such policies.
It also reminds the people of the good relationship and ties between China and the Muslim world (including Muslim countries and citizens) which is a relationship that should be endorsed and strengthened.
It also demands that the Chinese government respect the rights and religious freedom of the Muslim minorities in China, which includes:
- Freeing Muslim prisoners being held in concentration camps.
- Allowing religious freedom to all people and allowing them to practice their religion freely which includes:
- Building mosques
- Teaching their religious faith
- Allowing religious congregation
- Allowing Muslims to travel freely domestically and internationally without restrictions
Our organisation also calls the Muslims and Muslim nations to take this issue very seriously and keep track of the events taking place there and bring up the issue with the Chinese authorities and Human rights organisations linked to the United Nations.
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“And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.” [Surah Yusuf 12:21]
– Ahmad Al-Raysouni, Ali Muhiuddin Al-Qurra Daghi”
