IIS and AKU-ISMC hosts Chinese Delegation.
This article has some interesting factoids about Chinese Muslims …
a. “Chinese Islam” Islam traces its origins in China to the 7th century.
b. There were some 23 million Muslims in China and that ten of the country’s 56 minorities are Muslim.
c. 3 defining characteristics of the Muslim population in China.
i. Muslims are present all over the country;
ii. Muslims are concentrated in the north-west and south-west of the country;
iii. Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Republic represents a special case – more than 50% of its population is Muslim, with more than 50% of Chinese Muslims living in the region and that the region contains two-thirds of all mosques in China.
Chinese State delegation chose to visit both IIS & AKU-ISMC as part of a small number of institutions they targeted.
On 2 July 2013, the IIS and AKU-ISMC were visited by a delegation from the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) of China. The two organisations were specifically chosen by the delegation as part of a programme that included visits in Paris and in the U.K. to organisations such as the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and the Houses of Parliament.
The Co-Director of the IIS, Dr Farhad Daftary gave a talk which situated the Ismaili community within the Shi‘a branch of Islam and the hereditary role of His Highness the Aga Khan. He explained that the IIS was an academic – and not a religious – institution, explaining its non-theological approach. Dr Omar Ali-de-Unzaga, Head of Qur’anic Studies and Acting Head Librarian, gave an overview of the IIS’ research, teaching and publications activities, giving examples of organisations with which the IIS has affiliations.
via The Institute of Ismaili Studies – Chinese State Delegation Visits the IIS and AKU-ISMC.
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