Reposted from the web

Summary: This reflection discusses Muslim faith, halal daily life, public speech, useful professional skills, and the need to build positive community influence while staying practical and responsible.

Some of my old articles on my public account were recently deleted. This might be because they touched on new internet media regulations coming in March. Are we not allowed to preach in public without a permit? I have been using the internet for over twenty years, and this is the first time my posts have been deleted. I have been active on several other social media platforms for years and have never had a post deleted or an account banned for posting extreme comments. I have always been a law-abiding internet user.





Since the articles are gone, I cannot remember exactly what I said that was considered inappropriate. I want to reassure the authorities that I have no interest in preaching. From the day I started learning about the faith (din), I never thought about making a living as a religious professional. My interest in religious knowledge is purely personal. I learned from Al-Ghazali's The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya Ulum al-Din) that in his medieval times, local jurists were as common as hair on an ox. We lacked experts and scientists like doctors and architects, and we often had to rely on non-believers for professional skills. This embarrassing situation has not changed to this day.

Even in the time of the Prophet, expanding influence required strong external help and the support of powerful people, including but not limited to manpower, material resources, and financial backing. Many famous medieval scholars held multiple jobs. They were doctors and merchants, and being a religious scholar was just one of many labels they carried. Ibn Sina seemed to study religious philosophy in his spare time, and many of us know him because he wrote The Canon of Medicine, a textbook used by the Western medical community for hundreds of years.

According to the Prophet's prophecy, knowledge will gradually disappear as scholars pass away, and then ignorant people will pose as scholars and mislead the public. The knowledge here refers mainly to religious knowledge, not scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge can be continuously discovered and accumulated, but religious knowledge cannot. Religious knowledge only comes from revelation. After the Messenger received the revelation, he passed the knowledge to the companions and their followers. During this transmission, some information is inevitably lost. When scholars who hold religious knowledge pass away, if the younger generation has not fully mastered it, that knowledge disappears. It is like electricity; there is energy loss during transmission. In the religious field, there is nothing new. Everything we know today does not go beyond the scope of the Quran and Sunnah. In our era and beyond, it is impossible to produce great scholars who surpass those of the past. So, stop rushing to become local internet-famous religious experts. Making a living by spreading religious knowledge for profit is shameful; you would be better off working in a factory.

If we are not allowed to talk about the faith in public, we can find many flexible ways to do it, because our faith is already integrated into many details of our lives. 'For people who think, there are indeed many signs in this.' Isn't it better to show the excellence of a Muslim without preaching? Dry lectures probably only attract people who are already believers and do nothing to reach a wider audience. In my article 'An Indonesian Halal Journey: An Indonesian Trip Through the Eyes of a Chinese Hui Muslim,' I mentioned the history of how the faith spread in Southeast Asia. It relied on Sufi preaching. Sufis loved their non-believer neighbors from the heart and treated their illnesses, touching them deeply. Once the upper classes of the Malay Peninsula accepted the Islam taught by the Sufis, the peaceful transformation of all of Southeast Asia was just a matter of time.

My articles about halal food have never been deleted, and the comments on these articles are generally very friendly. This shows that writing about food and travel is safe. These articles attract many ethnic minorities who follow the faith, as well as those who do not. Of course, they also attract many people from the majority ethnic group. I often include my own personal views in these articles, and rational people can certainly sense the message I want to convey. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide highlights new Muslim-friendly restaurants across the city, from Henan huimian and Pakistani masala dishes to Ningxia cuisine, hotpot, and other authentic Hui Muslim food spots.



— Hello, Travel —

This article is a bit late. First, my son is about to be born, so I have been staying by my wife's side almost every moment and going out less. Second, I have been waiting for news that the famous Chengdu halal hotpot brand Niububi is opening in Beijing. Now that Niububi is here, Beijing truly lives up to its reputation as a world capital of halal food.

1

Henan-style: Old Yao's Secret Braised Noodles (huimian).



Old Yao runs two Henan braised noodle shops in Daxing. The one in the photo is not far from the Xihongmen Joy Breeze (Huiju) mall. For breakfast, they serve spicy pepper soup (hulatang) and pan-fried buns (shuijianbao). Note that these two Henan specialties are only sold as breakfast in the morning; after noon, you can only order braised noodles.



The cold dishes at this Henan braised noodle shop are a highlight. There is a wide variety, and they give you a plate to help yourself. Whether it is a good deal depends on how much food you can pile onto that one plate.



If you come in the afternoon or evening, the shop only serves beef bone and nourishing lamb braised noodles. Of course, both taste very authentic.



There are more halal Henan restaurants in Beijing now. For higher-end stir-fry, there is Yufu Shenchu; for snack stalls, there is Guhuaijie Mawu; in Huilongguan, there is Liangji Braised Noodles; and near Caoqiao, there is Xuyiwani Braised Noodles.

2

Indian-Pakistani Cuisine: Sultan Pakistan Restaurant.



A new Indian-Pakistani halal courtyard restaurant has opened in Huatai Village, Sanduhe, Huairou. The courtyard is very spacious with easy parking. I like the style of this place; it is bright, airy, clean, and tidy.



The chef is from Pakistan, and the owner is a local from Huairou. I asked her why she decided to open an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in an area crowded with farmhouse-style eateries. She said she has spent years with Pakistani friends and has long followed a halal lifestyle. She also has another chain store in Huairou county called Masala Pakistan Restaurant.



Many people ask me what masala actually tastes like. Masala is just a general term for Indian spices; a mixture of many Indian spices is called masala.



Because there are not many halal restaurants in the Huairou area, and even fewer with unique features, friends visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall, Hongluo Mosque, or Yanqi Lake scenic areas can stop by this Indian-Pakistani restaurant for a meal.



When I eat Indian-Pakistani food, I must have butter naan and chicken curry. One piece of naan is never enough. The most I have ever eaten was four pieces at an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in Nha Trang, Vietnam. I really love the smell of toasted wheat.



In my heart, Khan Baba ranks first for Indian-Pakistani food in Beijing, followed by Shalimar Indian-Pakistani Restaurant in Shunyi. While some other Indian restaurants are labeled halal, I have doubts about the owners' faith, and the decor has obvious Hindu features, so they do not feel as reliable to eat at as these two.



Curry puffs (gali jiao).

3

Tunisian Cuisine at La Medina



This Tunisian-style restaurant is actually the Mesa Restaurant that opened last year. The location last year was not ideal and the space was small, so this year they moved near the Armenian Embassy.



The white man in profile in the photo is the head chef, a Tunisian Arab. We met him last year, and I even asked him to confirm that the restaurant is halal because they did not have a halal sign hanging up.



In Beijing now, if a restaurant wants to hang a halal sign with Chinese characters, it must be approved by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee. Otherwise, you have to rely on word of mouth to confirm, which feels like going back to the time of the Prophet.



I took a photo of the restaurant's restroom and posted it on WeChat Moments. Many Han Chinese friends asked me why I posted a picture of a toilet. Actually, those who know will understand that the sprayer in this restroom is a facility specifically for Muslims.



Tunisia is in North Africa and has always been a popular vacation spot for Europeans. Tunisian food is also very unique.



Vegetable salad



Tunisian couscous (couscous)

This Tunisian couscous looks like millet and tastes like millet, but it is actually made from ground wheat grains. To us, it looks just like millet. On top of the couscous is Tunisian sausage made of beef. It is a bit salty and goes well with roasted peppers.



Moroccan bean soup

4

Inner Mongolian flavor at Qingcheng Restaurant (Changping Xihuan Road Branch)



Qingcheng Restaurant started in 1994 and is located in Changping District. I think it is the most authentic Inner Mongolian restaurant in Beijing. I have introduced the old shop before, and today I am introducing this branch. You can eat pot-wrapped beef (guobao niurou) at the main store, and at this branch, you can eat beef tripe hot pot and steamed dumplings (shaomai).



Beef tripe hot pot

A full pot of beef tripe costs only a little over 100 yuan, and the average cost per person is no more than 70 yuan. Prices in Changping are much lower than in the city center.



The steamed dumplings are also the most authentic Inner Mongolian flavor I have found in Beijing.



Sheep head meat

5

Qiqihar Flavor: Three Brothers Barbecue



Located on the first floor of Xingmei Building on Qinghe Heiquan Road, this is a Qiqihar-style barbecue restaurant.



We bought a set meal for two on Dazhong Dianping for 198 yuan.



The set meal had a good variety, but the taste was just average. It was cheap, though. There is a Northwest-style restaurant next door, and the two businesses operate together.



This iron plate barbecue is typical of the Qiqihar style. Since a new Qiqihar barbecue place just opened near Changying, there are now three halal Qiqihar barbecue restaurants in Beijing.



Cold noodles (lengmian), which every Qiqihar barbecue restaurant serves.

6

Qiqihar Flavor: Toupiqi



This shop is in Guanzhuang and opened recently. It is the third halal Qiqihar barbecue restaurant in Beijing.



The quality here is much better than at Three Brothers. Since it is located in the Changying area, it would be hard to survive if the meat quality were not good.



The shop has two floors, plenty of space, and convenient parking at the entrance, making it great for small gatherings with friends.



If I had to rank the three big Qiqihar barbecue spots in Beijing, I would put this one in second place and Dajinggai Barbecue Company in first. Dajinggai’s environment is designed to look like a street-side barbecue tent in Qiqihar, which feels more authentic, and their cold noodles and fried rice are delicious.









Three of us could not even finish this big table of food. The group-buy price was 191 yuan, which is very affordable.

7

Heilongjiang Flavor: Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew



A newly opened Northeast iron pot stew (tieguo dun) restaurant near Jiande Bridge, located in the basement of Qingxiangge Dalian Seafood.



Ever since the halal Erjie Earth Pot Stew (diguo dun) in Xueying, Daxing closed, I have not had authentic Northeast earth pot stew.



So, I invited three or four friends from the group to come and try it. We had to order the iron pot stewed goose, as you need a group to eat it.



This dish is called mashed garlic egg (suandaodan). It is a home-style specialty from Northeast China made with eggs and has a salty, savory flavor.



For raw vegetables with dipping sauce (zhanjiangcai), I love the cucumbers and green onions. I have loved eating green onions with soybean paste (dajiang) since I was a kid, especially with a hot, freshly steamed white bun (mantou).



To eat iron pot stewed goose (tieguo dun da'e), first put the chopped goose into the bottom of the pot, then add your choice of side dishes. We chose golden beans, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and potatoes. Cover the pot and stew for 15 minutes. Place steamed flower rolls (huajuan) and griddle cakes (tiebingzi) on top. When the time is up, the meat below is stewed and the staples on top are steamed. Everything is fresh and delicious.



This pot of stewed goose was enough for 6 of us. We finished every bit, and it cost 60 yuan per person.



8

Pingliang Flavor: Longxiang Hui Lamb Pita Bread Soup (yangrou paomo)



A lamb pita bread soup shop opened on Dongsi Street. People usually think of Xi'an style when they hear about pita bread soup, but this shop has the character 'Long' in its name, so I guessed it was Pingliang style.



I have many friends from Pingliang, and they often talk about the difference between Pingliang and Xi'an pita bread soup. Pingliang pita bread soup is its own thing; it has more broth, and the bread is fully cooked. Unlike the Xi'an version where the bread is only 70% cooked, you don't need to break the Pingliang bread into tiny pieces. Keep them in larger chunks. It is best to serve the broth and bread separately and soak the bread as you eat.



The owner told me the chef comes from the famous Chunhua Restaurant in Pingliang, which all the local elders know. The master chef has spent most of his life cooking and knows his craft well. Besides pita bread soup, you can also get Gansu-style hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuayangrou) and cold-tossed beef.



I heard they recently added cat-ear noodles (mashi) and cold noodles (liangpi). These are Gansu specialties that are tasty and affordable.



9

Lanzhou Flavor: Silk Road Yilan Spicy Hot Pot (malatang)



Silk Road Yilan, the only place on Niujie Street that doesn't sell alcohol, recently added spicy hot pot inside their noodle shop. The flavor is great, and it is served in individual pots, making it clean and hygienic.



If you don't want noodles and want to eat more vegetables, you should come and try it.





10

Inner Mongolia Flavor: Mengdameng Specialty Roasted Lamb Leg



A small Mongolian-style barbecue shop near the Xihongmen Mosque.



I didn't come here for their roasted lamb leg. I eat too much meat usually, so I wanted something light.





My favorite dish here is the Mongolian big bowl noodles (menggu dawan mian). The noodles are wide and the soup is a bit spicy, but the noodles are chewy. Many friends say it tastes great.



You can order the roasted lamb ribs (kao yangpai) by the jin. These are small lamb ribs.



Roasted sweet potato slices (kao digua pian)

11

Sichuan-style Niububi clear oil tripe hot pot



I first ate at Niububi in Chengdu in 2016. That was my first time having authentic halal Chengdu hot pot. I waited in line for over two hours, but it was worth it. I later ate at their Xining branch, but it is a pity that Beijing has never had a truly authentic halal Sichuan hot pot restaurant, only a few cold pot skewer shops.



The restaurant is on the second floor of Quanpin Jinsha in Mudanyuan. The space is large, and the interior design was reportedly done by a Hui Muslim designer.



Niububi gets its ingredients from the Tangjiasi Hui Muslim community under Chengdu's jurisdiction, which is the largest livestock trading area in the southwest. The owner of Niububi is a local Sichuan Hui Muslim, and the head chef is also a Sichuan Hui Muslim who is skilled at making Sichuan cuisine.



Iced jelly (bingfen)

Iced jelly is a must-have dessert for Sichuan hot pot. It is mainly used to cool down the spice, and it is cold, sour, and sweet.



Duck intestines (ya chang)

Duck intestines and tripe are essential dishes for Chengdu hot pot. Duck intestines cook as soon as you dip them in the water.



Shabu-shabu tripe (mao du) is their signature specialty. Fresh beef tripe only needs a few seconds in the pot, commonly known as 'seven up, eight down,' otherwise the texture will get tough.



Freshly fried crispy beef (xiao su rou) is also a standard snack for Sichuan hot pot. The beef is tender, fresh, and crispy.



Brown sugar sticky rice cake (hongtang ciba)

Unlike some shops that buy pre-made brown sugar sticky rice cakes to heat up, Niububi makes theirs on the spot to ensure the best texture.



The shop is called Niububi, which means their beef quality is so good it does not need to be compared to anyone else's. The name also sounds like a slang term for awesome. Niububi really is awesome among my friends, and it is the most authentic Sichuan hot pot I have ever had. I am so happy to find the same taste in Beijing as in Chengdu; it gives us one less reason to travel to Chengdu.



From this Sunday the 19th through the 30th, Niububi is holding a soft opening promotion with 32% off everything. Usually, there are no discounts and the average cost is about 150 to 200 yuan per person, so you can save quite a bit with this deal. Don't miss out on these dates.

Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This mosque travel guide follows a halal trip east of Beijing through Yanjiao and Dachang, covering traditional Hui Muslim mosques, local halal food, village communities, and practical travel details.

When we mention Jingdong, we usually mean the area east of Beijing, typically referring to Langfang in Hebei. This is the birthplace of meat pie (roubing). Yanjiao and Dachang both belong to Langfang, about 50 kilometers east of Beijing's city center by car. Dachang is an autonomous county for Hui Muslims, where the Hui Muslim population makes up 20 percent, or about 20,000 people.

To get to Dachang from Beijing, you pass through Yanjiao first. Yanjiao is a small town bordering Dachang and is the most densely populated area in Langfang. Most people here work in Beijing, and nearly half the cars on the street have Beijing license plates. Yanjiao follows the same traffic restriction policies as Beijing, so if your car is restricted in Beijing, it is also restricted in Yanjiao. Friends (dosti), please take note if you are driving.

This article is a bit long. We will introduce the mosque first, then the halal restaurants.

Yanjiao

Starting from Beijing, you first reach Yanjiao Town. Currently, Yanjiao has only one mosque, located on Qingyuan Street in Sanjie Village. The original mosque was built in the Qing Dynasty but was destroyed.

Yanjiao Mosque



Yanjiao Mosque

The newly built mosque is very small and can hold 20 to 30 people for Jumu'ah. Next to the mosque are a few scattered halal restaurants with small storefronts selling traditional snacks. Although Yanjiao is crowded, there are few Hui Muslims. Aside from noodle shops, halal restaurants with local specialties are rare in the town.











However, I did find a few delicious places in Yanjiao, such as the halal light meal shop below.

Yanjiao Halal Food

Yunshang Light Meal



Beijing does not have halal light meal shops yet. This shop is run by Hui Muslims from Zhengzhou and is located in the commercial area at the bottom of the Shangshangcheng Phase 3 building on Yanshun Road. It has been open for over three years and business is stable. Light meals are low-calorie, simply cooked, and nutritionally balanced foods suitable for people who are dieting or exercising. This shop does not serve alcohol.





Chicken steak rice, buckwheat noodles, and black pepper beef sets are all around 20 yuan each, and you can add sauces yourself.



The drinks in the shop are also homemade soy milk and fruit tea, and you can taste the real ingredients with one sip.

Yezi Barbecue



Yezi Barbecue is a halal Qiqihar-style restaurant. It is quite popular in Yanjiao. Many people from Northeast China live in Yanjiao, but this is the only halal Northeast-style barbecue place.



People from Qiqihar are said to start eating barbecue from the day they are born and keep eating it until they are old.



After trying it, I found the meat quality and dipping sauces here are excellent. The steak and beef cubes are very tender. You come to a Qiqihar barbecue shop to eat beef, as grilled beef is the core of the meal.



Of course, a busy restaurant is not just about good barbecue; the seafood, fried rice, and cold noodles are also worth recommending.



Yanjiao is separated from Tongzhou, Beijing, only by the Chaobai River, but the prices are much cheaper. A hearty barbecue feast like this costs less than 100 yuan per person.







Mengxiang Steamed Dumplings (shaomai) / Hohhot Steamed Dumplings (shaomai)



These are two shops opened by people from Inner Mongolia. The Hohhot steamed dumplings here basically recreate the authentic Inner Mongolian taste, especially the lamb offal soup (yangza), which feels no different from what I have eaten in Inner Mongolia. Mengxiang Steamed Dumplings is the first shop, and Hohhot Steamed Dumplings is the second. I have been to both, but I think Mengxiang is better. The owner says the ingredients and seasonings are the same, so if you think the taste is different, it might be due to the preparation technique.







Inner Mongolian lamb offal soup is a clear broth with very generous portions. A bowl is packed with offal, and it feels like there is more meat than soup. It makes you feel warm all over after eating.



Authentic Hohhot steamed dumplings can be eaten in two ways: steamed or pan-fried. I love both, but pan-fried dumplings are not easy to find. Locals seem to prefer the pan-fried ones, and I recommend trying both.





Oat noodles (youmian) are also a specialty of Inner Mongolia. They are made from naked oats. The noodles are quite sticky, so you pick them up and mix them with sauce while eating.

These are the halal elements I have seen in Yanjiao so far, but there is much more to eat and explore in Dachang. After all, it is a Hui Muslim county, and it is a 15-kilometer drive from Yanjiao to Dachang.



Records show there are 16 mosques in Dachang, but a new one was built in Xiadian Village, so there are actually 17. I have visited all of them except for the North Wu Women's Mosque.

Dachang

1. Xiadian Mosque



Xiadian Mosque was first built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1995. Xiadian Village is a village where Hui Muslims and Han people live together.









2. Xiadian Village Mosque



The imam of Xiadian told us about the hardships he faced while preaching in Xiadian. Fortunately, after years of effort, he managed to secure two mosques for Xiadian.







3. Xiaochang Mosque



Xiaochang Village Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty by Chang Yuchun and Hu Dahai under imperial order. It was rebuilt in 2006.



The imam at Xiaochang Village is from Yunnan. He is young but is said to be a very talented preacher. He has helped many villagers who were drifting away from their faith become firm in their beliefs, and he is highly respected by everyone in the area.









4. Dachang Mosque



Dachang Mosque was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. It did not look like this when I visited in 2017. It was recently renovated, and the dome was removed. Now, all 17 mosques in Dachang are built in a traditional style.







Dachang Mosque before 2017



Dachang Mosque before 2017

5. Dongchang Mosque



Dongchang Mosque in Dongchang Village was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. This "Dongchang" is not the same "Dongchang" run by the eunuchs in history.



The mosque is currently undergoing repairs. I met the resident imam, who is from Cangzhou.





6. Nanwangzhuang Mosque



Nanwangzhuang Mosque was first built during the Jianwen period of the Ming Dynasty by the Wang brothers, who followed the Prince of Yan on his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt in 2009.











7. Yangxinzhuang Mosque



Yangxinzhuang Mosque was first built in the second year of the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty and reopened in 1983.







8. Weizizhuang Mosque



The mosque in Weizizhuang Village was first built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in 1997.









9. Chenxinzhuang Mosque



Chenxinzhuang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt in 2004 and is currently undergoing repairs again.









10. Manxingying Mosque



Manxingying Mosque was first built in 1927 and rebuilt in 1992.





11. Liangzhuang Village Mosque



Liangzhuang Village Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in 2002.







12. Huogezhuang Mosque



Huogezhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Republic of China. It was destroyed in the Tangshan earthquake and rebuilt in 1992.











13. Luzhuang Mosque



Luzhuang Mosque was first built during the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1999.









14. Damazhuang Mosque



Damazhuang Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1995.







15. Nantitou Mosque



Nantitou Mosque was first built in 1403, funded by the Yang family of Muslims. It is currently undergoing renovations, so the main prayer hall is closed and namaz has been moved to the side hall.









16. Beiwu Mosque



Beiwu Mosque was first built during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, as proven by the stone inscriptions inside. It covers 6,000 square meters. Beiwu is a village for Hui Muslims. Several imams at the Niujie Mosque came from Beiwu, so the tone of their chanting here is passed down from the same tradition as Niujie.



















The Beiwu women's mosque is right next to the men's main hall.



Beiwu Women's Mosque

Dachang Halal Food

Zhenwei Grilled Fish Bar



Zhenwei Grilled Fish is at the entrance of Nansitou Village. I went for lunch and they grill live fish to order, so it is very fresh.



You can choose two flavors for the grilled fish: spicy or scallion-scented. The Qingjiang fish costs 48 yuan per jin. Besides the fish, their freshly baked scallion pancakes (cong huabing) are also delicious.



TR Pizza Master



I have tried three pizza shops in Dachang County and think Pizza Master is the best. The shop is on the west side of Rongchang South Street, near the Dachang Mosque.







I personally tested the chicken cutlet rice and it is very tasty and cheap. We tried two pizza flavors, and I liked the Margherita beef sausage pizza better.



Margherita beef sausage pizza



Durian pizza

Meizhoujia Pizza



Meizhoujia Pizza is in the ground-floor shops of the Yongxiangyuan residential area on Yongan Road. Their pizza crust is thicker and has more toppings than Pizza Master, but the flavor is stronger and saltier.



Three-topping pizza



Chicken cutlet rice

Guozhiyi Italian Handmade Pizza



Guozhiyi Pizza is not far from Pizza Master, located on Yanling Road. This shop has the lowest prices, with a fruit pizza costing only 9.9 yuan.







Super Supreme Pizza

The pizza ingredient list specifically notes the use of Yuehua beef sausage. Yuehua is a well-known Hui Muslim enterprise in Dachang, and it is said the owner is very devout.



Halal Dicos

There is a halal Dicos near the street where Pizza Master is located. I ordered takeout, and I can confirm it tastes just as good as the Dicos in Xining.

Yuehuachun Barbecue City



Yuehuachun and Yuehua are different brands. A young owner started Yuehuachun, and it is the most popular barbecue brand in Dachang. If you come to Dachang for barbecue, Yuehuachun is the top choice.



Marbled beef steak (xuehua niupai)

The beef quality at Yuehuachun is truly good, and the barbecue dipping sauce is fragrant. There is a reason why business is so good.



Cold noodles (lengmian)

Cold noodles are also a signature dish at Yuehuachun. People in Dachang love cold noodles, and they even eat them for breakfast, though they use hot soup for the breakfast version.



Blooming steamed bun (kaihuamo)

For staples, I also recommend the stone pot bibimbap (shiguo banfan) and the blooming steamed bun. The blooming steamed bun is soft and fluffy, with a texture like bread. It is rare to find a restaurant that makes both its signature dishes and snacks taste so delicious.



Stone pot bibimbap (shiguo banfan)

Nanyuan Beijiao Chongqing Hot Pot



Dachang netizens recommended this place to me. When I said I wanted to eat something special, they suggested Chongqing hot pot.



This restaurant is also very popular in Dachang, and you need to wait for a table during meal times.



I chose a two-person set meal called the "Mercedes-Benz Pot" (benchi guo) for 135 yuan, and the taste was good.



This restaurant offers great value for money. It still cannot compare to the Huiwei Chuanyu hot pot I had in Chongqing, but since you cannot quench your thirst with water from afar, coming to Dachang for halal Chongqing hot pot is a good local option.



Tongxingshun Snack Shop



To try a traditional Dachang breakfast, I specifically met up with a Dachang friend (dost) and came to this old shop just to eat a bowl of hot cold noodles.



The cold noodles are topped with hot soup, and the noodles are quite chewy. Pair them with two sesame flatbreads (shaobing); the lighter-colored one has a meat filling. This is the standard breakfast for a person from Dachang.



Dehaozhai Snacks



You have to eat Jingdong meat pie (Jingdong roubing) when you visit Jingdong, but how do you choose from so many small shops? I heard the viral shop Damaqi charges 100 yuan per jin for their meat pie. My friend told me that place is just a trap for Beijingers, so I was not going to walk right into it.



We went to this old shop called Dehaozhai that locals visit often. People say it has been around for over ten years.



We ordered two pies, one beef and green onion and one chive and egg. The meat pies cost 15 yuan each. They had thin crusts and plenty of filling. The taste was just right and it was a great value.



My trip to Dachang helped me meet several devout friends (dosti). They invited me to their home for dinner. The host prepared a wonderful meal for us. A home-cooked meal like this means more than spending money at a restaurant. After dinner, we talked about the current state of the faith in Dachang. The locals are generally not very optimistic, but I am not pessimistic. Dachang is a lot like Niujie. If some people abandon their faith (imani), others will pick it up. This will happen over and over until the Day of Judgment, when everyone will be rewarded for their actions.



Beiwo Home Feast Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide maps real restaurants visited by the author, including a Hui Muslim-run Speed Pizza, Fujian beef dishes, and Turkish Qubbe, with practical notes for Muslim travelers looking for authentic halal food in Beijing.



— Hello, Travel —

As usual, before I share restaurant details, I want to answer some questions I get asked often:

1. The Yahya official account is not a marketing page. I have no team; I run it myself. Yahya is my religious name, and it is a name specifically for Muslim men (so, to clear up the rumors, I am not a young lady).

2. I am not a professional food critic. My job has nothing to do with travel or food. I list my profession at the end of my articles, and writing about halal food is just a hobby.

3. I only write about restaurants I have actually visited. Even if a place is famous, I won't write about it if I haven't eaten there. Just because I write about a restaurant doesn't mean I think it is delicious. Taste is very subjective, so I rarely praise or criticize dishes.

4. If you want to find a restaurant address, use Gaode Maps, Baidu Maps, or Dazhong Dianping to search for the name to get the address and phone number. I only add notes about the address if you cannot find it online.

5. Unless otherwise noted, halal restaurants in Beijing sell alcohol. There are only a handful of restaurants that do not serve alcohol.

6. I am from Beijing.

1

Western-style fast food: Speed Pizza



The Joy Breeze (Huiju) mall in Daxing District has had many surprises lately, and this Speed Pizza is one of them. Speed Pizza is a chain brand, and their other locations are not halal. Only this shop on the second floor of Joy Breeze is run by Hui Muslims. At first, when I heard the owner was a Hui Muslim, I was a bit worried—you know why. When I came to check, the server brought out the ingredient packaging from the kitchen that had the halal label on it, and that put my mind at ease.



Coincidentally, the owner of this shop is the son and daughter-in-law of the family behind the Jingnan No. 1 Hot Pot (Jingnan Diyi Shuan) in the Xueying Hui Muslim village. I know the family, and their hot pot place is quite famous in the southern part of the city. The ingredients for the Speed Pizza at Joy Breeze come from their family.



Screenshot of my chat with the owner

After adding the owner on WeChat, I learned they run three shops in Joy Breeze. Besides Speed Pizza, Lou Sanshao and Niujiufen are also halal. Because they are chain brands, they don't display a halal sign, but the ingredients are delivered separately.



Signature cheese pizza

Following the staff's recommendation, I ordered the cheese pizza. The crust is thin, and they are generous with the cheese, which has a rich milky flavor. The pizza comes with a small cup of honey. You can add it if you like, but don't add too much or it will be too sweet.



Pan-seared salmon salad



Honey-glazed rice cake boneless fried chicken

The restaurant has good food and service. It is great to see halal restaurants moving toward this business model. By copying the management style of famous restaurant brands and just focusing on controlling the quality of ingredients, they have a real chance to grow and succeed.



Lou Sanshao

Both Lou Sanshao and Niu Jiufen are on the third floor of the Joy City mall. Lou Sanshao is a modern Beijing-style restaurant, and Niu Jiufen is a Fujian beef restaurant.

2

Fujian Cuisine: Niu Jiufen



Niu Jiufen is a chain restaurant serving Fujian cuisine. Only this location on the third floor of Joy City is halal. There is no halal sign in the shop, but the ingredients come from their own farm in Xueying.



As far as I know, there are no halal Fujian restaurants even in Fujian. Fujian cuisine has always been a blank spot on my halal food map, so I was lucky to satisfy my taste buds at Niu Jiufen.



Looking at the Niu Jiufen menu, they only serve beef dishes and vegetarian food. You must order their signature Chinese-style beef ribs.



The beef ribs come in small and large portions. I ordered the small one because I was afraid of wasting food, but it turns out two people could easily finish the large portion.



Seaweed jelly (shihuagao)

Seaweed jelly (shihuagao) is a specialty drink from Fujian and a Quanzhou intangible cultural heritage. It is made by boiling seaweed powder. It has a light, slightly sweet taste and is great for cooling down in the summer.



Grapefruit sparkling water



Beef ribs for two

The beef ribs are soft and tender, showing the skill of Hui Muslims in stewing beef. You can take the big bones home, and you do not have to worry about the meat being tough. The beef broth is delicious mixed with rice; a young man could eat three bowls of rice with it.



Lettuce with scallion oil and fried shallots

Lettuce with scallion oil and fried shallots is the most popular vegetable dish recommended by the restaurant. If you were in the south, they would definitely use lard, but here they use beef fat.



Spicy beef rib pot

The spicy beef rib pot has dried bean curd sticks (fuzhu) and fried tofu puffs (doupao) on top, with beef underneath. The chili is quite spicy but very fragrant. It is another dish that goes well with rice. When I shared the photos on social media, even friends from Shaxian, Fujian, agreed that it looked very authentic to Fujian.

3

Turkish Cuisine · Qubbe



The head chef from the Turkish Embassy opened a new Turkish restaurant near Xinyuanli. I organized over twenty friends (dosti) to visit and try the food.



As more people signed up for the dinner, I worried there wouldn't be enough space. Once I arrived, I realized I worried for nothing. The restaurant is very large and can seat 100 people at once.



Mixed Grilled Meat

This signature mixed grilled meat platter is the longest one I have ever eaten, nearly a meter long. The menu says it serves 10 people for 2,228 yuan, but I tested it myself and found it is plenty for 20 people. Some netizens complained about why the chili peppers were charred. Actually, this is a traditional way to eat them. In the Middle East, Mexico, and Sichuan, China, people char peppers because it lowers the heat and brings out the flavor. There is scientific evidence for this, so peppers must be charred to be fragrant.



Filet Mignon

They have filet mignon here for 388 yuan a serving. The meat is very tender, and you can choose how you want it cooked.



Hollow Bread

They have a special oven, and all the bread is baked to order, so the service is a bit slow. When the bread arrives, steaming hot and smelling of fresh wheat, you realize the wait is worth it.



Sweet Potato Fries



Rotating Grilled Beef Burger

This is the famous Turkish kebab. The meat is stacked on a spit and rotates constantly on the grill. It is sliced off and tucked into bread. Students who have studied in Europe will find this very familiar.



Cheese Pita Bread

My favorite pita bread flavor is cheese. Pita bread is like a boat-shaped stuffed pie, made the same way.



Feta Cheese Salad

We ate four types of salad, including arugula salad, shepherd's salad, and feta cheese salad. The cheese salad is the most unique because the cheese is sour.



MADO ice cream

For dessert, we had MADO ice cream. It comes from Turkey and is made with pure goat milk. It tastes much better than Haagen-Dazs. It costs 38 yuan per scoop, and my friends loved it.



Kubei Turkish Restaurant really captures the authentic flavors of Turkey. The restaurant has a strong Turkish style, and even the tableware is flown in from Turkey. Ambassadors from Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries attended the opening, which shows the quality is reliable.

4

Turkish Cuisine: Istanbul Restaurant



Istanbul Restaurant has reopened. It operated in Jianguomen for over ten years before closing for more than two years. This place is special to me because we used to go on dates here before we got married. The new location is near Sanlitun.



Compared to Kubei, this place is more affordable. Kubei costs about 300 yuan per person, while this place is just over 100 yuan.



The restaurant still has a blue Mediterranean style, but it is much more spacious and brighter than before.



Turkish coffee

Turkish coffee is boiled and very strong. Turkish people often tell fortunes based on the patterns the coffee grounds leave at the bottom of the cup. Of course, this is just a custom left over from the age of ignorance.



Doner kebab (donaer kaorou)

This is a mix of chicken and lamb, and you need to eat it wrapped in bread.



Beef pita bread



Rice pudding

Rice pudding is a dessert that originated in the Middle East. It is made with rice, butter, and milk, and it is a bit like a thick, dehydrated porridge.

5

Arabic Cuisine: ZAYTON Restaurant in the Village



Zaitun is the transliteration of the Arabic word for olive tree. The restaurant is in Sanlitun, and both the chef and the owner are Palestinian.



Arabic chicken wrap

This place is very good. The Arabic chicken wrap tastes just as good as the ones I had abroad, and the price is quite affordable at 50 yuan per person. This is likely because they share space with the bar next door and don't have their own dining room, just a small kitchen, so you have to sit outside, which keeps costs low.



Arabic coffee

Arabic coffee is more bitter than Turkish coffee and has a sour taste. People who don't like coffee might find it hard to drink, but I can handle it.



The Arabic grilled meat wrap is also very fragrant. I told the chef it was delicious, and he said it wasn't the best yet, and that it would be even better when I come back next time to eat it fresh off the grill.

6

Ningxia Cuisine: Huiweigong Silk Road Food



I have recommended Ali Restaurant's Ningxia dishes before, but I recently found another Ningxia-style restaurant. The owner is from Jingyuan, and the lamb in the shop comes from Yanchi tan sheep in Ningxia.



Huiweigong is a family chain with four locations in Qingniancheng, Xiguomao, Yayuncun, and Sanyuanqiao.



Dawukou cold noodles (liangpi)

Dawukou cold noodles are quite famous in Ningxia and are a must-order cold dish at any Ningxia restaurant.



Clear-stewed lamb chops

Clear-stewed lamb chops are all about the quality of the meat. You only need to add a little salt to stew them, and Ningxia lamb has no gamey smell.



Homemade farm-style vermicelli

Stir-fried vermicelli with minced meat is a common home-cooked dish in the Xihaigu region. The local specialty is potatoes, and vermicelli made from high-quality potato starch tastes great.



Hand-pulled noodle pieces (mianpian)

After finishing the dishes, end the meal with a bowl of noodle pieces to feel full.

7

Pangasius fish hot pot (suobianyu huoguo) and Bobo fish



Pangasius fish hot pot has been very popular in Beijing for the past few years. A Bobo fish restaurant opened in Xiguanshi Village in Changping, specializing in this dish. Pangasius fish has smooth skin, tender meat, and very few bones. It has no small bones, making it easy and delicious to eat.



The restaurant features Hello Kitty decorations and a pink color scheme throughout. I guess the owner's daughter designed it.



You can help yourself to the dipping sauces, with eight different flavors to mix and match.



The shop is currently running a promotion where vegetable dishes are free.



Two people can easily finish a large pot of fish. The fish is already cooked when it arrives, and you can add vegetables to the pot after you finish the fish. I recommend the spicy flavor.



Xinxin Cake Shop

If you think Xiguanshi in Changping is too far to travel for just one restaurant, you are wrong. Xiguanshi is a village for Hui Muslims, and there is plenty of halal food there. Please look at the photos below.





Northeast-style barbecue (dongbei shaokao)



Sister Hong's beef sesame flatbread (hongjie niurou shaobing)



Door-nail meat pie (mending roubing)



Knife-cut noodles (daoxiaomian)



Xiaoqi Skewer Hot Pot (xiaoqi chuanchuanxiang)



Pan-fried buns (shuijianbao)



Halal supermarket



Huashunzhai meat pie (huashunzhai roubing)

That is all for this episode. Next time, we plan to cover halal food around Beijing, insha'sha'Allah. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide follows the author’s post-reopening restaurant visits, featuring halal Chongqing chicken pot, Hotan-style Xinjiang food, and other local Muslim-friendly dining finds.



— Hello, Travel —

I cannot be blamed for the slow updates lately. Beijing did not allow dining in, so I had nowhere to visit for food reviews. As soon as the policy loosened, I got restless and took my family and friends to check out new restaurants one by one. I have many new discoveries this time. Life is already full of bumps, and since I cannot travel far, finding joy in tasting local delicacies right here at home is a good way to cope.

1

Sichuan-Chongqing: Yueji Chongqing Chicken Pot (Chongqing jigongbao)



Although it is called Chongqing Chicken Pot, it is actually an innovative mix of Chongqing braised rooster and Chongqing dry-pot chicken created outside of Chongqing. It has nothing to do with local Chongqing food, but in the Chongqing dialect, a rooster is called a 'jigong'. This is the first halal Chongqing Chicken Pot in Beijing.



The new shop is located on Beifaxin Road in Shunyi. The owner is from Jingyuan, Ningxia, and runs a noodle shop in Shuangjing. Making this chicken pot is a bold move, and choosing Shunyi was a decision based on lower operating costs.



It is not easy to travel from the city center to Shunyi. We chose five pots to taste: chicken pot, beef pot, chicken feet pot, lamb pot, and beef tendon and brisket pot (jintou banao).



I liked the signature chicken pot and beef pot the best. They are full of spices. You can add side dishes to the pot and eat it like a hot pot. You can choose your own spice level, and they can even make it non-spicy.



Address: No. 43, Beifaxin Section, Nanjiao Road, Shunyi.

2

Xinjiang: Hotan Canteen (Hotan shitang)



The Chaoyang branch of Hotan Canteen is where Lumi's Secret used to be. Lumi's Secret has moved to Urumqi. People say the Hotan government strongly supports the Hotan Canteen project and recommended many excellent chefs from southern Xinjiang to come to Beijing. Hotan Canteen opened two shops in Beijing at the same time; the other one is in Maliandao. I visited both. The decor is different, but the flavors are very authentic.



The Chaoyang branch has more Xinjiang elements, while the Maliandao branch feels more like a restaurant from northwestern Inner Mongolia.



Xinjiang Onion, Pepper, and Tomato Salad (pilahong)

One of the signature Xinjiang cold dishes is pilahong. 'Pi' refers to 'piyanzi', which means onion. 'La' means pepper, here using green peppers. 'Hong' means red, referring to tomatoes.



Minced meat noodles (suirou banmian) and hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi). The key to these two staples is whether the noodles are chewy. People say using salt water to knead the dough makes the texture even better.



For barbecue, we chose salt-water grilled meat and liver wrapped in fat (youbaogan). I feel the barbecue at Hotan Canteen is not as fragrant as at Ali Restaurant, but the liver wrapped in fat is still quite delicious.



Address: 39 Shenlu Street, Chaoyang District.

3

Canakkale, Turkey.



Canakkale.

Its predecessor was Doner Kebap.

The team is the same as before. The owner is from Azerbaijan, and the staff and chefs are Uyghurs from Urumqi. This time, they renovated, changed the name, and expanded the dining area.



The Doner Kebap in Sanlitun and the Canakkale on Shenlu Street are both owned by this Azerbaijani owner.



In the open kitchen, we watched this Uyghur girl make flatbread (pide) by hand. We chose the goat cheese pide.



The goat cheese was sprinkled with dill. Dill is also called tu huixiang; it looks very similar and has a nice aroma. It is a common seasoning in Central Asian cuisine.



Turkish balloon bread (qiqiu bing) is hollow inside with a thin layer. It looks round like a balloon when it is freshly made.



Rice pudding (mi buding) is a dessert made from rice that originated in the Middle East.



The Turkish roast beef platter comes with pickles and french fries. The white sauce is a savory yogurt, which is best eaten with the Turkish balloon bread.



This is a halal restaurant that does not serve alcohol. For drinks, I ordered a Turkish coffee and black tea. I have to complain that Turkish coffee should be served in a delicate cup; using a clear glass coffee cup does not look very nice.

4

Indian and Pakistani: Masala Spice Indian Restaurant.



This restaurant was originally on Xiushui Street and was open for over ten years. It just moved to Tongzhou Wanda Plaza this year. The owner is Pakistani, and his wife is from Northeast China. They have two chubby mixed-race sons.



I counted, and there are at least 11 halal Indian and Pakistani restaurants in Beijing: Shalima, Indian Kitchen, Hanbaba, Zamzam, Sultan Pakistan, Love Curry, Asian Tribe, Saduli, Ganges Indian Restaurant, Razz Music Restaurant, and this Masala Spice. These restaurants have all been in business for a long time.



When eating Indian and Pakistani food, butter naan dipped in curry sauce is a must-order for me. I usually eat three naans; it is my favorite Indian and Pakistani food combination.



I eat Indian and Pakistani barbecue sometimes, but I definitely love Chinese barbecue the most.



They also serve the Indian snack Panipuri, which became popular after the movie Dangal. The little shells are semi-finished products just like shrimp crackers; you buy them and deep-fry them. You fill them with sour sauce, pop the whole thing in your mouth, and take a bite for a complex mix of flavors.



Address: Shop 113, 1st Floor, Zone A, Jinjie, Tongzhou Wanda Plaza.

5

Henan Big Beard Skewer Shop (Dahuzi Chuanchuanxiang).



I have recommended the Big Beard Skewer Shop in Changying before. I am mentioning it again because they added spicy soup (hulatang) and pan-fried buns (shuijianbao) to their breakfast menu, and the taste is very authentic. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Henan.



After hearing this good news, we went early in the morning to have a bowl of spicy soup. It was exactly the same as what I ate in Henan, with a very authentic flavor. I also recommend their pan-fried buns. They are packed with plenty of beef filling, no vermicelli used as filler, and they are delicious.



After eating the pan-fried buns that day, we still wanted more. We heard that Qingyanfang in Changying sells small steamed buns (xiaolongbao) in the morning, so we went for a second breakfast.



The small steamed buns cost 12 yuan for a steamer of 10. I like this kind of small bun, especially the delicate style from Northwest China, but these ones did not taste as good as the pan-fried buns at Big Beard.



Address: Changying Minzu Jiayuan.

6

Xinjiang Afanti Naan Pit Baked Buns (Kaobaozi).



A Uyghur friend recommended this Xinjiang restaurant with a lot of history. It has been open for at least twenty years, though it has moved to different locations. The shop features a naan pit for charcoal grilling. Once barbecue is taken away from charcoal fire, the flavor really isn't quite the same.



We ate Xinjiang-style grilled meats at the shop, including grilled pigeon, grilled horse sausage, and grilled lamb liver.



The owner of Afanti is a Han Chinese from Beijing and is very talkative. The chefs he hires are all Uyghurs from Southern Xinjiang. He says the chefs are very strict about ingredients and will only use meat from Niujie.



The highlight of this shop is the coal fire, which allows for charcoal grilling, making the baked buns and naan very fragrant.



Address: Building D15, East District, Gaobeidian, Taojiawan.

7

Quick meal: halal grilled meat cubes (kaorouding).



When dining in was not allowed in Beijing a while ago, I found this new shop on Meituan. It is in Fengtai District. I ordered delivery twice and thought it was delicious.

They have all kinds of boxed meals. I had the grilled meat rice, chicken curry rice, and potato beef rice. They were all very tasty, with balanced flavors and not greasy, though it is a bit far from my home.





Address: Room 105, Floor 1, Building 1, Courtyard 11, Shunliutiao, Dongtiejiangying, Fengtai District.

8

Qinghai: Qingyu Yogurt.



Qingyu Yogurt is not a halal restaurant, but it is a yogurt shop run by Han Chinese people from Qinghai, and they do not serve alcohol.



The shop is in a hutong in Houhai and has been there for 10 years. The owner is from Ledu. I have tried their yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. The cheese and yogurt are especially delicious. The ice cream is also good, but it is a very small piece for over ten yuan, so it is not great value for money.



The yogurt, cheese, and ice cream can be delivered via Shansong. I suggest buying them in person to try when you are strolling and cooling off in Houhai.



The ice cream is made with milk and comes in a small rabbit mold, which looks very delicate. I have tried every flavor, and the original flavor is the best.



Address: Doujiao Hutong, Shichahai.

9

Light meal: Gudaoxiang.



Gudaoxiang is the first halal light meal delivery shop in Beijing. They only do delivery, no dine-in. There are currently three chain stores in Beijing, all of which are halal. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Dachang, and the franchise store is run by a young Hui Muslim lady from Ningxia, so you can eat there with peace of mind.



During the time when dining in was not allowed in Beijing, we ordered these light meals several times. We are used to eating big fish and meat, so we often want something light, but there are very few such light meals in Hui Muslim restaurants. I had tried a place called Yunshang Light Meal in Yanjiao before and thought it was good, but this Gudaoxiang suits the general public's taste better and has a reasonable nutritional balance.



Address: Search for "Gudaoxiang" on Meituan delivery. There is one shop at Zaojunmiao and one at Chaoyangmen.

Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This personal Muslim travel and faith memoir looks back on growing up around Niujie in Beijing, learning about Hui Muslim identity, mosque life, family memory, and the search for religious knowledge.



To be honest, I started learning about my faith during college. Before university, I did not even know that Hui Muslims were not allowed to drink alcohol. Although my family lived on Shouliu Hutong in Niujie (right by the old site of the Jubaoyuan restaurant) and our family tree shows generations of Hui Muslims, I never received any traditional religious education (jingtang jiaoyu) growing up. My parents did not have a religious education either. My grandfather and maternal grandfather passed away before I was born. My maternal grandmother was the only one in the house who kept up with the five daily prayers (namaz). I lived with her from elementary school through middle school.

If you have seen the show "Beautiful New World" (Pinzui Zhang Damin de Xingfu Shenghuo) starring Liang Guanhua, the life scenes and dialogue in that show are just like my childhood. When I was little, I mostly hung out in the South City area. By South City, I mean Xuanwu and Chongwen, but mostly Xuanwu. Going to Xidan or Wangfujing on the weekend felt like a big trip to the city center. To me, those were the busiest places in Beijing. I had never even heard of places like Guomao or Sanlitun.

About twenty or thirty percent of my classmates were Hui Muslims. I only found out after we graduated and had a reunion. We lived and studied together, but there were no real ethnic differences. The school cafeteria was halal, and everyone ate together, so you could not tell the difference. I even thought Hui Muslims were the majority and Han Chinese were the minority when I was a kid.

The most important thing is that none of us Hui Muslim students knew much about our faith. Our parents might have known a little, but only the basics. The people who went to the mosque (libaisi) often were retired folks like my grandmother. Even she did not go to the mosque much; she just prayed at home every day.

My grandmother and the other elderly Hui Muslims in Niujie are the most typical Beijingers I know. Most Niujie Hui Muslims moved to Beijing during the Qing Dynasty. Their language is mixed with traditional religious terms. For example, my grandmother would call me a "little Iblis" (the devil) or say I was "shumin" (clever). If you leave the South City, people in the East or West districts probably would not understand those words. They also do not talk like those so-called Beijing native bloggers on social media who raise their pitch and put on a fake, annoying voice. My grandmother was naturally funny. The older generation loved to joke, and some things are only funny when they say them. That is why so many Hui Muslims are stand-up comedians (xiangsheng).

My grandmother only started her five daily prayers after she retired. This is normal for the elderly in Niujie today. Most people there do not think young people should go to the mosque; they think we should focus on school and work. Going to the mosque is for retirement. My grandmother did not expect the younger generation to pray; she only held herself to that standard. Years later, when I started going back to the mosque, some old people thought I was unemployed. I got tired of being asked, so sometimes I just walk around them.

I did not go back to the mosque because of some mental breakdown or because someone tried to convert me. About eleven years ago, I saw a video on Weibo about the Quran and science. I clicked on it, and it felt like being struck by lightning. My curiosity was sparked instantly.

I have always loved science. I won many science competitions organized by the Xuanwu District Children's Palace. A children's show on the education channel called "I Want to Know" once invited me to record a program at CCTV. I won third place in a science competition they arranged, and neighbors even recognized me after it aired.

Even though I loved science, I always felt like there was a supreme being watching over me, so I never accepted atheism. Later, I read a study by Yale psychology and cognitive science professor Paul Bloom, which said: "Children are born dualists." Humans are naturally inclined to be creationists. Natural selection does not produce intuitive judgments, and children are especially likely to assign a purpose to every phenomenon. Born dualists find it very easy to believe that a "soul" lives inside the body. "(

Source http://www.americanscientist.o... birth

I remember asking my mom that same day to get me a Quran from the mosque. It was the Ma Jian translation with a brown cover. I found out later it was a pirated copy. The official version certified by the King Fahd Glorious Quran Printing Complex has a red cover and is given away for free, but in China, it was being sold for 100 yuan.

That was my first time reading the Quran, or more accurately, reading a Chinese translation and commentary, because only the Arabic Quran is the true Quran. Even reading Mr. Ma Jian's translation had a huge impact on me. I felt the power in the words. I really liked his style. I enjoy reading simple, plain language and dislike overly emotional adjectives in writing. They feel fake to me if I cannot connect with the author.

It took me about a week to finish reading the entire Quran. The translation felt personal, strong, and full of wisdom that resonated with me. Still wanting more, I went to the shop at the Niujie Mosque and bought the four-volume Sahih al-Bukhari. I finished that quickly too. It was the second religious text I had read. The language in the Hadith is even simpler and more direct than the Quran. The Prophet's plain and rational words touched my heart, so I went on to buy the other five books of the Six Major Hadith collections.

Before I started reading books about Islam, I was in the middle of forming my worldview. I had not thought much about philosophy before high school. Once I got to college, I suddenly had more free time. I used Xiaonei, a social network that connected me with students from other schools. I felt a huge gap in intellectual depth between me and the students from Peking University and Tsinghua University. Once, a senior student hosted a grassroots forum at his home for Xiaonei users. The people who came were the active opinion leaders of the time. One of them was Sun Yuchen, the billionaire active in the crypto world today. He was only 19 then, plain-looking, short, dressed simply, and just starting his second year at Peking University.

To keep up with their thinking, I started reading all kinds of social science and philosophy texts. I kept changing my own values, but I always felt that the books I read could not explain everything I saw in the world. Every thinker's theory had its flaws.

After that, I watched various opinion leaders argue with each other. Conservatives attacked reformers, and the Republican Party criticized the Democratic Party. I slowly lost interest in their arguments until I started reading books about religion.

Between 2007 and 2015, I did my most intense reading. I could finish a book every two or three days. I collected almost every book on religious history and law available in China. The Niujie ethnic goods shop had new books every two days, and I bought them as soon as I saw them. I spent over ten thousand yuan at Mr. Ma's shop. I made sure to buy every book by foreign authors. Luckily, I started early, as some of those books are now off the market for various reasons. When my home ran out of space for paper books, I started collecting e-books. Luckily, Sina Aiwen shared many classics in PDF format back then.

I read religious books much faster than social science or philosophy books. This was partly because of my interest, and partly because I found religious books simpler and easier to understand than theoretical philosophy books.

Whenever I had doubts about a social issue, I would use my religious knowledge to explain it, and it always worked. Slowly, I found my world becoming clearer. I started to feel a sense of transparency, as if I finally understood life. Before this, I would have had to look for answers in the works of experts and scholars.

After many years, I realized that friends made because of shared opinions often drift apart as our views change over time. But friendships built on faith can last.

Before 2015, my Weibo was mostly for sharing my reading notes. I rarely posted about food or fun. I was not interested in food, and I did not have the habit of taking photos when I went out to eat. Around 2015, more and more internet trolls started attacking me on Weibo. Public opinion turned against me, and my blacklist grew to over a thousand people. To reduce the conflict, I occasionally posted photos of food and fun. Unexpectedly, I gained more followers, and the number of people cursing me dropped.

At that time, a friend told me I should read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles instead of staying home reading. That really hit home, because before 2014, I had never even been on a plane.

I did not stay home because I was lazy, but because I had no money. My salary back then went to Japanese classes and books. I only had a home so I did not have to pay rent; otherwise, I would not have even had the money for classes.

Later, my work improved. By 2014, I was earning over ten thousand yuan a month, so I finally had extra money for plane tickets. The first time I flew was from Beijing to Xining, Qinghai. Xining was the first city I visited where halal food was the norm. It was also the first time I saw beautiful girls wearing headscarves everywhere, which left an unforgettable memory.

Everyone knows the rest of the story. I married a Salar girl from Qinghai and held our wedding at the Sky Garden in Xining in 2018. I am a classic example of how knowledge changes destiny. Because I read so many religious books, my aesthetic values changed, which led me to Qinghai. My original life path would never have crossed with a Salar girl.

I started my halal travel journey in 2014. By 2022, I had visited every province-level administrative unit in China and Hui Muslim neighborhoods in over a hundred cities. Abroad, I have been to North America, Oceania, Siberia, and more than 10 countries across East and Southeast Asia. I have visited over 400 mosques at home and abroad, writing an article about each one for my public account. Everything happened naturally, bit by bit, and I never planned it out beforehand.

As I get older, my interest in traveling is fading, and the excitement it brings me is decreasing. Instead, I find more sense of achievement in my work. I know I can never visit every mosque, and there is no point in just checking them off a list. Aside from the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi), there are not many places left that I want to see. I might take my child on more trips in the future to broaden his horizons early on, making up for the lack of travel experiences in my own childhood. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Islamic finance article explains Ibrahim Khan’s view on whether life insurance is halal, comparing term life insurance, whole life insurance, investment elements, and takaful-style alternatives in clear English.



Not long ago, I translated a Sharia article about insurance by Ibrahim Khan published on Islamic Finance Guru (www.islamicfinanceguru.com): Ibrahim Khan: Insurance—Is it halal? This was a selection of Sharia viewpoints discussing insurance from a macro perspective. Ibrahim Khan believes that the vast majority of insurance is lawful, but one more complex category requires separate discussion: life insurance.

The form of life insurance in our country is basically the same as abroad, divided into term life insurance and whole life insurance. The design principles of these two types of life insurance are slightly different. Because whole life insurance has a savings and value-added function, it is suspected of involving interest, and interest is prohibited by Sharia. This article will analyze in depth whether life insurance complies with Sharia based on its design principles.

Life Insurance: is it haram or halal?

(Life Insurance: Is it halal?)

Author: Ibrahim Khan

Translated by Yahya

About the author: Ibrahim Khan holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Oxford and a master's degree in Islamic Finance from the Al Salam Institute. He previously worked as a private equity/venture capital lawyer in New York City and is a co-founder of Islamic Finance Guru.

Main text: In my previous article, "Ibrahim Khan: Insurance—Is it halal?" I discussed some of the main arguments for why insurance is lawful from a Sharia perspective. However, at the end of that article, I promised to write a follow-up article about "life insurance"

because I noticed that life insurance is different from commonly understood insurance products. To prevent misunderstandings, I need to elaborate further.

Well, please read on.

In short, life insurance is divided into two main categories. One is life insurance used for protection, and the other is used as an investment and financial management tool. The former is undoubtedly lawful (based on all the arguments put forward in the previous article), while the latter is only allowed to be purchased if the underlying investment is lawful.



The image shows a poster for Bupa Middle East, a world-class high-end medical insurance brand.

Types of life insurance

There are many types of life insurance, but fundamentally, they all fall into one of the following two areas.

1. Term life insurance

Term life insurance is a type of protection insurance. Under the terms of a term life policy, if you die within a set period, the insurance company pays a benefit to your family. For example, if you are 25 years old and buy a policy for 10 pounds a month, it promises to pay your family 100,000 pounds if you pass away before you turn 50. Here is what happens:

a) Either you pass away before age 50 and your family gets 100,000 pounds; or,

b) You live past age 50 and the policy ends. The insurance company simply keeps the 3,000 pounds in premiums you paid up to that point, just like they keep your annual car insurance premiums.

2. Whole life insurance

Whole life insurance combines protection insurance with an investment tool. Again, imagine you buy a whole life policy at age 25 for 100 pounds a month, and you will have paid at least 35,000 pounds in premiums by age 50. If you pass away before age 50, the insurance company pays a 35,000 pound benefit to your family. But if you live longer and earn good investment returns, you could receive a payout of over 50,000 pounds by the time you are 50.



Besides thinking about how to leave an inheritance for your loved ones after you pass away, you should also consider organizing your Islamic will. People often lose up to 9,700 pounds to inheritance tax when they die without a will. More importantly, a will is vital for Muslims so that your estate is distributed according to Islamic law. If you live in the UK, be sure to check the Islamic Finance Guru (IFG) website for guidance on wills and get your Islamic will sorted in 30 minutes.



Islamic perspective: Term life insurance clearly fits with all other types of protection insurance discussed in previous articles. The uncertainty prohibited in Hadith is not the same as the uncertainty involved in modern insurance. The many positive aspects of insurance outweigh the negative ones. If we accept that Muslim insurance follows Islamic law, we must admit that traditional insurance also follows it, because there is almost no real difference between the two. However, there may be unique objections to life insurance that do not apply to other types of insurance, so let us analyze if these arguments are convincing.

One specific argument against life insurance is that it differs from other types because it aims to provide coverage for the loss of life and the livelihood of the family after a person dies.

Ibrahim said: My Lord is the One who gives life and causes death. [Quran 2:258]

He gave you life, then He will cause you to die, and then He will bring you back to life. [Quran 22:66]

Do not kill your children for fear of poverty, for I provide for them and for you. [17:31]

Umar said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say: If you rely on Allah as you should, He will provide for you just as He provides for the birds. They go out hungry in the early morning and return full in the evening. [Tirmidhi Hadith]

Opponents argue that buying life insurance goes against the decree of Allah, because Allah specifically mentions that life and livelihood are things we should not worry about, as everything is in His control. But this argument is weak, and I have a clear rebuttal: Allah says He controls life and death and provides food, but He does not want us all to sit idle or avoid taking any precautions. Do not throw yourselves into destruction... [Quran 2:195]

Anas ibn Malik said: A man from the Ansar came to the Prophet, and the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: Do you have nothing in your house? The man said: Yes, I only have a piece of cloth, part of which I wear and part of which I spread on the ground, and a wooden bowl for drinking water. The Prophet said: Bring them to me. The man brought these things to him, and the Prophet held them in his hand and said, 'Who will buy these?' Someone said, 'I will buy them for one coin.' The Prophet asked two or three more times, 'Who will offer more than one coin?' Someone said, 'I will buy them for two coins.' He sold them for two coins and the Prophet said, 'Use one coin to buy food for your family.' Then buy an axe and bring it to me. The man brought it to him. The Prophet fixed a handle on it with his own hands and said, 'Go gather firewood and sell it, and do not let me see you for two weeks.' The man went to gather firewood and sold it. He earned ten coins and used them to buy clothes and food. The Prophet said, 'This is better for you than begging, as begging will be a stain on your face on the Day of Resurrection.' Begging is only allowed for three types of people: those in extreme poverty, those burdened with heavy debt, and those who must pay a high price. [Sunan Abu Dawood]

Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Any Muslim who has property to bequeath should not let two nights pass without writing a will.' (Sahih al-Bukhari) Islam teaches us to take all necessary precautions to care for our families, even after we die. In fact, Islam forbids leaving more than one-third of an estate to anyone outside of the deceased's immediate family.

Arguments against this are based on the same reasoning that all other types of protective insurance are not allowed, claiming that because Allah is the 'Healer' of the earth and the 'Protector' of the believers, one should not buy medical insurance. Following this view, one should not go to the hospital or take medicine either. Another reason people oppose life insurance is that Allah controls life and death, so Islam does not allow us to trade with it. I have two direct counterarguments: (1) In life insurance, we are not buying or selling our lives, but rather reducing the risk of financial loss from death. Also, Allah says in the Quran: Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties in exchange for Paradise. [Quran 9:111]

Clearly, we do have a certain level of ownership over our lives. To that extent, we can use our lives and bodies in ways we choose.

If you think I missed any major objections to life insurance, I would love to hear your further arguments (leave a comment below the article).



Islamic perspective: Whole life insurance is fine in principle, but in practice, most people living in the West face a problem. Whole life insurance is seen as an investment in the West, and the legitimacy of an investment depends on the underlying assets.

In the Middle East, if you choose to work with a Muslim insurance company, that company is restricted by its internal policies to only invest in Sharia-compliant assets, so this is not a problem.

However, in the UK, the issue is a bit tricky because traditional insurance companies will almost certainly put a large amount of premiums into fixed-income (interest-based) products, but we may have two ways to handle this:

(1) Either get a policy where a person can decide which underlying investments the policy invests in (and then choose all Sharia-compliant assets); or (2) a person chooses an investment product where most underlying assets are Sharia-compliant, and then gives away the non-Sharia-compliant portion to charity. I am not a big fan of the latter option because whole life insurance is certainly not a necessity like a pension, so Muslims can still find other Sharia-compliant investment products as alternatives.

Conclusion

I feel the arguments above are already very clear, so I will not repeat them here. In short, if you are considering life insurance, check whether it is term insurance or whole life insurance. If it is term insurance, my view is that it is okay to buy. If it is whole life insurance, my view is that if you can choose Sharia-compliant investments, that is also fine, but in reality, this can be difficult in the West.

I think we at IFG should look deeper in the coming months at what long-term investment options follow halal rules. Insha Allah, we will soon start a series of reviews on various companies, funds, and startups that claim to be halal, and we have actually already started doing this.

Is it better to remove the non-halal parts from investment returns and keep the rest? Does this count as avoiding responsibility?

I look forward to your feedback in the comments. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: Muslim Knowledge Guide China: Is Insurance Halal or Haram? Takaful, Riba and Gharar Explained is presented here as a clear English Islamic finance essay for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: I translated this article today from the Islamic Finance Guru website . The original is in English. Interestingly, many of the points in the article match what I have written before, and I swear I had never read this piece until now. It keeps the original names, numbers, mosque details, food notes, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Islamic Finance, Takaful, Halal Insurance.

I translated this article today from the Islamic Finance Guru website . The original is in English. Interestingly, many of the points in the article match what I have written before, and I swear I had never read this piece until now.



In today's world, there are countless sheikhs who are experts in scripture, and many elites who are good at finance. However, it is rare to find a scholar who understands both. This makes it hard for many jurists to make accurate judgments on new, cutting-edge issues. The author of this article, Ibrahim Khan, has both a background in financial theory and practical experience. He holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University and worked as a private equity and venture capital lawyer in New York City. He also has a solid education in scripture, holding a degree in Islamic studies from the Al Salam Institute and a master's degree in Islamic finance. He is a rare talent in the field of contemporary Islamic finance.

Insurance: Is it Haram or Halal?

(Insurance: Is it halal?)

Author: Ibrahim Khan

Translator: Yehya

Main text:

I suspect this is the most controversial article to appear on IFG. Why do I say that? Most of my views on Islamic finance align with the mainstream, but as I have researched the insurance industry more deeply, I have found myself changing some of my ideas. Here are my preliminary views. I believe most types of insurance should be considered permissible (compliant with Sharia).

I would also add, perhaps you do not realize, that a minority of scholars, both living and deceased, believe insurance is compliant with Sharia. Although the view that insurance is forbidden is common, the view that it is permissible is not new. These scholars who believe insurance is permissible include Sheikh Mustafa Zarqa, Sheikh Ali Al-Khafeef, and Nejatullah Siddiqi. There are also some quite prominent modern scholars, but I have not held academic discussions with them. If they feel it is necessary, they can state their own views.

Basic premise

The basic premise I want everyone to remember is that Islamic Sharia does allow us to use forms of financing to help those who suffer losses due to unknown risks. Traditionally, in the Arab region, if someone in a tribe needed to pay blood money (a large sum of money), everyone in the tribe would contribute a small amount to make up that large sum. They did this as an act of charity, so that none of their members would be crushed by a huge compensation payment. Related to this is halal insurance, a form of mutual aid that I will explain in detail later. For now, remember that pooling wealth to reduce loss is a completely legitimate act. The debate focuses on how it operates and the conditions and framework under which it is conducted.

Uncertainty (gharar)

Arguments against traditional insurance claim it involves interest (riba), uncertainty (gharar), and gambling (maisir). In this article, I will focus on the strongest and most central of these objections: uncertainty.

For this article, let us define insurance as common types like car, home, pet, medical, and business insurance, rather than more complex products like life insurance or reinsurance.

The traditional view holds that Islam forbids uncertain transactions. In insurance, you do not know when a risk will occur after buying a policy. Most people pay premiums without getting a return, so it is considered impermissible because you are unsure if you will ever have an accident.

On the other hand, halal insurance or mutual insurance is allowed because it is fundamentally compensation for loss. Although it looks like traditional insurance, it is actually a good deed. The compensation received might be more or less than the actual loss, similar to how tribal members pool money to pay blood money (diya) for someone, which is considered a virtuous act.

After studying the argument that traditional insurance is illegal due to uncertainty, I concluded that it is not the type of uncertain transaction the Hadith intended to forbid. Let me tell you why.

Hadith involving uncertain transactions:

Sahih Muslim records: Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade speculative sales (bai al-gharar).

Jami` at-Tirmidhi records that the Prophet said: Do not sell what you do not have.

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record: Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade the sale of fruit until it is ripe and free from disease.

Musnad Ahmad and Sunan Ibn Majah record: The Prophet forbade buying an unborn animal in its mother's womb, selling milk in the udder without weighing it in a container, buying war booty before it is distributed, giving charity before receiving the booty, and buying the catch of a diver.

Musnad Ahmad records: The Prophet forbade buying a runaway slave.

Ibn al-Athir al-Ansari records: The Prophet forbade selling fruit before it is ripe.

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record: The Messenger of Allah allowed the transaction of 'Araya (gifting a date palm to someone, who can then trade the fresh dates on the tree for dried dates by estimation) for amounts less than 5 awsaq (about 653 kilograms), meaning it is allowed to sell fresh dates on the tree in exchange for old dried dates.

Aisha reported: I said, O Messenger of Allah, people borrow bread and yeast from their neighbors and return more or less than what they borrowed. Is this allowed? He said: This does no harm. This is the normal state for people, and they do not want increases or decreases. (Mentioned in Financial Transactions in Islamic Jurisprudence by Zuhayli, page 254). Another narration from Muadh ibn Jabal says: Take the larger and give the smaller, or take the smaller and give the larger; the best among you is the one who is best at repaying debts.

Sahih Muslim records that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that when the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Medina, they were paying in advance for fruit for one or two years, so he said: Whoever pays in advance must do so for a specified weight and a determined time.

From (1) we can see, as we have already discussed, that transactions with uncertainty are forbidden. But from hadiths (2)-(6) we can analyze why this is done: in each of these cases, the goal is to have a clear, definite contract that leaves no room for dispute, and secondly, the reason for the prohibition is that the harm of the transaction is greater than its benefit.

My view is that traditional insurance is not such a contract because it is clear enough.

Let us look at hadiths (7)-(9): these are just some hadiths where the Prophet allowed some uncertainty in contracts to make things easier for people and merchants, or because it is a custom of the people, and the benefits of the transaction outweigh the harms.

Therefore, we can clearly see that Islam does support some uncertainty in money matters. Thus, the benefits and trading customs of traditional insurance are enough to make it analogous, rather than a forbidden form of uncertainty.

Finally, I find that when people examine the rulings on modern transactions, these are seen as involving a degree of uncertainty, and it is hard for people to define exactly how these rulings, which are seen as legal like Islamic insurance, differ from traditional insurance which is seen as illegal.

Arguments for the negative

The fundamental issue is whether what is bought in an insurance contract is tangible and certain enough to make the contract valid. The Prophet forbade a person from buying a diver's catch until he actually received the catch, returned, and began selling the tangible fish, because it was not clear what was being bought or sold. The subject of the contract must be certain.

But let us imagine the modern era, where big data and historical statistics allow us to model average catches very accurately. In this case, I think there is no problem for Tesco, for example, to sign a one-year contract with a fishing company to provide whatever it catches, as the quantity of the catch is predictable based on known historical averages.

In the insurance industry, insurance companies use big data to gain certainty about their revenue. The question is, do consumers get that same level of certainty? In a competitive market, this helps companies price the product they sell to customers: safety or peace of mind.

Safety or peace of mind might sound like intangible goals. Think of a security guard who gets paid to provide safety. What does that look like? He stands there waiting for the one day a year he is needed, and he stays on call the rest of the time. His job is not just waiting, but also handling any other requests the client might have. Similarly, insurance companies sign contracts, have agents talk to you, provide documents when you need them, and investigate when you file a claim. They are not asked to pay claims every day, but they provide clear and practical services.

A property manager who arranges services for a landlord is another example. If a property needs repairs, the manager handles them. A law firm hired to handle legal requirements is another. Both the property manager and the law firm want to profit from the deal. This is similar to a car or home insurance contract, where the insurance company covers the cost of any damage or theft that might happen.

In short, insurance is a clear contract in our time.

A positive view

Insurance provides certainty, which is important for the business world and for people's daily lives. The Prophet specifically allowed bai salam (letting farmers sell their crops in advance so they can raise money now) because it truly helps people live more easily. As seen in Hadith 9, he weighed the uncertainty of the trade against the benefits and decided the benefits were greater.

I also find the charm in Hadith 7 and 8. They do not apply perfectly here, but they show that unequal exchanges in business deals are sometimes acceptable. In the case of 7, it helps ease business in an area where date palms are the main crop. In the case of 8, it allows for the repayment of debt in a flexible way. Usually, a person must repay a debt exactly, without even adding a gift, to avoid it being seen as interest. However, in this case, maintaining community unity is more important than anything else.

Notice how the Prophet set a simple standard for what is allowed in 7. 650 kilograms is a large measurement, and the Prophet allowed araya trades for amounts less than that. For example, he could have set the weight at 10 kilograms, but his intention was to make business and life easier, not to create difficulties.

Insurance is vital for businesses to maintain steady shipping every month and prevent crises. It also helps help large deals because insurance companies often participate by underwriting the risk of failed transactions or acting as guarantors for all parties. These are all important lubricants for our economy. insurance creates a large amount of wealth, which is then invested throughout society—this is also an important part of a healthy economy.

Insurance has many other benefits, and this article outlines some of them well. In short, the focus is on insurance. While it may have a degree of uncertainty, it is still reasonable because it has great benefits, and our Sharia historically does allow for some beneficial uncertain transactions if the pros outweigh the cons.

Arguments for Muslim insurance.

The concept of blood money mutual aid (diya) is the inspiration for the Muslim insurance models proposed in our time. The basic concept is that a group of people pools their money together, not for profit, but to support each other. I like the cooperative model, and if such a model exists nearby, I would be happy to encourage people to use it—essentially, it is more like a charitable public welfare cause.

But fundamentally, the Muslim insurance model is the same as the traditional model in its important structural elements. The goal of both organizations is to create a surplus, pay the salaries of employees and managers, pool the participants' cash, and then pay claims with that cash. In the Muslim insurance model, there is also a mutual benefit element similar to an exchange contract. It is not just about donating money and ending it there; rather, there is an expectation when donating that the Muslim insurance pool will provide dividends if the donor is in need.

Secondly, if we go back to the blood money situation that Muslim insurance is often compared to, the money was not actually pooled and then invested by the tribe. When disaster struck, the individual tribe would still pay the price, so in a way, this is a purer form of gift (hiba) because there was no contract between the tribes. However, in today's non-tribal and atomized society, this is impractical, so the Muslim insurance model allows people to receive payments in advance. This certainly creates an expectation—and that expectation is profit. So my point is that the Muslim insurance industry has already compromised on the pure blood money setup for practical purposes. Doing so makes it almost identical to traditional insurance companies. If this is acknowledged, then there is actually almost no other substantive difference between the two models.

Yes, the traditional model can be said to be more profit-driven, does not pay any dividends to participants, and charges higher fees. But in reality, from the perspective of the 21st century, we live in a world of free capital flow. International finance and financial institutions span multiple continents, and the population size is incomparable to that of a thousand years ago. We need large-scale Muslim insurance companies to function, and that requires incredible effort. It is unrealistic to expect anyone to handle all this without a profit motive, and existing Muslim insurance companies are also for-profit. The main insurance providers are those who set them up and fund them through Islamic windows—essentially the only entities that can help start a Muslim insurance company—and they will make money from it just like traditional insurance businesses. The only difference is the structure, but the profit motive is exactly the same. They price risks and solve funding shortages just like traditional insurance companies, although in a pure Muslim insurance model, dividends might be distributed based on how much a person contributes because it is a charity, and if there is a loss, other members share it.

Finally, the Cooperative company in the UK is a great model; I learned more about them and actually participated in projects during my research, and they return profits to members and offer discounts in their stores. Interestingly, they performed very poorly before they became commercialized, but after commercialization, they now run very efficiently.

Concluding remarks

This is the longest article I have published on IFG because I need to elaborate more on the arguments presented, as this is a minority position. Please note that this article is just a summary of my views. A more comprehensive analysis would extend to tens of thousands of words. For example, every hadith mentioned has had countless pages written about it over the centuries, and fully analyzing them would require a small book, not to mention all the other relevant hadith that were not mentioned.

A few final points need to be briefly emphasized.

In my view, the legitimacy of Muslim insurance and traditional insurance is almost identical, except for the following points.

Insurance companies invest in haram areas, and if you get a certain return at the end, such as with life insurance, I need to think about this further, but at first glance, the same ruling applies to any fund stock you invest in that has haram components.

In cases where you buy insurance related to property loss, such as car insurance, rather than for any investment motive, I initially think there is no problem because you are signing a contract with the insurance company, and you do not need to worry about what they do with the money.

Life insurance may have special problems compared to other types of insurance, and I cannot comment on this until further research.

Regarding mandatory insurance like car insurance or employer liability insurance, this is certainly fine from the perspective of Sharia, even if all my arguments above are wrong.

Also, as I said at the beginning, my thinking on this topic is still maturing as I research it more deeply. I really want to hear what others think about what is written here, including your ideas and criticisms, so we can learn more from each other.

More resources:

Uncertainty in contracts and its impact on modern applications – Dr. Muhammad Al-Ameen Ad-Dareer [Arabic]

The insurance system – its reality and legal implications – SH. Mustafa Zarqa [Arabic]

Radd al-Muhtaar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtaar Sharh Tanweer al-Absaar – Muhammad Ameen ibn Abideen [Arabic]
Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: Muslim Knowledge Guide China: Is Insurance Halal or Haram? Takaful, Riba and Gharar Explained is presented here as a clear English Islamic finance essay for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: I translated this article today from the Islamic Finance Guru website . The original is in English. Interestingly, many of the points in the article match what I have written before, and I swear I had never read this piece until now. It keeps the original names, numbers, mosque details, food notes, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Islamic Finance, Takaful, Halal Insurance.

I translated this article today from the Islamic Finance Guru website . The original is in English. Interestingly, many of the points in the article match what I have written before, and I swear I had never read this piece until now.



In today's world, there are countless sheikhs who are experts in scripture, and many elites who are good at finance. However, it is rare to find a scholar who understands both. This makes it hard for many jurists to make accurate judgments on new, cutting-edge issues. The author of this article, Ibrahim Khan, has both a background in financial theory and practical experience. He holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University and worked as a private equity and venture capital lawyer in New York City. He also has a solid education in scripture, holding a degree in Islamic studies from the Al Salam Institute and a master's degree in Islamic finance. He is a rare talent in the field of contemporary Islamic finance.

Insurance: Is it Haram or Halal?

(Insurance: Is it halal?)

Author: Ibrahim Khan

Translator: Yehya

Main text:

I suspect this is the most controversial article to appear on IFG. Why do I say that? Most of my views on Islamic finance align with the mainstream, but as I have researched the insurance industry more deeply, I have found myself changing some of my ideas. Here are my preliminary views. I believe most types of insurance should be considered permissible (compliant with Sharia).

I would also add, perhaps you do not realize, that a minority of scholars, both living and deceased, believe insurance is compliant with Sharia. Although the view that insurance is forbidden is common, the view that it is permissible is not new. These scholars who believe insurance is permissible include Sheikh Mustafa Zarqa, Sheikh Ali Al-Khafeef, and Nejatullah Siddiqi. There are also some quite prominent modern scholars, but I have not held academic discussions with them. If they feel it is necessary, they can state their own views.

Basic premise

The basic premise I want everyone to remember is that Islamic Sharia does allow us to use forms of financing to help those who suffer losses due to unknown risks. Traditionally, in the Arab region, if someone in a tribe needed to pay blood money (a large sum of money), everyone in the tribe would contribute a small amount to make up that large sum. They did this as an act of charity, so that none of their members would be crushed by a huge compensation payment. Related to this is halal insurance, a form of mutual aid that I will explain in detail later. For now, remember that pooling wealth to reduce loss is a completely legitimate act. The debate focuses on how it operates and the conditions and framework under which it is conducted.

Uncertainty (gharar)

Arguments against traditional insurance claim it involves interest (riba), uncertainty (gharar), and gambling (maisir). In this article, I will focus on the strongest and most central of these objections: uncertainty.

For this article, let us define insurance as common types like car, home, pet, medical, and business insurance, rather than more complex products like life insurance or reinsurance.

The traditional view holds that Islam forbids uncertain transactions. In insurance, you do not know when a risk will occur after buying a policy. Most people pay premiums without getting a return, so it is considered impermissible because you are unsure if you will ever have an accident.

On the other hand, halal insurance or mutual insurance is allowed because it is fundamentally compensation for loss. Although it looks like traditional insurance, it is actually a good deed. The compensation received might be more or less than the actual loss, similar to how tribal members pool money to pay blood money (diya) for someone, which is considered a virtuous act.

After studying the argument that traditional insurance is illegal due to uncertainty, I concluded that it is not the type of uncertain transaction the Hadith intended to forbid. Let me tell you why.

Hadith involving uncertain transactions:

Sahih Muslim records: Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade speculative sales (bai al-gharar).

Jami` at-Tirmidhi records that the Prophet said: Do not sell what you do not have.

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record: Ibn Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade the sale of fruit until it is ripe and free from disease.

Musnad Ahmad and Sunan Ibn Majah record: The Prophet forbade buying an unborn animal in its mother's womb, selling milk in the udder without weighing it in a container, buying war booty before it is distributed, giving charity before receiving the booty, and buying the catch of a diver.

Musnad Ahmad records: The Prophet forbade buying a runaway slave.

Ibn al-Athir al-Ansari records: The Prophet forbade selling fruit before it is ripe.

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record: The Messenger of Allah allowed the transaction of 'Araya (gifting a date palm to someone, who can then trade the fresh dates on the tree for dried dates by estimation) for amounts less than 5 awsaq (about 653 kilograms), meaning it is allowed to sell fresh dates on the tree in exchange for old dried dates.

Aisha reported: I said, O Messenger of Allah, people borrow bread and yeast from their neighbors and return more or less than what they borrowed. Is this allowed? He said: This does no harm. This is the normal state for people, and they do not want increases or decreases. (Mentioned in Financial Transactions in Islamic Jurisprudence by Zuhayli, page 254). Another narration from Muadh ibn Jabal says: Take the larger and give the smaller, or take the smaller and give the larger; the best among you is the one who is best at repaying debts.

Sahih Muslim records that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) reported that when the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Medina, they were paying in advance for fruit for one or two years, so he said: Whoever pays in advance must do so for a specified weight and a determined time.

From (1) we can see, as we have already discussed, that transactions with uncertainty are forbidden. But from hadiths (2)-(6) we can analyze why this is done: in each of these cases, the goal is to have a clear, definite contract that leaves no room for dispute, and secondly, the reason for the prohibition is that the harm of the transaction is greater than its benefit.

My view is that traditional insurance is not such a contract because it is clear enough.

Let us look at hadiths (7)-(9): these are just some hadiths where the Prophet allowed some uncertainty in contracts to make things easier for people and merchants, or because it is a custom of the people, and the benefits of the transaction outweigh the harms.

Therefore, we can clearly see that Islam does support some uncertainty in money matters. Thus, the benefits and trading customs of traditional insurance are enough to make it analogous, rather than a forbidden form of uncertainty.

Finally, I find that when people examine the rulings on modern transactions, these are seen as involving a degree of uncertainty, and it is hard for people to define exactly how these rulings, which are seen as legal like Islamic insurance, differ from traditional insurance which is seen as illegal.

Arguments for the negative

The fundamental issue is whether what is bought in an insurance contract is tangible and certain enough to make the contract valid. The Prophet forbade a person from buying a diver's catch until he actually received the catch, returned, and began selling the tangible fish, because it was not clear what was being bought or sold. The subject of the contract must be certain.

But let us imagine the modern era, where big data and historical statistics allow us to model average catches very accurately. In this case, I think there is no problem for Tesco, for example, to sign a one-year contract with a fishing company to provide whatever it catches, as the quantity of the catch is predictable based on known historical averages.

In the insurance industry, insurance companies use big data to gain certainty about their revenue. The question is, do consumers get that same level of certainty? In a competitive market, this helps companies price the product they sell to customers: safety or peace of mind.

Safety or peace of mind might sound like intangible goals. Think of a security guard who gets paid to provide safety. What does that look like? He stands there waiting for the one day a year he is needed, and he stays on call the rest of the time. His job is not just waiting, but also handling any other requests the client might have. Similarly, insurance companies sign contracts, have agents talk to you, provide documents when you need them, and investigate when you file a claim. They are not asked to pay claims every day, but they provide clear and practical services.

A property manager who arranges services for a landlord is another example. If a property needs repairs, the manager handles them. A law firm hired to handle legal requirements is another. Both the property manager and the law firm want to profit from the deal. This is similar to a car or home insurance contract, where the insurance company covers the cost of any damage or theft that might happen.

In short, insurance is a clear contract in our time.

A positive view

Insurance provides certainty, which is important for the business world and for people's daily lives. The Prophet specifically allowed bai salam (letting farmers sell their crops in advance so they can raise money now) because it truly helps people live more easily. As seen in Hadith 9, he weighed the uncertainty of the trade against the benefits and decided the benefits were greater.

I also find the charm in Hadith 7 and 8. They do not apply perfectly here, but they show that unequal exchanges in business deals are sometimes acceptable. In the case of 7, it helps ease business in an area where date palms are the main crop. In the case of 8, it allows for the repayment of debt in a flexible way. Usually, a person must repay a debt exactly, without even adding a gift, to avoid it being seen as interest. However, in this case, maintaining community unity is more important than anything else.

Notice how the Prophet set a simple standard for what is allowed in 7. 650 kilograms is a large measurement, and the Prophet allowed araya trades for amounts less than that. For example, he could have set the weight at 10 kilograms, but his intention was to make business and life easier, not to create difficulties.

Insurance is vital for businesses to maintain steady shipping every month and prevent crises. It also helps help large deals because insurance companies often participate by underwriting the risk of failed transactions or acting as guarantors for all parties. These are all important lubricants for our economy. insurance creates a large amount of wealth, which is then invested throughout society—this is also an important part of a healthy economy.

Insurance has many other benefits, and this article outlines some of them well. In short, the focus is on insurance. While it may have a degree of uncertainty, it is still reasonable because it has great benefits, and our Sharia historically does allow for some beneficial uncertain transactions if the pros outweigh the cons.

Arguments for Muslim insurance.

The concept of blood money mutual aid (diya) is the inspiration for the Muslim insurance models proposed in our time. The basic concept is that a group of people pools their money together, not for profit, but to support each other. I like the cooperative model, and if such a model exists nearby, I would be happy to encourage people to use it—essentially, it is more like a charitable public welfare cause.

But fundamentally, the Muslim insurance model is the same as the traditional model in its important structural elements. The goal of both organizations is to create a surplus, pay the salaries of employees and managers, pool the participants' cash, and then pay claims with that cash. In the Muslim insurance model, there is also a mutual benefit element similar to an exchange contract. It is not just about donating money and ending it there; rather, there is an expectation when donating that the Muslim insurance pool will provide dividends if the donor is in need.

Secondly, if we go back to the blood money situation that Muslim insurance is often compared to, the money was not actually pooled and then invested by the tribe. When disaster struck, the individual tribe would still pay the price, so in a way, this is a purer form of gift (hiba) because there was no contract between the tribes. However, in today's non-tribal and atomized society, this is impractical, so the Muslim insurance model allows people to receive payments in advance. This certainly creates an expectation—and that expectation is profit. So my point is that the Muslim insurance industry has already compromised on the pure blood money setup for practical purposes. Doing so makes it almost identical to traditional insurance companies. If this is acknowledged, then there is actually almost no other substantive difference between the two models.

Yes, the traditional model can be said to be more profit-driven, does not pay any dividends to participants, and charges higher fees. But in reality, from the perspective of the 21st century, we live in a world of free capital flow. International finance and financial institutions span multiple continents, and the population size is incomparable to that of a thousand years ago. We need large-scale Muslim insurance companies to function, and that requires incredible effort. It is unrealistic to expect anyone to handle all this without a profit motive, and existing Muslim insurance companies are also for-profit. The main insurance providers are those who set them up and fund them through Islamic windows—essentially the only entities that can help start a Muslim insurance company—and they will make money from it just like traditional insurance businesses. The only difference is the structure, but the profit motive is exactly the same. They price risks and solve funding shortages just like traditional insurance companies, although in a pure Muslim insurance model, dividends might be distributed based on how much a person contributes because it is a charity, and if there is a loss, other members share it.

Finally, the Cooperative company in the UK is a great model; I learned more about them and actually participated in projects during my research, and they return profits to members and offer discounts in their stores. Interestingly, they performed very poorly before they became commercialized, but after commercialization, they now run very efficiently.

Concluding remarks

This is the longest article I have published on IFG because I need to elaborate more on the arguments presented, as this is a minority position. Please note that this article is just a summary of my views. A more comprehensive analysis would extend to tens of thousands of words. For example, every hadith mentioned has had countless pages written about it over the centuries, and fully analyzing them would require a small book, not to mention all the other relevant hadith that were not mentioned.

A few final points need to be briefly emphasized.

In my view, the legitimacy of Muslim insurance and traditional insurance is almost identical, except for the following points.

Insurance companies invest in haram areas, and if you get a certain return at the end, such as with life insurance, I need to think about this further, but at first glance, the same ruling applies to any fund stock you invest in that has haram components.

In cases where you buy insurance related to property loss, such as car insurance, rather than for any investment motive, I initially think there is no problem because you are signing a contract with the insurance company, and you do not need to worry about what they do with the money.

Life insurance may have special problems compared to other types of insurance, and I cannot comment on this until further research.

Regarding mandatory insurance like car insurance or employer liability insurance, this is certainly fine from the perspective of Sharia, even if all my arguments above are wrong.

Also, as I said at the beginning, my thinking on this topic is still maturing as I research it more deeply. I really want to hear what others think about what is written here, including your ideas and criticisms, so we can learn more from each other.

More resources:

Uncertainty in contracts and its impact on modern applications – Dr. Muhammad Al-Ameen Ad-Dareer [Arabic]

The insurance system – its reality and legal implications – SH. Mustafa Zarqa [Arabic]

Radd al-Muhtaar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtaar Sharh Tanweer al-Absaar – Muhammad Ameen ibn Abideen [Arabic]
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Reposted from the web

Summary: Muslim Travel Guide China 2026: Xunhua and Hualong Salar Mosques, Qinghai Halal Food and Heritage is presented here as a clear English Muslim travel account, starting with this scene: By my own count, I have visited 454 mosques at home and abroad. I have visited the most in Beijing, where I have been to 67, because Beijing is my home. The place where I have visited the second most mosques is Qinghai, where I have been to 32. This is my. It keeps the original names, numbers, mosque details, food notes, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Qinghai Mosques, Salar Muslims, Halal Travel.



By my own count, I have visited 454 mosques at home and abroad. I have visited the most in Beijing, where I have been to 67, because Beijing is my home. The place where I have visited the second most mosques is Qinghai, where I have been to 32. This is my wife's home, as I married a Salar woman from Xunhua.

Driving from Xining to Xunhua County takes about two hours on the highway. The Xunhua Salar Autonomous County is part of Haidong City. Most of Qinghai's important mosques are concentrated in Xunhua and Hualong counties, which are two neighboring ethnic autonomous counties.

This time I visited the Kewa Mosque, Zhangga Mosque, Tashapo Mosque, Qingshuihedong Mosque, Mengda Mosque, Zanbuhu Mosque, and Jiezi gongbei in Xunhua County, all of which are Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. I previously visited the Hongshuiquan Mosque in Ping'an, which is also a national-level site. The Suzhi Mosque is a provincial-level protected site. In Hualong, the Ahetan Mosque is a national-level site, and the Yisha'er Mosque is a provincial-level protected site. I also visited the Yimamu Village Mosque, Guoshitan Mosque, and a few other mosques with unique traditional architectural styles. These old buildings are not too far apart, and if you have a car, you can visit them all in one or two days.

1. Qingshuihedong Grand Mosque



The Qingshuihedong Mosque is located in Qingshui Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County. It was first built in 1425 during the Ming Dynasty. It follows a traditional Chinese architectural layout with a central axis. However, the minaret is not on the axis; it sits about 9 meters south of the front of the main prayer hall. Along the central axis, there is a spirit wall (yingbi), a gate, and the main hall. To the north of the main hall is a side building. Unlike other mosques, the Qingshui Mosque does not have a south side building.





In 1996, a brick-carved screen wall was added to the Qingshuihedong Mosque. It features a hip roof (wudian ding) with a vase ornament on the main ridge and a pedestal base.



The gate tower has a hip roof with five-step bracket sets (dougong) under the eaves. The 17-meter-tall minaret has a brick base and a wooden attic-style upper structure with a double-eaved, hexagonal helmet-shaped roof.





The prayer hall has a gabled and hipped roof (xieshan ding), five bays wide, with projecting bracket sets and carved wooden beams and brackets. There are wooden railings between the eave pillars and brick-carved walls on both sides. On the north side, there is an arched door leading to the side courtyard.



The corridor walls are made of polished bricks with tight joints and feature brick carvings. The main hall is five bays wide and five bays deep, supported by 42 pillars. The rear prayer niche (yao dian) has wooden partitions, intricate openwork carvings, wooden bracket sets, and hanging flower pillars, all with detailed patterns and fine craftsmanship.



Near the Qingshuihedong Mosque is the Qingshuihedong South Mosque. Inside the South Mosque, I saw a women's prayer hall, which is quite rare in the Northwest.















When visiting mosques in Qinghai, I rarely saw anyone guarding the doors. Even at national-level protected sites, you can just walk in. I have never been stopped or questioned, which is very similar to my experiences abroad.



2. Mengda Mosque



Xunhua has Mengda Mountain, and on the mountain is Mengda Mountain Village. This is my wife's hometown, but the Mengda Mosque and Mengda Heavenly Lake are not in Mengda Mountain Village. They are quite far away, so be careful not to go to the wrong place.



Mengda Mosque is in Mengda Dazhuang Village. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and follows traditional Chinese architectural style. Along a central axis from east to west, there is a spirit wall (yingbi), a call-to-prayer tower (huanxinglou), and the main prayer hall. On both sides of the spirit wall are the left and right mountain gates, and in front of the main hall are the south and north side rooms. It covers a total area of 1,344 square meters. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it served as the main mosque (zongsi) for the Mengda Gong, one of the eight Salar Gong districts.



On both sides of the spirit wall at Mengda Mosque are wooden archways with three bays, four pillars, and three roofs, featuring a ridged roof design.



At Mengda Mosque, I met a retired official who used to be in charge of culture and publicity in Xunhua County. This Salar elder listed the historical sites of Xunhua for me and told me to visit them one by one when I have time. The elder's Mandarin was relatively easy to understand. The common language in Xunhua is the Salar language, so most of the time I had to ask my father-in-law to help me communicate with the locals.







The bottom floor of the call-to-prayer tower is a brick-built hexagon with brick carvings on the walls. The upper level is a wooden pavilion-style structure with a triple-eave hexagonal helmet-shaped roof.









The prayer hall consists of a porch (juanpeng), a main hall with a ridged hip-and-gable roof, and a T-shaped kiln hall (yaodian). There is a treasure vase (baoping) in the middle of the main ridges of the hall and kiln hall, covering a building area of over 300 square meters.





The prayer hall has a convex-shaped floor plan and a post-and-lintel wooden frame. The beams and pillars are decorated with gold-painted powder, and the walls are decorated with floral patterns and Arabic scripture murals.













3. Zhangga Mosque



Zhangga Mosque is located in Zhangga Village, Baizhuang Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and covers an area of 2,275 square meters. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it was the main mosque for the Zhangga Gong, one of the eight Salar Gong districts.



Zhangga Mosque has two gate towers facing east. They are in the style of a three-bay, four-pillar, three-roof archway, connected in the middle by a brick-carved spirit wall.









The prayer hall is a brick-and-wood structure with a building area of 700 square meters. It consists of a front hall, a middle hall, and a back hall. It is five bays wide and seven bays deep with a hip-and-gable roof. There are three treasure vases on the main ridge, and the eaves feature wooden carved brackets (dougong) and bird-shaped supports (quetie).



A new-style back hall was added to the west of the main hall. The original back hall became the middle hall, which is square-shaped. It features outward-extending brackets, and the beam frame is stacked into an inverted-bucket-shaped caisson ceiling with gorgeous wood carvings.



The prayer hall combines traditional hall style with Tibetan style. It is five bays wide and five bays deep, with large beams placed horizontally and carved with double-ring patterns.





4. Kewa Mosque



Kewa Mosque is located in Kewa Village, Baizhuang Town, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Qinghai Province. The mosque was first built in the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1403) and was renovated and expanded during the Qing Dynasty. Renovated and expanded in the 1980s. The mosque is laid out as a courtyard house, featuring a prayer hall, north and south lecture halls, a minaret, a bathing room, a screen wall, a gate tower, and a modern teaching building. It covers an area of 2,800 square meters, with a building area of 2,800 square meters. The prayer hall features carved beams and painted rafters, with wooden panels inlaid on the walls decorated with various patterns and scriptures, making it an Islamic building with Tibetan-style decorations. It was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 2013.



The new prayer hall of Kewa Mosque has been completed right next to the old one, and this mosque is the most prominent example of Tibetan-style architecture in Xunhua.





The main hall uses a post-and-lintel timber frame structure. The pillars are wrapped in finely carved wooden strips and are polygonal in shape, known as wrapped pillars (baoxiangzhu). The walls are inlaid with wooden panels painted with landscape and floral patterns. Between the main hall and the rear mihrab hall, there is a hollow-carved wooden partition featuring ruyi-shaped bracket sets (dougong) and hanging flower-shaped decorative canopies.



Kewa Mosque follows a courtyard layout. The prayer hall consists of a front hall and a rear mihrab hall. It is a brick-and-wood structure with five bays and a single-eave hip-and-gable roof.



The murals feature scriptures and are decorated with landscapes and flowers, showing a strong Tibetan painting style.



The walls of the rear mihrab hall are painted with Quranic verses in various scripts and the 99 names of Allah, while the beams are decorated with swirling patterns (xuanzi caihua), the center of the beams features gold scripture on a black background, and the pedestal (xumizuo) is carved and painted with patterns. The decorations feature a traditional Chinese Tibetan style.



On the east side of the courtyard stands a screen wall (yingbi) made of polished bricks with seamless joints, featuring a hip roof, brick bracket sets, and a pedestal base, with a brick carving of a dragon and phoenix symbolizing good fortune in the center.



The three-story minaret has a brick base with single-slope doors on the east and west sides. The second and third floors are wooden pavilions with double-eaved hexagonal pointed roofs.





5. Tashapo Mosque



Tashapo Mosque is in Tashapo Village, Qingshui Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Qinghai Province. The mosque was first built in 1480 during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1755 during the Qing Dynasty. The mosque faces east and follows an east-west axis, featuring a screen wall, a memorial archway, a minaret, and a prayer hall, with scripture halls and bathing rooms on the north and south sides. The mosque covers 1,840 square meters with a building area of 537 square meters. In 2013, it was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level as part of the ancient mosque building complex of the Salar people in Xunhua.



The gate tower of Tashapo Mosque has three bays, four pillars, and three stories, with a hip roof and blue brick ridges. There are brick-carved splayed walls on both sides of the archway. A straight screen wall stands in front of the gate.









The three-story minaret has a brick base with a solid adobe interior and brick carvings on the walls. The second and third floors are wooden pavilions with double-eaved hexagonal helmet-shaped roofs.





The prayer hall is a Ming Dynasty structure with a convex-shaped floor plan, with five bays, a single-eaved hip-and-gable roof, bracket sets, and a front porch. The mihrab hall has a T-shaped roof with upturned eaves.



The prayer hall covers 250 square meters and uses a raised-beam wooden frame with natural wood finishes, giving it a simple and elegant look. The north and south walls are decorated with ancient murals of scripture. The mihrab hall features a grid-pattern beam frame.



















6. Suzhi Mosque



Suzhi Mosque is located in Suzhi Village, Chahandusi Township, Xunhua County, Qinghai Province. The mosque was first built in the fourth year of the Tianshun reign of the Ming Dynasty (1460) and was renovated and expanded during the Qing Dynasty. It has a square courtyard layout with a traditional four-sided courtyard design. The brick-and-wood buildings include a prayer hall, north and south scripture halls, a minaret, a gatehouse, a bathing room, and a screen wall. The prayer hall and scripture halls date back to the Qing Dynasty. In 1981, local elders donated funds for a large-scale renovation of the mosque. The mosque currently covers an area of 2,010 square meters, with a building area of 800 square meters.



The prayer hall of Suzhi Mosque has five bays and a single-eave hip-and-gable roof with upturned corners. Aluminum alloy glass doors and windows are installed between the front eave pillars. There are brick-carved splayed walls on both sides. The prayer hall consists of a front hall and a back hall. The roof ridge features three treasure vases, and the lower part of the walls is inlaid with ceramic tiles. The front hall has five bays and the back hall has three, forming a T-shape. The structure uses five-purlin beams and a traditional raised-beam timber frame. Under the eaves of the prayer hall are five-step bracket sets, and the wood carvings on the beams are exquisite. The scripture hall has five bays, with three bright rooms and two dark rooms. It has a front corridor, and the beams are carved with floral patterns. It features a single-slope roof with a ridge and a hard-mountain roof style.









7. Quran Museum



The Quran Museum is located in the building opposite Jiezi Mosque. The door is usually locked, but there is a phone number for the manager at the entrance. You can call to have someone open the door for a free visit. Two Salar leaders, Galemang and Ahemang, brought a handwritten Quran on a white camel from their original home in the Sarakhs region of Mary Province, Turkmenistan, in Central Asia. They traveled through Samarkand to China and settled in Xunhua, Qinghai, between the 10th and 14th centuries.



This Quran is divided into two parts, each with 15 volumes, totaling 30 volumes and 867 pages. The cover is made of rhinoceros hide, and the script is in the early Arabic Muhaqqaq style. The Muhaqqaq style formed during the Buyid era of the Abbasid Caliphate in the 11th century, and this book dates back to between 900 and 1200 AD.



The Quran Museum also houses various other editions of the Quran.



Pocket-sized Quran

8. Jiezi Gongbei in Xunhua



Jiezi Gongbei in Xunhua County is the tomb of Han Chengxiang (1822-1900), a spiritual leader of the Qadiriyya menhuan. Han Chengxiang traveled twice to the Shah Awliya shrine in Yarkant, Xinjiang, to seek guidance from his teachers. This gongbei was first built in 1950 and is now a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level.



I have visited important Qadiriyya gongbei sites, including those in Xixiang, Langzhong, Songpan, and Linxia. They left a great impression on me. When the elderly caretaker at the gongbei heard I was from Beijing, he not only unlocked the tomb chamber for me to visit but also warmly invited me into his room for tea.



My father-in-law is Ikhwan, so he has no interest in gongbei. Although our community in Beijing follows the Gedimu tradition, there are two tombs of saints (shaihai) inside the Niujie Mosque.



Elder Juma once provided a legal ruling (fatwa) on praying in mosques that contain graves: if the grave is next to the mosque and the prayer is performed inside the mosque, the prayer is valid. If the grave is inside the mosque, the Hanbali school of jurisprudence holds that the prayer is invalid. However, the other three major schools of jurisprudence consider the prayer valid, though praying with a grave in front of the worshiper is considered disliked (makruh).

Based on this ruling, none of the gongbei in China have the graves and the mosque built together; every gongbei has a separate prayer room.



9. West Route Army Memorial Hall



During this second visit to Hongguang Village, I saw that the West Route Army Memorial Hall had been completed. Hongguang Village has a mosque called Hongguang Mosque, also known as Zanbuhu Mosque. Because it is the only mosque in the country built by the Red Army, it is listed as a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level.















Descendants of the Red Army have visited Hongguang Village many times to honor the martyrs. Their fathers were captured by the Nationalist army under Ma Bufang and sent to Hongguang Village to build this mosque.





These captured Red Army soldiers were defiant, so they secretly carved revolutionary symbols like stars, sickles, and hammers into the bricks and tiles of the mosque.





These revolutionary symbols are scattered among the tiles on the roof of the mosque, where most people would not notice them.



Although the mosque is not large, its significance is extraordinary. It is one of the most unique mosques I have visited.













10. Imam Village



While driving through Xunhua County, I saw a village with an interesting name: Imam Village. The name sounded very Islamic, so I parked the car and walked around the village.



I did not walk far before I saw a large mosque under construction in the village, which was very grand.







When I walked closer, I saw that the decorative patterns on the base and side halls of the mosque had architectural features typical of Central Asia and Xinjiang.



This mosaic pattern is often used in North African mosques, and it looks like it will be finished soon.



11. Guoshitan Mosque



My father-in-law saw how obsessed I was with mosques. After we finished the sunset prayer (maghrib) in Jiezi, he wanted to take me to Guoshitan Village. He said they had built a new wooden mosque there, which is considered the largest wooden mosque in Xunhua County. We drove for about twenty minutes and arrived at Guoshitan Village, but it was already dark.



Guoshitan Mosque is located in Guoshitan Village, Jiezi Town. It was first built in 1445, and the current structure was built in 2020. People say the wooden beams for the main hall were purchased from Russia, and the total cost of the mosque was over 20 million.



The large wooden mosque is very spectacular and has a simple, ancient feel, as if it could be designated as a protected cultural site as soon as it was finished.









Hualong Hui Autonomous County

12. Ahetan Mosque



Ahetan Mosque is located in Ahetan Village, Gandu Town, Hualong County, Qinghai Province. It was first built in the 22nd year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1594). It covers an area of 1,938 square meters and consists of a prayer hall, north and south scripture halls, a screen wall, a memorial archway, and a minaret, all arranged in a traditional courtyard layout. Inside the courtyard, there are 24 two-story brick and wood rooms used as scripture halls. It was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 2013.





Ahetan Mosque is located in Ahetan Village, Gandu Town, Hualong Hui Autonomous County. It was first built in 1323 and expanded during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli reign, retaining its Yuan and Ming architectural style to this day.



The wooden memorial archway of Ahetan Mosque is a three-bay, four-pillar, three-story structure with a hip roof. It is 9 meters high and 8 meters wide, with a tall roof supported by four diagonal pillars in the front and back.



The prayer hall has a floor area of 540 square meters. It is a three-section, six-bay structure with the main hall in the center and a ridged, hip-and-gable roof. There are north and south shed-style side halls, and the interior of the halls is connected as one.



The main hall and the niche hall (yaodian) are separated by carved wooden partitions. The mihrab in the center of the west wall of the niche hall and the Sumeru pedestals on the north and south walls are decorated with exquisite wood carvings.





13. Yisha'er Mosque



Yisha Mosque is in Yisha Village, Qunke Town, Hualong Hui Autonomous County. It is a protected cultural site of Qinghai Province. The mosque was first built in the first year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1488). It was rebuilt in the 14th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1749). The original minaret was a three-story wooden structure, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, standing 28 meters high with a diameter of 6 meters.





The cultural heritage plaque at Yisha Mosque calls it Yisha'er Mosque, but you can only find its location on Baidu Maps by searching for Yisha Mosque.





My father-in-law thinks Hualong has a better religious atmosphere than Xunhua. Most Hui Muslims from Hualong run noodle shops in other parts of China, while the Salar people from Xunhua mostly run Xinjiang-style restaurants.





Tips: Food and accommodation guide.



Almost all restaurants in Xunhua County are halal, and most serve noodles. If you want something special, try Lanfanfang Copper Pot Hot Pot. People in Qinghai love hot pot, and the local clay pot hot pot (tu huoguo) is a regional specialty.



The hot pot at Lanfanfang is unique because it is double-layered. The sauerkraut fish pot on top is especially delicious, mainly because the fish is so good.





Qingya Restaurant, another long-standing local spot just a few dozen meters from Lanfanfang, was recommended by a friend in Xunhua. You can eat representative local handmade noodle pieces (mianpian) there.



Keep in mind that portions in Northwest China are very large. Unless you have a huge appetite, order less food when traveling here.







I personally tested the dry mixed noodles (ganban mian) and firecracker noodles (paozhang mian) at Hanshouyi, and they are delicious. Both are Qinghai specialties that do not taste authentic once you leave the province.



Firecracker noodles (paozhang mian)



Dry mixed noodles (ganban mian)



If you want a nicer meal and have a large group, you must try a farmhouse restaurant in Xunhua. This Mingzhong Farmhouse looks very impressive and has a garden and private rooms inside.



It also has prayer rooms, separated for men and women. Prayer rooms are a standard feature in medium-sized or larger restaurants in Xunhua.





Hand-grabbed beef (shouzhu niurou)



Spiral oil bread (youxuan momo)



Searching for the taste of spicy hot pot (mala xiangguo).

Mala xiangguo is popular because they pick high-quality ingredients, even though it costs more. The shop fills up quickly at lunch. It has been open for three years and has two floors with a private, elegant feel. The owner cares a lot about service quality; I even caught him giving a pep talk to his staff when I arrived. The spicy pot paired with Xunhua’s most famous chili is a perfect match.









Guquan Villa.

Guquan Villa is another farmhouse-style inn in Baizhuang. Its specialty is using mountain spring water for drinking, which makes tea taste much better.



Traditional Salar families eat on a heated brick bed (kang), sitting cross-legged, which is similar to the customs in Central Asia.





Chicken Noodle Flake King (jirou mianpian wang).

Chicken noodle flakes (jirou mianpian) are hard to find elsewhere, as they are usually made with beef. This shop is one of the local specialty spots recommended by my friends in Xunhua.





Yimailong Hand-Pulled Noodle Flakes (shouzhuo shougong mianpian).

Yimailong has a good reputation among locals. I had the starch noodle soup (fentang) for breakfast here, which is another Qinghai local specialty.





For dessert, you must try Qinghai yogurt. Just look at the golden milk skin on top to see how rich the flavor is.



For lodging, we reviewed three hotels in Xunhua County: Xunhua International Hotel, Xunhua Jinheyuan Hotel, and Xunhua Borman Hotel. They are all close to each other. Jinheyuan Hotel offers the best overall value. The International Hotel is the most expensive, costing a few dozen yuan more than Jinheyuan. The International Hotel has river-view rooms, but Jinheyuan has all smart room controls, provides a ritual washing pitcher (tangping), and has indicators for the direction of prayer (qibla). Overall, it is more comfortable than the International Hotel. Borman is the cheapest, but the room facilities are old.



Jinheyuan Hotel room.

I noticed there are many restaurants in Xunhua County. All halal restaurants here are alcohol-free, so hotels are called 'restaurants' (fandian) and provide halal breakfast. People in Xunhua like to experience staying in hotels during their leisure time. My friends in Xunhua often fly to different places, not to visit tourist sites, but just to experience a night in a luxury hotel before heading back.





Return trip - Xining.



I have been to Xining many times; I even held my wedding there in 2018. This time, I specifically chose to stay one night at the Yilton International Hotel. A long time ago, when I first traveled alone, I visited Xining. While wandering near the Dongguan Mosque, I looked up and was shocked to see such a large international hotel that was actually halal—I had never seen that before. I decided then that if I ever came back to Xining, I had to experience it.



However, this time I felt the Yilton is quite old. Although the service is okay, it has been operating for over a decade. Compared to the many new luxury hotels in Xining today, the Yilton is no longer as dazzling, but it fulfilled a wish I had seven years ago.



The Yilton has a Western restaurant with affordable prices, though the taste is just average. The breakfast variety is quite rich, and you can see the full view of the Dongguan Mosque from the window.



The Dongguan Mosque (Dongguan Dasi) is currently undergoing renovations, but religious activities continue as usual and the mosque remains open to visitors.







When I return to Xining next time, I should see the renovated Dongguan Mosque, which will look like the image below.



A rendering of the Dongguan Mosque after renovations.
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Reposted from the web

Summary: Muslim Knowledge Guide in the Muslim World: Qunut Nazilah dua for Oppressed Muslims in War is presented here as a clear English Islamic knowledge article for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: Abu Dawud reported from Sahl b. Sa'd that the Prophet said, "Two times for dua are never or seldom turned down: at the time of the call to prayer and at the time of fighting when people are locked in battle." In another version of the. It keeps the original names, Quran and hadith references, dua, photographs, and religious context while focusing on Qunut Nazilah, dua, Muslim World.



Abu Dawud reported from Sahl b. Sa'd that the Prophet said, "Two times for dua are never or seldom turned down: at the time of the call to prayer and at the time of fighting when people are locked in battle." In another version of the hadith from the same companion, "Two times the gates of heaven open and the dua of someone is rarely rejected: when the call to prayer sounds and when standing in battle ranks for the cause of Allah." While Muslims must exert every worldly effort to reach their goals and support their causes, they also hold deep faith in the spiritual power of dua and constant reliance on Allah's support. This spiritual strength shows clearly during moments of conflict and fear. Part of our belief in the unseen is the concept of the "soldiers of Allah," a Quranic term that shows how Allah helps believers through angels or natural events.

Belief and sincerity help bring about divine support that can lead to miracles. When the soldiers of Talut (King Saul) faced the threat of Goliath and his huge army, they had already passed a test where they were told not to drink from a river despite their thirst. Talut reminded them of Allah's universal rule (sunna): "How often has a small force, with Allah's permission, defeated a larger army!" Allah is with those who are steadfast." Talut did not say this while relying only on mystical feelings; instead, his reliance on Allah was based on careful planning and thought. He spoke these words after leading his army into action and testing his soldiers' commitment and discipline. In the critical moment of battle, all that remained for him was dua.

In this moment, Talut and his soldiers earnestly asked for Allah's support: "Our Lord, pour patience on us, make us stand firm, and help us against the disbelievers." Seeing the sincerity of Talut's small army after they endured many challenges, Allah gave them victory. The Quran emphasizes that this triumph happened only "with Allah's permission." After telling this story, Allah reminds us of another universal sunna: "If Allah did not drive some back by means of others, the earth would be completely corrupt, but Allah is gracious to all."

The sunna of Allah continues throughout history. Centuries later, Prophet Muhammad and his companions were in a similar situation during the Battle of Badr. They had just over 300 men, were poorly armed, and faced an army of 1,000. Even though the Prophet had the heavy responsibility of leading the army and overseeing the battle, many reports highlight his intense dua during the conflict. Witnesses saw him face the direction to prayer (qibla), hands outstretched, wearing his upper and lower garments, and imploring:

O Allah, accomplish for me what You have promised to me. O Allah, fulfill what You have promised! O Allah, if this small band of Muslims is defeated, Your worship will cease on earth.

The Prophet fervently asked Allah, continuing his dua until his upper garment slipped from his shoulders. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, came to him, picked up the garment, and put it back on him. Hugging him from behind, Abu Bakr reassured him: "O Prophet of Allah, your prayer to your Lord is enough, for He will fulfill what He has promised you." Then Allah revealed these words: "When you implored your Lord for assistance, He answered, 'I will reinforce you with a thousand angels in succession.' Allah made this a message of hope to reassure your hearts: help comes only from Allah, He is Almighty and All-Wise."

In the version of this event by al-Bukhari, the Prophet is reported to have said,

O Allah! I ask You for the fulfillment of Your covenant and promise. O Allah! If You will for the believers to be destroyed, You will never be worshiped after today.

Abu Bakr caught him by the hand and said, "This is enough, O Messenger of Allah! You have asked Allah intensely." The Prophet was wearing his armor at that time. He went out, saying: "Their forces will be routed and they will turn tail and flee. But the Hour is their appointed time-the Hour is more severe and bitter."

The Prophet was also heard saying,

O Allah, this is the Quraysh, who have come with their arrogance and pride, opposing and denying Your Messenger. O Allah, grant me the victory You promised. O Allah, make them perish this morning.

Concerned for his companions, he was also heard saying, "O Allah, they are on foot, provide mounts for them; O Allah, they are naked, clothe them; O Allah, they are hungry, provide food for them."

ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

On the day of Badr, I fought for a while, then I hurried to see how the Messenger of Allah was doing. I found him in prostration, saying, "O Ever-Living, O Sustainer!" He repeated these words (yā Ḥayy yā Qayyūm) and said nothing more. I returned to the battle, then came back, and he was still in prostration, saying the same words. I went back to fight, then returned, and he was still saying that. Then Allah granted him victory.

Scholars have thought a lot about the reactions of the Prophet and Abū Bakr during this critical moment. Some emphasize the Prophet's fear (khawf) at that time, while Abū Bakr showed hope (rajāʾ). Both are good, but Abū Bakr's response does not mean he had more confidence in Allah's promise than the Prophet. The Prophet was deeply concerned about his companions, especially as they faced their first big fight against enemies, and he worried about the future of the entire ummah. This concern shows in his dua: "If You will to destroy the believers, You will never be worshiped after today." The Prophet also made extensive dua, not just to express his concerns but to give confidence to his companions. Seeing the Prophet's fervent dua likely reassured them, as they knew his dua holds great weight with Allah.

Abū Bakr's reaction was also a response to the Prophet's visible exhaustion, showing he understood the Prophet's deep concern. A report says the Prophet spent the entire night before the battle in fervent dua, which shows how serious the moment was.

At the same time, the Prophet was known for his great courage. ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (rA) said they used to seek shelter by staying close to the Prophet during the Battle of Badr, as he stood closest to the enemy. That day, the Prophet was one of the most formidable people. Abū al-Qāsim al-Suhaylī (d. 581/1185) described the balance of working hard while relying on Allah.

The Prophet saw the angels fighting steadily, with Gabriel (Jibrīl) covered in dust. The allies of Allah (anṣār Allah) fought without fear of death. Jihad has two forms: physical jihad with the sword and spiritual jihad through dua. It is a sunna for the imam to stay behind the army, not fighting with them. Everyone worked hard, and no one rested from the two struggles. The allies of Allah and His angels worked intensely without resting. The party of Allah and their enemies both stayed firm.

Hadith compilers included chapters on dua against enemies to be defeated and shaken. During the Battle of the Confederates (aḥzāb), when Arab tribes surrounded Medina to destroy the Muslim community, the Prophet prayed, "O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Swift to account, defeat the Confederates. O Allah, defeat them and shake them."

Even though they were outnumbered and faced betrayal from neighbors, the Prophet and his companions won a great victory from Allah without a full-scale battle. It was still called a battle to remember Allah's soldiers, including the angels, the wind, and the sincerity, hard work, and dua of the believers.

The Legislation of the dua of Calamities in Prayer (Qunūt al-Nawāzil)

In 4/625, a few months after 70 companions died in the battle of Uḥud, about 80 other companions known as the qurrāʾ (master Qur'an memorizers and reciters) were killed by trickery in two expeditions: al-Rajīʿ (a well eight miles from Asfan) and Biʾr Maʿūna (a well in Hijaz whose exact location is not clear). The Prophet sent these 80 companions after some non-Muslim tribes asked for people to teach them the Qur'an and the basics of Islam.

Al-Rajīʿ is the story of a plot by the ʿAḍal and Qārra tribes, who killed eight of the Prophet's ten envoys and gave the other two to Quraysh, who killed them for revenge. Before hearing about al-Rajīʿ, the Prophet sent 70 companions to the Arab leader Mālik b. ʿĀmir, who asked for qurrāʾ to teach his people. Mālik did not become Muslim but wanted to learn more about Islam. The Prophet was hesitant to send so many companions to Najd, where he had many enemies, but he honored the protection (jiwār) promised by Mālik. Mālik's nephew, ʿĀmir b. al-Ṭufayl, dishonorably called his allies to kill the group while they camped at the well of Maʿūna. Sixty-nine of them were killed. Only one injured survivor made it back to Medina, where he died a couple of years later.

Many supernatural wonders (karāmāt) that these companions experienced are documented in prophetic biography (sīra) literature. Their deaths saddened the Prophet. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

I never saw the Messenger of Allah in so much grief for a small army as I saw him for those 70 men called qurrāʾ who were killed at the well of Maʿūna. He invoked curses for a full month upon their murderers.

The Prophet made dua against the people who plotted the tragedy at the well of Maʿūna by name. He made dua against ʿĀmr ibn al-Ṭufayl, who threatened the Prophet, for thirty days, saying, "O Allah, protect me from ʿĀmr ibn al-Ṭufayl as You will, and send upon him a punishment that will destroy him."

In another version, the Prophet said, "O Allah, protect me from ʿĀmr ibn al-Ṭufayl and guide his people." Allah then sent a plague to ʿĀmr that killed him.

Many other hadiths record the Prophet's sorrow and his dua against those tribes. His companion Khufāf b. Īmāʾ narrated,

The Prophet of Allah bowed down (performed rukūʿ) and, after raising his head, said: "The tribe of Ghifār, Allah has forgiven them. The tribe of Aslam, Allah has granted them safety. The tribe of ʿUsayya has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger. O Allah, invoke your curse upon the tribes of Liḥyān, Riʿl, and Dhakwan." Then, he prostrated.

The Prophet's prayer lasted for a month. Anas reported: "The Prophet performed the supplication of devotion (qunūt) for one month after rising from the bowing position (rukūʿ). He prayed against some Arab tribes, then he stopped."

The Prophet also performed qunūt during other disasters. When the Quraysh tribe stopped a group of companions from moving to Medina and tortured them, the Prophet felt their pain deeply. He could not help them directly, so he turned to Allah. He said their names, prayed for their release, and asked for divine justice against the Quraysh. Abū Hurayra reported,

When the Prophet raised his head from the final unit of prayer (rakʿah) of the dawn prayer (Fajr), he said: "O Allah, protect al-Walīd ibn al-Walīd, Salama ibn Hishām, ʿAyyāsh b. Abī Rabīʿa, and all those oppressed in Mecca. O Allah, tighten Your grip on the tribe of Muḍar, and give them years like the years of Prophet Joseph (Yūsuf)."

The Prophet's qunūt showed his deep sadness for his companions, not a lack of faith. As the Shāfiʿī legal expert al-Isnawī (died 772/1370) explained, the Prophet performed qunūt to stop the killers and help the Muslims by asking for replacements for those brave Quran reciters (qurrāʾ) who died. Scholars also say that performing qunūt during disasters (qunūt al-nawāzil) does not go against seeking martyrdom (shahāda). It is a way to ask Allah for help against oppression.

It is important to know that while the Prophet prayed against the Quraysh at times, he also prayed for them at other times. He changed his prayers based on the situation. The famous hadith master Imam al-Bukhārī (died 256/870) had a chapter on praying against polytheists, but he also had a chapter on praying for them to find guidance. The scholar Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī (died 852/1449) noted that al-Bukhārī was very careful. The Prophet prayed against enemies when they were very harmful, but he prayed for them when there was hope they might change.

How to Perform Qunūt al-Nawāzil

We have already looked at the power of dua through the Prophet's life and the Quran, especially during hard times. Now we will explain how to perform qunūt al-nawāzil and look at the different legal views.

In Arabic, qunūt means praise, dua (praying for or against someone), obedience, and humility. In Islamic law, it means a specific prayer (dhikr) where you praise Allah and make dua during namaz. Scholars have different opinions on when to do it, but it is generally recommended or allowed in the dawn (fajr) and odd-numbered (witr) prayers, and during any prayer when a disaster hits the Muslims.

Jurists have different views on qunūt al-nawāzil. The Mālikī school does not see it as a sunna, but the Ḥanafī, Shāfiʾī, and Ḥanbalī schools allow or recommend it. They disagree on which prayers to use it in, whether to say it out loud or quietly, and whether to do it before or after bowing (rukūʿ). The Shāfiʿī school is the most flexible, and their rules are as follows.

The Shāfiʿī school recommends qunūt al-nawāzil in all required prayers. The scholar Imam al-Nawawī (died 766/1277) said: "When a disaster like an enemy attack, drought, sickness, or other harm hits the Muslims, they should perform qunūt in all required prayers." This includes the Friday prayer. It is allowed but not recommended in extra (sunna) prayers, and it is disliked (makrūh) in funeral prayers.

Shāfiʿī scholars did not say a 'disaster' must affect all Muslims. They said it is a sunnah even if it affects just one Muslim, as long as that person is important to the whole community, like a scholar or a brave leader. Also, you do not have to be the one affected to perform it; Muslims everywhere should do it to show they care and to help each other. You can also perform qunūt al-nawāzil if there is a threat from an enemy, even if that enemy is Muslim. You do not need permission from leaders to do this sunna.

In the Shāfiʿī school, you perform qunūt after rising from bowing (rukūʿ). You can do it alone or in a group. There is no specific prayer text for qunūt al-nawāzil. You should follow the Prophet's example by asking Allah to end the disaster, help the oppressed, and stop the oppressors. If you are in a group, the dua should be a reasonable length so people do not get tired. If the group agrees, you can make it longer.

Like all dua, how you hold your hands depends on what you are asking for. If you want to remove a disaster, turn the backs of your hands toward the sky. If you are asking for something to be given to you, hold your palms up toward the sky. Because of the seriousness of the disaster, it is recommended to say the dua out loud, whether you are praying alone or in a group, and whether the prayer is usually said out loud or silently.

Performing qunūt al-nawāzil in a group shows that Muslims care for each other. The Prophet said: "The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever." Prostration (sujūd) is the best time for dua, but qunūt is done after bowing (rukūʿ). Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī says this is because qunūt is a group act. Even if the followers (maʾmūm) just say "āmīn" to the imam's dua, the group prayer helps the dua be accepted. Muslims today still use qunūt al-nawāzil to show they care for oppressed Muslims everywhere.

Some Examples of dua in Qunūt al-Nawāzil:

O Allah, we ask for Your help and guidance. We ask for Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance. We believe in You and trust You completely. We praise You for all Your goodness. We are grateful and try not to be ungrateful for Your blessings. We turn away from those who reject You.

O Allah, we worship only You, and to You we pray and prostrate. We work for You and strive in Your worship. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment surely hits the disbelievers.

O Allah, protect us, show us mercy, give us victory, and take away our distress and the distress of all Muslims. Protect us and all Muslims from the evils of disasters in this life and in our religion. Guide us to what is right, and guide those whose guidance brings good to the Muslims. Save us from destruction, and let those whose removal brings benefit to the Muslims face it. O Allah, shower us with Your mercy, kindness, health, and blessings, and do not keep Your favors from us.

O Allah, take away from us and from the Muslims all harm, disasters, oppression, injustice, and all kinds of sickness, bad paths, and ignorance, whether we see them or not. O Allah, save the weak, the distressed, and the oppressed among the Muslims. Provide for them, protect them, support them, care for them, guide them, and help them succeed in what You love.

O Allah, grant us and them success in what is ordained, and turn away from us and them the evil of tyrants, oppressors, corruptors, and those who help them. O Allah, act quickly, without delay, in well-being and safety through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.
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Summary: Muslim Knowledge Guide in the Muslim World: Quran Trivia, Revelation and Faith Questions is presented here as a clear English Islamic knowledge article for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: Our signature Qur'an 30 for 30 with Dr. Omar Suleiman and Sh. Abdullah Oduro is back with a fresh new season all recorded in house on set. It keeps the original names, Quran and hadith references, dua, photographs, and religious context while focusing on Quran Trivia, Quran, Faith.



Daily Juz Questions & Answers

Our signature Qur'an 30 for 30 with Dr. Omar Suleiman and Sh. Abdullah Oduro is back with a fresh new season all recorded in house on set! Join our scholars and a surprise esteemed guest every day this month of Ramadan as they dive deep into each juz via the lens of destiny (qadr).

We'll be updating this Q&A daily as each episode is released, so pin this page as you follow along! If you're needing to catch up or want to relisten to a past episode, feel free to run through our Qur'an 30 for 30 watch playlist or listen on-the-go via our Yaqeen Podcast.

To further enrich your journey with the Qur'an and benefit from its gems, download our latest Qur'an 30 for 30 ebook! An organized, easy-to-read Thematic Tafsir providing key insights and overviews through the lens of the Seerah, the Day of Judgment, and the Qur'anic worldview.

Juz 1

Question: Who narrated the story of the companion that famously recited Surah al-Fatihah on a non-Muslim chief as a form of cure at the time of the Prophet ﷺ?

Answer: Abu Saeed al-Khudri (rA)

Juz 2

Question: What were the words that Allah received from Adam (as) in the first juz?

Answer: رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ

"Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be losers." [Qur'an, 7:23]

Juz 3

Question: What is the subject matter of the longest verse in the Qur'an?

- Piety

- Divorce laws

- Debt laws

Answer: 3. Debt laws

Juz 4

Question: In what hijri year was Surah Ali Imran revealed?

- 2 AH

- 3 AH

- 4 AH

Answer: 2. 3 AH

Juz 5

Question: Which battle is referenced in Surah Ali Imran, and in what year did the battle take place?

- Battle of Uhud (3 AH)

- Battle of Badr (2 AH)

- Both Uhud and Badr

Answer: 3. Both Uhud and Badr

Juz 6

Question: In verse 36 of Surah an-Nisa, who is the companion that Allah is referring to when He says "the companion that is at your side"?

- Spouse

- Travel companion

- Both

Answer: 3. Both

Juz 7

Question: How many times does the phrase "O you who have believed" appear in Surah al-Ma'idah?

- 10

- 5

- 18

Answer: 3. 18

Juz 8

Question: How many times is the word "an'am" (livestock) mentioned in Surah al-An'am?

- 5

- 6

- 8

Answer: 2. 6

Juz 9

Question: What are the types of garments described in Surah al-A'raf?

- Garments to cover the awrah

- Garments for beauty and adornment

- Both

Juz 10

Question: What is the reason that most of the scholars say there is no Basmalah (Bismillah) in Surah at-Tawbah?

- It is considered a continuation of Surah al-Anfal.

- There is no salaam for the hypocrites.

- There is no salaam for making tawbah.

Answer: 1. It is considered a continuation of Surah al-Anfal.

Juz 11

Question: There's another name for Surah at-Tawbah, which specifically refers to its exposing. What is the other name for Surah at-Tawbah that the ulema mentioned?

- "The Discloser"

- "The Revealer"

- "The Exposer"

Answer: 3. "The Exposer" (al-Fadiha)

Juz 12

Question: Why was Surah Al-Anfal named Al-Anfal, and what was it revealed in regards to?

- The Spoils of War

- The Spoils of the Battle of Badr

- Both

Juz 13

Question: The Prophet ﷺ said, "Hud and its sisters have caused me to turn gray!" Which of the following surahs are from Hud's sisters?

- Al-Mulk and Al-Haqqah

- Al-Waqi'ah and Al-Mursalat

- An-Nazi'at and Al-Infitar

Answer: 2. Al-Waqi'ah and Al-Mursalat

Juz 14

Question: In Surah Ibrahim, Allah states: "Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, a good word like a good tree." What is the meaning of "a good word"?

- The testimony of faith (La ilaha illa Allah)

- Faith (iman)

- Both A and B

Answer: 3. Both A and B

Juz 15

Question: Which prophet was sent to the people of Al-Hijr?

- Prophet Saleh (as)

- Prophet Lut (as)

- Prophet Hud (as)

Answer: 1. Prophet Salah (as)

Juz 16

Question: What are two other names of Surah al-Isra?

- Subhan & Bani Isra'il (Children of Israel)

- Muqaddasah & Tawakkul

- None of the above

Answer: 1. Subhan & Bani Isra'il (Children of Israel)

Juz 17

Question: How many times is Allah's name Ar-Rahman mentioned in Surah Maryam?

- 16

- 14

- 13

Answer: 1. 16

Juz 18

Question: What is the only surah in the Qur'an that has two prostrations of recitation?

- Al-Anbiya

- Al-Hajj

- Maryam

Answer: 2. Al-Hajj

Juz 19

Question: Why was Surah an-Nur given this name?

- جاءكم من ٱللَّهِ نور وكتـٰب مبين [Qur'an, 5:15]

- الله نور السموات والأرض [Qur'an, 24:35]

- يريدون أن يطفـٔوا نور ٱللَّه بأفوههم [Qur'an, 9:32]

Answer: 2. الله نور السموات والأرض [Qur'an, 24:35]

Juz 20

Question: There is a battle that is named after a surah in Juz 19. Which battle is it?

- Al-Ahzab

- Al-Furqan

- Al-Anfal

Answer: 2. Al-Furqan

Juz 21

Question: In which surah does Allah promise the Prophet ﷺ a return to Mecca?

- Al-Fath

- Al-Qasas

- Ar-Rum

Answer: 2. Al-Qasas

Juz 22

Question: What surah in Juz 21 mentions the 5 things that only Allah knows?

- Ar-Rum

- As-Sajdah

- Luqman

Answer: 3. Luqman

Juz 23

Question: What is the name of the man who is the warner in Surah Yasin?

- Waraqah ibn Nawfal

- Bahira

- Habib An-Najjar

Answer: 3. Habib An-Najjar

Juz 24

Question: In which surah (from the previous juz) does Allah mention Ibrahim (as) seeing in a dream that he is to sacrifice Ismail (as)?

- Surah As-Saffat

- Surah Al-Fath

- Surah Yusuf

Answer: 1. Surah As-Saffat

Juz 25

Question: What is another name for Surah Ghafir?

- Surah Al-Bara'ah

- Surah Al-Mu'min

- Surah Al-Insan

Answer: 2. Surah Al-Mu'min

Juz 26

Question: Which verse from Juz 25 used to cause Caliph Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz to cry all night in his qiyam?

- Surah Shuraa, Verse 45

- Surah Shuraa, Verse 7

- Surah Jathiyah, Verse 28

Answer: 2. Surah Shuraa, Verse 7

Juz 27

Question: Who was the prophet at the center of the story in Surah Al-Ahqaf?

- Lut (as)

- Shuaib (as)

- Hud (as)

Answer: 3. Hud (as)

Juz 28

Question: Which verse in Surah Ar-Rahman do some scholars say is the shortest verse in the Qur'an?

- ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ (verse 1)

- ذَوَاتَآ أَفْنَانٍۢ (verse 48)

- مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ (verse 64)

Answer: 3. مُدْهَآمَّتَانِ (verse 64)

Juz 29

Question: Who is the woman referred to in Surah Al-Mujadilah?

1. Hind bint Utbah

2. Nusaybah bint Ka'ab

3. Khawlah bint Tha'labah

Answer: 3. Khawlah bint Tha'labah

Juz 30

Question: What was the first surah revealed to the Prophet ﷺ in Juz 29 after the first few ayat when he received the revelation in Hira?

1. Surah Al 'Alaq

2. Surah Al Muddaththir

3. Surah Al Muzzammil

Answer: 2. Surah Al Muddaththir
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Summary: Ramadan Muslim Life Guide in the Muslim World: Last Ten Nights, Laylat al-Qadr and dua is presented here as a clear English Islamic knowledge article for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: As we enter the last ten nights of Ramadan, we have a unique opportunity to seek forgiveness, draw closer to Allah, earn the rewards of our nightly worship, and insha'Allah catch Laylatul-Qadr, or the Night of Decree. It keeps the original names, Quran and hadith references, dua, photographs, and religious context while focusing on Last Ten Nights, Laylat al-Qadr, Ramadan.



As we enter the last ten nights of Ramadan, we have a unique opportunity to seek forgiveness, draw closer to Allah, earn the rewards of our nightly worship, and insha'Allah catch Laylatul-Qadr, or the Night of Decree. Here are 10 practical tips to make the most of these nights:

1. Avoid sins during the day.

We often forget this when thinking about the last ten nights. Outside of Ramadan, we are reminded not to disobey Allah during the day, because if we do, He will not wake us up to pray at night. As the saying goes, "If you sin during the day, you shut the doors of the heavens for yourself at night."

If this is true all year, how much more important is it during the last ten nights of Ramadan when we want to make sure we don't miss Laylatul-Qadr? We do not want to pray Maghrib while under the ghadab (anger) of Allah because of a sin we committed during the day. Let's be mindful of our actions all day long. Whether it is avoiding harmful speech or sinful behavior, our conduct during daylight hours sets the tone for our spiritual state during these blessed nights.

2. Avoid idle conversations at night.

Imam Ibn Qudama mentions that the blessings of Laylatul-Qadr are often lost because people socialize too much at night. It is easy for our tongues to slip into backbiting or gossiping. It is best to avoid excessive socializing during this time. Instead, these last 10 nights are a time to prioritize our ibadah (worship).

Join gatherings where Allah is remembered and try your best to avoid unnecessary conversations. Use this time to focus on worship and reflection to build a deeper connection with our Creator.

3. Pray Isha and Fajr in congregation.

Prioritize praying Isha and Fajr in the mosque. Saeed ibn Musayyib said, "Whoever prays Isha in congregation has taken their share of Laylatul-Qadr." The Prophet said, "Whoever prays Isha in congregation gets the reward of praying the first half of the night. Whoever prays Fajr in congregation gets the reward of praying the last half of the night."

It is more precious to Allah that you pray Isha and Fajr in congregation than if you spent the whole night in prayer alone. Let's prioritize being in the mosque for Isha and Fajr. By coming together as a community, we experience the blessings of unity and increase the spiritual rewards of our prayers.

4. Pray a full set of Qiyaam with the imam.

The Prophet said, "Whoever prays behind the imam in Qiyaam until the imam finishes, that person has achieved the reward of the entire night in prayer." While there are different ways to understand this hadith, the general advice is to pray as much as you can continuously behind the imam for taraweeh or extra qiyaam. The more you do, the better your chance to earn this reward.

5. Read the Qur'an throughout the night.

This might seem obvious, but it is often overlooked. Qatadah used to finish the Qur'an every three days during Ramadan, but he would do a khatm (complete reading of the Qur'an) every night during the last 10 nights. Our salaf (pious predecessors) specifically increased their Qur'an recitation during these last 10 nights.

Even if you have a daily goal, try to surpass it. Strive to read more Qur'an in the last 10 nights than during the rest of Ramadan. It is a beautiful thing to exceed your goals. For example, if your goal is to finish one khatm by reading one juz a day, and you finish one and a half, that is better. That success will give you momentum into Shawwal, and you might even finish another khatm by the end of Shawwal!

Subhan'Allah, the very first word revealed to our Prophet on the night of Laylatul-Qadr was iqra' (read). This is a sign that you should honor the Qur'an in these last 10 nights. Increase the amount you read. Do not cut back on your daytime reading, but add more reading at night.

6. Supplicate with the prophetic dua taught to Aisha.

Aisha asked the Prophet, "If I find myself in Laylatul-Qadr, what should I recite?" The Prophet said, "Say 'Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anni' (Oh Allah, You are the Forgiver, You love to forgive, so forgive me)."

Read this dua throughout the night. Start your duas with it and end your duas with it. Read it between the personal duas you are making. There is nothing more blessed than the guidance of the Prophet in the specific duas we should be making during this auspicious time.

7. Make dua and dhikr even while in motion

Seize every moment, whether walking, moving about, or commuting, to engage in supplication. Some of the most blessed adkhar (remembrances of Allah) come as we are moving about our day, whether going from our homes to the mosque or waiting in line for suhoor (pre-dawn meal), for example. So keep your tongue busy with dua and dhikr even while you are in motion on the night of Laylatul-Qadr. Treat each night like every single second matters.

8. Increase your sajdah (prostration) on these nights

The Prophet said, "Whoever stands up on the night of Laylatul-Qadr with faith and seeking its reward, then they will be forgiven for all of their sins." This is understood as the general rule. But, the best part of engaging in qiyaam (night prayer) is the best part of salah (prayer)—so increase the time you spend in sajdah.

In fact, the last words right before Surah al-Qadr are, "Prostrate and come closer." So extend the duration of your prostrations and make your personal duas during sujood (prostration) during the night. By slowing down and savoring these moments of closeness to Allah, we can more effectively express our gratitude and seek His mercy and forgiveness.

9. Give in charity

While there is nothing that explicitly suggests that the Prophet gave more charity in the last 10 nights than he did in the rest of Ramadan, the scholars of spirituality note that charity has two major effects: 1) increased reward (which you seek in the night of Laylatul-Qadr), 2) it extinguishes the anger of your Lord (especially secret charity). So on a night of increased reward where the greatest reward you can seek is His forgiveness, what better act to partake in every single night that is associated with being pardoned and earning His favor? Automate your charity or give in charity yourself; either way, be someone who is actively seeking out opportunities to give and support charitable initiatives. Constantly be open to charity as you are to all good deeds in these last ten nights.

10. Seek forgiveness

Spend the last few moments of every single one of these nights in istighfar (seeking forgiveness). Instead of eating and socializing until the final minutes of suhoor, use that time to open up your heart to plead to Allah in sincere supplication, asking for His forgiveness and admitting your weaknesses and shortcomings before Him. It may be that a heartfelt dua made in humility and remorse during these final moments opens us up to His ultimate forgiveness and acceptance. If the night is accepted and we are granted Laylatul-Qadr, then a whole lifetime of reward awaits insha'Allah! So prioritize these last moments of each night, especially the moments before the adhan (call to prayer) of Fajr (dawn prayer) to call out to Allah in genuine repentance.

Allahumma balighna Laylatul-Qadr, Oh Allah, allow us to observe Laylatul-Qadr! May Allah allow blessings, tranquility, and acceptance to descend upon us all and our families and communities. May He grant us this Night of Decree, accept our prayers, and allow us to draw nearer to Him insha'Allah. Ameen.

For more on the timing of Laylatul-Qadr and its signs, read "On The Timing and Virtues of the Night of Power: The Heart's Joy in Remembering Laylat al-Qadr by Ibn al-ʿIrāqī"
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