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  • Essay / The Issue of Discrimination of Chinese Muslims

    Table of ContentsInterview Questions “Please tell me about yourself, your family background and your hometown” “Why did you choose to study at a Malaysian university? » As a Muslim, are you or any of your friends experiencing discrimination in your own country? » “What challenges do you or your family face as a Muslim? » “Do you know the detention camps for the Uyghur minority? » “Why did you say that?” Do you think the media has not paid enough attention to the detention camps? “Why do you think minorities are detained in camps?” simulate detention camps? How are Muslims in China represented in the country's media? “What do you think about the importance of having Islamic understanding among Chinese non-Muslims? » ConclusionReferenceIslamophobia or hatred towards Islam has remained even from the time of Prophet Muhammad until today. Hearing news of people expressing hatred towards the Muslim community has never come as a shock to anyone. Since 9/11, Muslims around the world have been labeled with false and horrific stereotypes calling them terrorists. However, recent news about detention camps for members of the Uyghur Muslim minority in China has surprised other Muslims around the world. The Uyghur Muslim community lives in northwest China, called Xinjiang, near the borders of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. It has been under the authority of the Chinese government since 1949. Most minorities practice Sunni Islam. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay In these detention camps, “China has detained up to 1 million Uyghurs in so-called “re-education centers » and forced them to undergo psychological examinations. indoctrination programs – like studying communist propaganda and thanking Chinese President Xi Jinping.” It was so horrific that Chinese authorities also resorted to all kinds of torture against minorities, including simulated drowning. Waterboarding is a form of torture where someone is drowned in water, but with a cloth over their face, making it difficult to breathe, as if they were drowning. Amidst all this, the Chinese government had to divert people's attention by denying the existence of the violence camps and claiming that the camps were a way to fight extremism and were used to teach skills useful to minorities. So far, China has been heavily criticized by Western governments at the UN Human Rights Council in 2018. However, this is the only alternative we have heard so far that is being criticized. This interview was conducted with a Chinese Muslim and an academic. student at UIA Gombak who wished to remain anonymous. This face-to-face interview took place on April 30, 2019. The purpose of this interview is to better understand the Islamic community in his hometown and how his hometown perceives Muslims in China. Interview Questions “Please tell me about yourself, your family background and your hometown “I am a Chinese Muslim and my city is located in northern China. It's a very small town but 80 percent of the population is Muslim. My family is also Muslim from generation to generation and we are proud of it. I came to UIA to study civil engineering and I think a lot of my Chinese friends came here to study Islamic studies, but the subjectsscientific are also important. “Why did you choose to study at a Malaysian university?” UIA for 3 years and I think the environment here is great. In China, even though we live in a Muslim majority, the environment is not very good. Most Chinese people are not very friendly to each other and here at UIA almost all people are very friendly. In China we had 4 seasons but in Malaysia there is only one and I really like it because I rarely got sick. Another important thing is that the UIA benefits from a very good Islamic environment. I can easily practice the 5 prayers. In China, no one will stop you from praying but sometimes people forget the simplest things like prayers. Here at UIA, I am constantly remembering Allah and people kept spreading “dakwah” to each other and I think that’s great. In China, we don't really have Islamic education such as learning the Quran and Arabic, so I appreciate that we have this opportunity here at UIA. “As a Muslim, do you or any of your friends face discrimination in your own country? I sometimes face discrimination from people in big cities, where the majority are non-Muslims. For example, wearing the “jubah” is banned in China because it looks strange. If we men wear the “jubah” on the street, people will look at you and look at you as if you are not part of society. It gets a little discouraging when your own people do this to you. This is one of the times when I faced discrimination in my own country. This is a situation I have heard when wanting to get a job as a Muslim in China. The first thing employers will ask you is whether you are Muslim or not, and if you are Muslim they will force you to eat pork and drink alcohol. If you can't drink or eat pork, you will lose your job. “What challenges do you or your family face as a Muslim? » As I said, my family is Muslim from generation to generation. Alhamdulillah, my family and I have not gone through such difficulties as Muslims. However, it is sometimes difficult for a woman in my family to wear the hijab in a big city. It's okay to wear them in my hometown because no one will bother you, but in the big city people will stare at you and whisper among themselves. It's difficult for us as a family because non-Muslim Chinese people have very little knowledge about Islam. As I said, the environment plays an important role in our daily lives. In China, we are not allowed to make our own “azan” in my hometown. We were considered to be disturbing people, which is why the government completely abolished the azan. Some Chinese Muslims are encouraged to eat pork and drink alcohol. Also, being a Muslim, if you go down the street and want to buy a knife, you have to have a certain certification just to buy a knife. If you want to board a bus, you must be searched. You cannot bring sensitive items on the bus. Everything will be checked. “Do you know about the detention camps for the Uyghur minority? » For this question, I know about the detention camps but I think that did not take place. In fact, I have never heard of these camps. There are certain policies that we must follow from the government, but I have never heard of camps as extreme as those portrayed by the media. I don't think that ever happened. "Why did you say that? Do you think the media hasn't paid enough attention to the detention camps? "I think.