In late May, an incident in China’s Southwest province of Yunnan drew significant attention to the situation of Islam and Muslims in the country. Reports emerged that the local police force of Najiaying, Yuxi city, an important Muslim stronghold renowned for its rich tradition in Islamic education, attempted to demolish the town’s central mosque, leading…

Located over 10,000 kilometres away from the Netherlands, Malaysia is home to 33 million people. Their ethnic and cultural backgrounds vary to such an extent that over 130 living languages are being used on a daily basis. When it comes to religion, the picture is no less complex: Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, as well as…

“Seek knowledge, even unto China”—this is a very famous hadith among the Chinese Muslim communities. Even though many well-known scholars, including Salafi authority shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (1914-1999), have ruled out its status as an authentic hadith, it’s nonetheless very often quoted by Chinese scholars and politicians in various scenarios to show that there’s…