Reposted from the web

Summary: This article gathers Quranic dua and prophetic guidance for parents asking Allah to bless, protect, guide, and strengthen their children. It covers dua for righteous offspring, pregnancy and childbirth, protection, guidance, gratitude, and forgiveness.



As parents, who doesn't want their children to be healthy, sensible, and well-behaved, becoming our pride and joy? Actually, making dua to Allah is the most powerful and direct secret weapon we have in our hands! You don't have to say it out loud; Allah knows everything we think and ask for in our hearts. He has promised that as long as we ask with a sincere heart, He will definitely respond. This article teaches us step-by-step how to pray sincerely for our children, helping them become the light of our eyes—those treasures who bring us endless joy and peace just by looking at them. Start learning now and pray well for your children! How to pray for children: Dua is the most powerful tool we have, a direct plea to Allah to use His almighty power on our behalf. Dua does not even need to be spoken aloud, because Allah sees the silent longings in our hearts. He promised to answer the duas of those who call upon Him (Quran 2:186) and assures us of His closeness. We are closest to Allah during prostration (sujood), and He descends to the lowest heaven when we perform the night dua (tahajjud) in the quiet of the night. But dua can be made at any time and in any place. The best dua is the most sincere one, coming from the deepest part of our hearts, where we admit our own weakness and plead to the All-Powerful. A comprehensive dua for children: Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyatina qurrata aʿyunin wa-jʿalna lil-muttaqina imama. Our Lord! Grant us from our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. (Quran 25:74) This dua is for those who ask for the gift of children, wishing them to be the comfort and peace of our eyes (qurrata a’yun). This phrase means something fascinating and delightful, bringing deep peace and satisfaction. This phrase was used by Asiya (may Allah be pleased with her) to describe Musa (peace be upon him) to convince Pharaoh to adopt him: 'This baby is a comfort to my eyes and yours.' (Quran 28:9). When Allah mentioned returning the infant Musa (peace be upon him) to his mother for nursing, He used a similar phrase: 'So We returned you to your mother so that her eyes might be comforted and she would not grieve' (Quran 20:40). Allah includes 'and make us an example for the righteous' because we should hope our children become leaders in the Muslim community (ummah) through their worship and service. When we see our children performing pious deeds and showing excellent integrity, it brings a unique joy and comfort to our eyes. Whether they are the children we have now or the ones we hope to have, this is the most heartfelt prayer for righteous descendants. Praying for our children's success means wishing them the best outcome in the afterlife (akhira), and the conclusion of this prayer includes that wish. Dua for pregnancy and childbirth: In the Quran, we find a profound narrative about Maryam (peace be upon her) and Zakariya (peace be upon him). Maryam received blessings, and her provision went beyond any worldly explanation. She revealed to Zakariya (peace be upon him) that it was Allah who provided for her. Seeing this divine provision, Zakariya (peace be upon him), though advanced in age, felt inspired to make this dua for offspring: Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibatan innaka samee’u du’a. My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good descendant. You are indeed the Hearer of dua. (Quran 3:38) Zakariya (peace be upon him) and his wife were both past the age of childbearing. Even though it seemed impossible by biological standards, he left the 'how' and 'when' entirely to Allah. His prayer was answered, and his son Yahya (peace be upon him) was born. Allah later reminds us in the Quran: When Zakariya called to his Lord, 'My Lord!' Do not leave me childless, for You are the best of inheritors. So We answered his dua, granted him Yahya (peace be upon him), and enabled his wife to conceive. They truly raced to do good deeds, prayed to Us with hope and fear, and were humble before Us. (Quran 21:89) Rabbi laa tadharnee fardaan wa-anta khayru al-waaritheen. My Lord! Do not leave me childless, though You are the Best of Successors. Allah enabled Zakariya’s wife to conceive, showing that His power is beyond all natural laws. If Allah can make humans from a tiny drop of fluid (Quran 16:4), and all Allah needs to say is 'Be,' and it is (Quran 2:117), then such duas will surely be answered, and miracles will come to those who ask. Many of our prophets struggled with having children. Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the friend of Allah (Wali), was married for many years before having children. Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) dua for offspring: Rabbi hab li min as-saaliheen. My Lord, grant me a righteous child. (Quran 37:100) Allah answered Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) dua beautifully, granting him a descendant who would carry on the message of the One Creator. From his lineage came our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the best of all humanity. We are his spiritual descendants, and our righteous actions are proof of the power of his dua. Dua to protect our children. Many things can harm our children. These include natural accidents like falling, human malice in the form of abuse or neglect, and even supernatural harm. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Recite the Chapter of Sincerity (Al-Ikhlas) and the two chapters of seeking refuge (Al-Falaq and An-Nas) three times in the morning and three times in the evening, and they will be enough to protect you from all harm.' (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3575). The Chapter of Sincerity (Surah al-Ikhlas) reaffirms the oneness of Allah, which is the foundation of firm faith. The Chapter of the Daybreak (Surah al-Falaq) asks for protection from external evils we cannot control—darkness, evil creatures, and harmful people. The Chapter of Mankind (Surah an-Nas) seeks refuge from internal threats, such as the insidious whispers of the devil (shaytan). Reading these chapters, along with the Opening Chapter (Surah al-Fatiha) and the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi), with our children will form a divine barrier around them, if Allah wills. It is our duty to instill the habit of morning and evening remembrance of Allah (dhikr) in our children. These practices are more than just protective rituals. They are a legacy of faith and resilience that our children will carry into adulthood, strengthening their ability to resist the dangers of the world. Dua to protect our homes from evil and the devil (shaytan). The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not turn your houses into graves. Indeed, the devil flees from a house where the Chapter of the Cow (Surah al-Baqarah) is recited. " (Sahih Muslim #780). He emphasized: "Whoever recites the last two verses of the Chapter of the Cow at night, that will be enough for him. " (Sahih al-Bukhari #5051). The Messenger (ﷺ) believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Amana ar-rasoolu bimaa unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wa-al-mu'minoon kullun aamana bi-llahi wa-mala'ikatihi wa-kutubihi wa-rusulihi laa nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi wa-qaloo sami'naa wa-ata'naa ghufraanaka rabbanaa wa-ilayka al-maseer. Laa yukallif Allahu nafsan illaa wus'ahaa lahaa maa kasabat 'alayhaa maa iktasabet rabbanaa laa tu'aakhidnaa in nasinaa aw akhta'naa rabbanaa wa-laa tahmil 'alaynaa isran kamaa hamaltahu 'alaa alladheena min qablinaa rabbanaa wa-laa tuhammilnaa maa laa ṭaaqata lanaa bihi wa'fu 'annaa wa-aghfir lanaa wa-arḥamnaa anta mawlanaa fa-ansurnaa 'alaa al-qawmi al-kaafireen. They all believe in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. (They say): "We do not distinguish between any of His messengers." They say: "We hear and we obey." Our Lord! Grant us Your forgiveness! To You is the final destination. " Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear. It will have the reward for what it has earned, and it will bear the consequence for what it has committed. (The believers pray): "Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not lay upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with more than we can bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our only Protector. Help us against the disbelieving people. (Quran 2:285-286) Our homes are our shelters, and we should work to protect and nurture them so they become places of worship and salvation. Protecting our homes is essentially protecting our children. Imagine a home where parents often recite the Quran, filling the rooms with sacred verses instead of the noise of the television. Imagine copies of the Quran that are often touched, opened, and read, rather than gathering dust. Look forward to the angels visiting and inviting other angels to join our home study circles, creating an atmosphere familiar with the recitation and practice of the Quran. Dua for a sick child: The entire Quran is a form of healing, a shifaa. "We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers" (Quran 17:82). As parents and caregivers, we can recite any part of the Quran with sincere hope and intention, praying for Allah to heal our children. Reciting the Quran over a person is an essential part of ruqya, a practice used to treat jealousy, the evil eye, black magic, and physical illness. The Prophet ﷺ even allowed a companion (sahabi) to recite Surah Al-Fatiha over a non-Muslim chief to heal his physical illness (Sahih al-Bukhari #5007). While we should trust in the healing power of Allah's words, we must also recognize the importance of medical treatment. When we make dua for children with physical or intellectual disabilities, we must remember that their condition is divinely ordained, and this qadar is part of Allah's wisdom. Allah has chosen them to face this unique test, and has likewise chosen us to practice patience and unwavering support. To seek strength and comfort, let us recite this dua with our children: Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee badanee, Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee sam‘ee, Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee basaree, laa ilaaha illaa anta. Allaahumma innee a‘oodhu bika mina al-kufr wa-al-faqr, Allaahumma innee a‘oodhu bika min ‘adhaabi al-qabr, laa ilaaha illaa anta. O Allah! Grant me health in my body. O Allah! Grant me health in my hearing. O Allah! Grant me health in my sight. There is no god worthy of worship but You. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is no god worthy of worship but You. (Sunan Abi Dawud 5090) By teaching children how to worship and helping them grow their love for Allah, we nourish their hearts and enrich our own souls. Dua for children. The first dua mentioned in this article is comprehensive, including a dua for righteous children who pray devoutly. Also, Allah teaches in the Quran: Rabbanaa wa-aj‘alnaa muslimayn laka wa-min dhurriyyatinaa ummatan muslimatan laka wa-arinaa manaasikanaa wa-tub ‘alaynaa innaka anta at-tawwaab ar-raheem. Our Lord! Make us both fully submissive to You, and make from our descendants a nation submissive to You. Show us our rites of pilgrimage, and accept our repentance. Show us our rites of pilgrimage, and accept our repentance. You are the Ever-Relenting, the Most Merciful. (Quran 2:128) The best time to build a habit of prayer (salah) in children is when they are young. When you perform prayer (salah), let them play near you and take them to the mosque often, even if they do not know how to pray yet. Action must go hand in hand with dua. If our children are to love prayer, they must see that their parents value it. If we pray in a rush, dressed poorly, or with our minds elsewhere, they will copy that neglect. However, if we treat prayer with reverence and dignity, they will naturally copy that love and devotion. We must practice the behavior we want our children to adopt. We are their first role models, and they watch all our strengths and weaknesses. It is vital to read and love the Quran around them, perform our voluntary prayers (rakat), and enjoy family night prayers (qiyaam) together. Dua for children to seek wisdom. Teaching our children the importance and power of dua will inspire them to seek help from Allah themselves. Even Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was commanded by Allah to make this dua for his own wisdom and memory: Rabbi zidnee ‘ilmaa. My Lord! Increase me in knowledge. (Quran 20:114) We can sit with our children and recite this dua until it becomes their own. Teach them to make this specific dua before they start any learning, whether it is Islamic knowledge or academic studies. Instead of wishing them good luck on their exams, remind them of this dua and encourage them to recite it before they start. As they grow, this habit will become second nature, and there is no better dua for learning and seeking knowledge than those found in the Quran itself. Dua for a deceased child: According to most scholars, if a child passes away before reaching adulthood, they are granted paradise (jannah) because they are pure and without sin. There is no specific dua taught for such a child, as they have not accumulated any sins. Instead, we say: Allaahumma aj‘alhu lanaa faratan wa-salafan wa-ajran. O Allah! Make him a forerunner, a predecessor, and a reward for us. (Fortress of the Muslim #161) The best dua for the deceased and other duas can be found in the series 'For Those Left Behind': Allaahumma aghfir lahu wa-arḥamhu wa-‘aafihi wa-‘fu ‘anhu wa-akrim nuzulahu wa-wassi‘ mudkhalahu wa-aghhsilhu bil-maa’i wa-ath-thalji wa-al-barad wa-naqqihi mina al-khaṭaayaa kamaa naqqayta ath-thawba al-abyada mina ad-danas wa-abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi wa-‘ahlan khayran min ahlihi wa-zawjan khayran min zawjihi wa-adkhilhu al-jannata wa-a‘idhhu min ‘adhaabi al-qabr aw min ‘adhaabi an-naar. O Allah! Forgive him, have mercy on him, grant him well-being, and pardon him. Honor his reception and widen his entrance. Wash him with water, snow, and hail. Cleanse him of his sins just as You cleanse a white garment of filth. Replace his home with a better home, his family with a better family, and his spouse with a better spouse. Admit him into paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the fire. (Sahih Muslim #963) Teaching our children to make dua: The power of dua is unmatched; it is a direct path to the infinite mercy and wisdom of Allah. By building the habit of making dua, we not only seek the help of Allah but also confirm our dependence on Him, strengthening our worship and solidifying the principle of monotheism (tawhid). In our dua, we find not only comfort but also strength. By teaching our children to make dua, we pass on the greatest legacy: a connection with their Creator, which will support them in this life and guide them toward the hereafter.
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Reposted from the web

Summary: This first part of the Jiangsu mosque series documents historic Hui Muslim mosque sites in northern Jiangsu, including Yanghe Mosque, Siyang Mosque, Siyang West Mosque, Shuyang Mosque, Hexia Mosque, Wangjiaying Mosque, Yancheng Mosque, and Baoying Mosque. The article preserves the original mosque names, founding dates, community histories, inscriptions, architectural details, and image order.

I am sharing the 25 historic mosque buildings I have visited in Jiangsu, moving from north to south.

1. Suqian

1. Yanghe Mosque (Yanghesi): First built during the Qianlong reign, rebuilt after 1945.

2. Huai'an

1. Qingjiang Mosque (Qingjiangsi): First built during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1870.

2. Hexia Mosque (Hexiasi): First built during the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, rebuilt in the late Qing Dynasty.

3. Wangjiaying Mosque (Wangjiayingsi): First built during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, rebuilt in 1985.

3. Yancheng

1. Yancheng Mosque (Yanchengsi): Built during the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, renovated in 1928.

4. Yangzhou

1. Baoying Mosque (Baoyingsi): Rebuilt in 1910, rebuilt again in 2022.

2. Gaoyou Mosque (Gaoyousi): Rebuilt in 1864.

3. Lingtang Ancient Mosque (Lingtang Gusi): First built at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, moved to its current site in the early Qing Dynasty, rebuilt in 1924.

4. Shaobo Mosque (Shaobosi): First built during the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty.

5. Xianhe Mosque (Xianhesi): First built in 1275, rebuilt in 1390.

6. Majian Lane Mosque (Majianxiang Libaisi): First built in 1714.

7. Huihui Tang Mosque (Huihuitangsi): First built in 1275, rebuilt in 1776.

5. Zhenjiang

1. Shanxiang Mosque (Shanxiangsi): Expanded during the Kangxi reign, rebuilt in 1873.

2. Jianzi Lane Mosque (Jianzixiangsi) Ming and Qing Dynasty stone carvings.

3. Nanmenwai Mosque (Nanmenwaisi) Qing Dynasty mihrab.

4. Xinhe Street Mosque (Xinhejie Huijiaotang): 1930.

6. Nanjing

1. Jingjue Mosque (Jingjuesi): First built during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1877.

2. Original Taiping Road Mosque: First built in the early Ming Dynasty, moved and rebuilt in 2005.

3. Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque.

4. Hushu Mosque: First built in 1392, rebuilt in 1896.

5. Liuhe South Gate Mosque: First built in 1403, raised and renovated in 2013.

6. Liuhe Women's School: First built in 1912, rebuilt in 1930.

7. Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque: First built in 1424, rebuilt during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty.

8. Zhuzhen Mosque: Rebuilt in 1901, renovated in 2001.

9. Zhuzhen Women's Mosque: First built in 1921, rebuilt in 1931.

Suqian Yanghe Town Mosque.

The Suqian Yanghe Town Mosque was first built during the Qianlong reign. It was funded by Yu Qin, a local scholar from Yanghe who had served as an education official in Lishui, Pizhou, and Ningguo, and was built on Rice Market Street in Yanghe. It was destroyed during the Japanese invasion and later rebuilt. The current main hall features a hip-and-gable roof, a post-and-lintel frame, and upturned eaves with wind bells hanging from the four corners. It was listed as a Suqian cultural heritage site in 2010.

Yanghe Town Mosque belongs to the Jahriyya Banqiao Daotang. During the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, Chang Tingzhang (1785-1870), a Hui Muslim from Siyang, Jiangsu, traveled to Lingzhou (modern-day Lingwu) in Ningxia to study. After completing his studies, he brought the Jahriyya tradition to the Huai-Si region. Chang Tingzhang was famous far and wide for his profound knowledge and had many disciples when he began teaching at the Huaiyin Wangjiaying Mosque. Since then, mosques including the Huaiyin Wangjiaying Mosque, Siyang Zhongxing Town Mosque, and Yanghe Town Mosque have all followed the Jahriyya tradition. Before 1932, the imams of Yanghe Town Mosque were all assigned from Ningxia. After 1932, Imam Ma Chengliang served until he passed away in 1979.























Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque.

Qingjiangpu in Huai'an was dredged in 1415 (the 13th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty). It was the center of grain transport for the Grand Canal during the Ming and Qing dynasties, where grain transport ships from all provinces were built and repaired. Because navigating the Yellow River section of the canal was very dangerous, and waiting times to pass through locks in Shandong were too long, many merchants chose to leave their boats at Qingjiangpu. They would cross the Yellow River and switch to horse-drawn carriages to continue north, making Qingjiangpu a symbol of the "southern boats and northern horses" transport system.

The most important pier in Qingjiangpu was next to the Yue Lock. It was called the Imperial Pier because both Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong landed there during their southern inspection tours. This was once the busiest and most prosperous place in Qingjiangpu. Hui Muslims began doing business on Yuehe Street in front of the Imperial Pier during the Ming Dynasty, and the earliest Qingjiang Ancient Mosque was built during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty.

In 1677 (the 16th year of the Kangxi reign), the Governor of the Waterways moved to Qingjiangpu, and it became the center of grain transport. In his collection of notes and stories, Golden Pot Seven Inks (Jinhu Qimo), Qing Dynasty writer Huang Junzai recorded: 'Along the Qingjiang River for over ten miles, the markets were bustling and food was abundant. People from all directions gathered here, shoulder to shoulder and wheel to wheel, in a very prosperous scene.' In 1799 (the 57th year of the Qianlong reign), the Qingjiang Mosque (Qingjiang Gusi) underwent a large-scale expansion, marking the peak of its prosperity.

In 1860 (the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign), the Nian Army captured Qingjiangpu and the Qingjiang Mosque was destroyed. The imam, Ma Huanwen, sadly passed away from illness while preparing to raise funds for the mosque (nietie). Fortunately, an elder from Nanjing named Jiang Hengqing took over, organized the community to raise funds (nietie), and finally rebuilt the mosque in 1870 (the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign).

In 2006, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. Three historic mosques were included along the canal: the North Mosque in Linqing, the East Mosque in Linqing, and the Qingjiang Mosque in Huai'an. It can be said that the Hui Muslim community in Huai'an grew because of the canal and is inseparable from the canal's grain transport history.

Looking from the opposite bank of the Li Canal, you can see the gate of the Qingjiang Mosque right next to the Imperial Wharf ruins, helping you imagine what the busy grain transport days looked like.

















Inside the courtyard, the main prayer hall and the north wing, known as the Butterfly Hall, are Qing Dynasty structures. Beside the main hall stands a Chinese trumpet creeper (lingxiaomu) over 320 years old.



The main hall is a Qing Dynasty building made of two connected hard-mountain roofs (yingshanding) with a kiln-style hall (yaodian) at the back, typical of traditional Jianghuai architectural style.





















The north wing of the Qingjiang Mosque is called the Butterfly Hall (hudieting). This is a traditional name for garden architecture in the Jianghuai region, named because the corners of the hall curve upward like the wings of a dancing butterfly.















Two stone steles at the Qingjiang Mosque.

The first is the 'Prohibition Edict Stele' from the 57th year of the Qianlong reign. It was written and erected by the county government to explicitly ban corruption, issued by Wu Li, the magistrate of Qinghe County, Huai'an Prefecture, Jiangnan, who held a fifth-rank title and had been commended five times.







The second is the 'Stele Record of the Rebuilding of the Mosque Main Hall' from the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign, which documents the process of rebuilding the main hall during the Tongzhi period. The inscription records donors from nineteen places: Henan, Shandong, Jinling, Yunnan, Zhili, Chuanshan, Hexia, Lixiahe, Baoying, Gaoyou, Shaobo, Xiannumiao, Taizhou, Xinghua, Dongtai, Rugao, Shuyang, the Xinzi Cavalry, and Yuanpu. Donors from Henan, Shandong, Yunnan, Zhili, and Chuanshan were mostly traveling merchants, reflecting the prosperous 'southern boats and northern horses' scene of Qingjiangpu during the Qing Dynasty. The others were local mosque communities in Jiangsu. Some, like the Shaobo mosque, have since been abandoned, offering a glimpse into the rise and fall of the Hui Muslim community in Jiangsu.







Ancient well



Column base



Coffin for the deceased (tabumaiti xia)



Tombstone of Madam Yang, mother of the Ma family, from the 14th year of the Guangxu reign, and the tombstone of the Sai family of the Ma clan from Anhui.





Tombstone of the Sai family of the Ma clan from Anhui



Stone railing



Drum-shaped stone base with cypress and deer carvings (bailutu baogushi)





Hexia Mosque

Hexia Ancient Town in Huaian is the largest town on the outskirts of Huaian Prefecture. Because the salt from the coastal salt fields in Huaibei was high in both quantity and quality, many salt merchants from the northwest and Anhui came to Huaibei in the late Ming Dynasty to work in the salt industry. The Huaibei Salt Transport Branch was located in Hexia Town at the time. Salt from the fields had to be shipped to Hexia for inspection before merchants could sell it elsewhere. Hexia Town then entered its most prosperous period. Salt merchants built gardens and courtyards there. The Qing Dynasty record Huaian Hexia Annals states: Wealthy salt merchants brought their capital and made their homes in Hexia, and Hexia became extremely prosperous. The wealth brought by these salt merchants made the town's business thrive, and many Hui Muslims also came to settle in Hexia.

Hexia Mosque is located south of Luojia Bridge in Hexia Town. It was first built during the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1860, during the tenth year of the Xianfeng reign, the Nian Army captured Huaian and burned down ten rooms of the mosque, which were later rebuilt. The main hall of Hexia Mosque is a Qing Dynasty structure with blue bricks, dark tiles, and upturned eaves, showing a typical Jianghuai architectural style. It was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Huaian City in 2006.

Above the main hall door hangs a chestnut wood plaque inscribed with the words Si Wu Xie (Thinking Without Evil), written by Tian Rui, the acting prefect of Huaian in the tenth year of the Daoguang reign. Plaques originally on both sides, inscribed by anti-Japanese hero Zuo Baogui and Yunnan Commander Ma Chang'an, were destroyed after the 1960s.

The imam (ahong) of the mosque usually stays at a nearby beef and mutton shop. If you call the number posted on the mosque gate, he will come over to open it.

















An ancient well dug in the early Qing Dynasty.































Wangjiaying Mosque.

Wangjiaying in Huaian is located between the old course of the Yellow River and the Salt River. During the Ming Dynasty, the Dahe Guard was established in Huaian Prefecture, and ten military camps were built along the Yellow River. Wangjiaying was one of them. Because travel on the Yellow River section of the canal was slow and passing through locks was dangerous, often leading to broken cables and sunken boats, many merchants chose to leave their boats at Qingjiangpu. They would cross the Yellow River at Wangjiaying and switch to horse-drawn carriages to continue north. Wangjiaying and Qingjiangpu gradually grew into a busy town together.

Wangjiaying experienced many floods from the Yellow River, and the town moved east three times before reaching its current location. In 1831, the eleventh year of the Daoguang reign, Viceroy Tao Peng chose Wangjiaying as the new distribution center for Huaian salt. After that, eighteen salt warehouses and seventy-two salt bureaus were opened in Wangjiaying. Salt boats traveled back and forth every day along the three-hundred-li waterway from the Huaibei salt fields to Wangjiaying.

The prosperity of Wangjiaying attracted a steady stream of Hui Muslims to settle there. The first Hui Muslims to arrive in Wangjiaying were the Ma and Sha families, who came via Lingwu County in Ningxia, Shandong, and Zhenjiang. Later, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jin, Dai, Chang, Ge, Fan, Li, and Yang also settled here.

Wangjiaying Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng reign. It started as three thatched rooms next to the Lotus Pond at Wangjiapo. After Wangjiaying became a salt distribution center in the late Daoguang reign, the mosque moved to the south bank of the Salt River, with imams Chang Tingzhang and Dai Mingxuan in charge of religious affairs. Imam Chang Tingzhang, known as Third Master Chang, was originally from Jining, Shandong. He was born in 1785, the fiftieth year of the Qianlong reign, in Taoyuan County, Huaian Prefecture, Jiangsu (now Siyang). In his youth, he studied in Lingzhou (now Lingwu County, Ningxia) and continued his religious studies in Jining, Shandong, after completing his initial training. In 1810, the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign, the 26-year-old Imam Chang Tingzhang was invited to Wangjiaying Mosque to lead religious affairs. Imam Chang Tingzhang had deep knowledge of Arabic classics, astronomy, and medical theory. According to the Wangjiaying Annals, a man named Third Master Tao from Hangzhou died in Huaian during the Daoguang reign. Because it was the heat of midsummer, Imam Chang Tingzhang personally bought a boat and traveled south along the canal to escort the body back to Hangzhou to fulfill his duty to the family.

In 1860 (the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign), the Nian Army burned down the Wangjiaying Mosque. In 1867 (the 6th year of the Tongzhi reign), Imam Dai Jingzhai, the son of Imam Dai Mingxuan, built a few thatched huts. Later, with donations from the community, they built a main prayer hall with three rooms made of grass.

After Imam Chang Tingzhang passed away in 1870 (the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign), Imam Dai Jingzhai took charge of religious affairs. In 1884 (the 10th year of the Guangxu reign), he replaced the grass-roofed building with a tiled one. Because Imam Chang Tingzhang had studied at the Jahriyya Banqiao Daotang in Jinjibu, Lingwu County, Ningxia, when he was young, the Wangjiaying Mosque later invited five successive Jahriyya imams from Jinjibu to lead religious services and teach. Subsequent imams also went to Ningxia for further study, making Wangjiaying Mosque one of the nine branch centers of the Banqiao Daotang.

In 1912, the Wangjiaying Mosque built a new main gate, a south lecture hall, a kitchen, and a water room. In 1920, with funding from the Jinshan Tang in Gansu and money from selling dozens of willow trees from the public cemetery, they rebuilt the three-room tiled porch in front of the main hall and added three new rooms for the east lecture hall. Currently, there is a stone tablet from 1920 commemorating the Republic of China renovation on the inner north wall of the main hall, but the top part is covered.

In 1958, the Wangjiaying Mosque moved to the east side of the West Horse Road in Wangying. In 1961, it moved to its current location because the land was requisitioned for a bank building. During the destruction of the Four Olds, the main hall's plaques reading "The Way Spreads in the Central Land," "The Religion Follows the Western Regions," and "Stop at the Ultimate Good," along with the gold-lettered Arabic plaques and the couplet reading "See the formless, hear the soundless, rectify the intention and be sincere, become a sage and a worthy, the original nature;" “The Way stands here, movement brings harmony, reach others through oneself, benefit the people and the world, the land is complete” were all smashed and burned. Funeral supplies were also destroyed, and the main hall was used as a warehouse by a shoe and hat factory.

In 1979, under the leadership of Imam Ge Weili, the Wangjiaying Mosque was rebuilt in a traditional style. It was completed in 1985 and underwent two more renovations and expansions in 2003 and 2006, resulting in its current appearance.

Imam Ge Weili was born in 1924. He went to Ningxia to study in 1937. After completing his training and receiving his credentials in 1945, he became the imam of Wangjiaying Mosque and took on the role of imam in 1966. The religious work at Wangjiaying Mosque is now handled by Imam Fan Weiming, a student of Imam Ge Weili.

















The Republic of China era inscription reads as follows:



The Wangying Mosque was founded during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty. By the end of the Daoguang reign, our community was at its peak. The population was large, and businesses were thriving. With the old Imams Chang Tingzhang and Dai Mingxuan leading religious affairs one after another, the lecture hall was always full, and many students were trained. This is recorded in the local history and can be verified. In the Gengshen year of the Xianfeng reign, the Nian rebellion suddenly occurred. The mosque was burned to the ground, our people fled or died, and the population gradually dwindled.

In the sixth year of the Tongzhi reign, Imam Dai Jingzhai, the son of the old Imam Dai Mingxuan, followed his father's teachings and took over the religious duties. He first built a few thatched huts to teach the faith morning and evening. However, for prayers, it was too simple and exposed to the elements; For gatherings, it was too small to hold everyone. The Imam was deeply worried about this. He persuaded people to donate and built a main prayer hall with three rooms made of grass. Later, he discussed it with Yang Xuting, Ma Yunfeng, and Guo Daosheng. With their help, in the tenth year of the Guangxu reign, they rebuilt the tiled main hall and lecture halls, and things began to return to normal. As more of our people lived here, the original public cemetery became crowded, and after many years, there was almost no space left. The Imam was concerned that there were few cemeteries for the community, and whenever a major funeral occurred, it was difficult to manage. He planned to buy a piece of land to provide for the future. He got the agreement of Mr. Ma Yunfeng, but before the matter was finished, Mr. Ma passed away. What a pity! Fortunately, Mr. Ma's brother, Runzhi, carried out his brother's wishes. With the strong support of the village elder Mr. Li Yunpo, they set aside differences, raised funds, and bought two new cemeteries. The benefits provided by the imam (ahong) to our people are thorough and complete. This is largely due to the support of those passionate about public welfare, but it is also the result of the imam's decades of solitary, painstaking effort and his sincere devotion.

In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), we worked to continue the legacy of our predecessors by adding a main gate, a south lecture hall, and a kitchen. Mr. Ge Ziming funded the construction of the washroom (shuifang) with a donation of several hundred thousand. We also invited Imam Wang Pinqing from Gansu Province to teach scripture. Visitors from all over who came here always spoke highly of him. In recent years, wind and rain have damaged the buildings, and the main hall is at risk of collapsing. We met to discuss the situation and sold dozens of willow trees from the perimeter of the cemetery, raising over two hundred thousand. We also received a donation of many roof tiles and timber pieces from the Jinshan Hall in Gansu. We then built three tiled, curved-eave rooms in front of the main hall and fully repaired the surrounding walls, the three-room east lecture hall, and the courtyard of the inner gate. This massive project was completed through a combination of public funds and donations from afar. We feel ashamed that we lack the personal wealth to do more, but we share these details because, despite two hundred years of constant change, our mosque still stands tall. This is largely due to the efforts of our ancestors and village elders. We sincerely hope that future generations will remember the hardships of those who built this place and preserve it forever so it may last without decline. We have recorded the full story here.

July, the ninth year of the Republic of China (1920).

Jin Jiasheng, Jin Jialin, Guo Chunlin, Yang Fangtian.

Chang Bingkui, Li Shunjie, Chang Guanying, Mu Hongbin.

Jin Jiayuan, Ma Jianong, Fan Zhaofeng, Yang Guiyuan.

Ge Futang, Li Dianqing, Ma Jiarang, Mu Hong'en.

Ma Jialin, Ge Zhenqing, He Wenquan, Zhou Fengling.

Sha Faxiang, Liu Lianyuan, Zhou Riyang, Mu Hongye.

Yancheng Mosque.

Yancheng Mosque is located on Xicang Lane (historically called Xicang) in the Yancheng urban area. It was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty as three thatched rooms by five Hui Muslim families: the Ha, Huo, Ding, Liu, and Xue families. It was expanded in 1720 (the 59th year of the Kangxi reign) and rebuilt again in 1928 into the current brick-and-wood main hall.

The Republic-era 'Continued Records of Yancheng County' states: 'The mosque is located on Xicang Street in the city. It was founded during the Ming Yongle period. In the 59th year of the Qing Kangxi reign, land was purchased to expand it, and it was renamed the Mosque (Qingzhensi). Recently, it was renamed the Hui Church (Huijiaotang). The leader of the faith is called an imam (ahong).' In the second year of the Republic of China (1913), the Yancheng branch of the Jiangsu Islamic Association was established. In the 18th year (1929), it was renamed the Yancheng branch of the Chinese Islamic Association.

During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Yancheng Mosque suffered two disasters. On March 30, 1938, it was bombed by the Japanese military. On April 26 of the same year, the Japanese military occupied Yancheng and set fire to the city. Except for the main hall, which survived, all other buildings were destroyed.

The main hall of Yancheng Mosque features traditional Jiangsu architectural style, with flying eaves in the front and a kiln-style niche (yaowo) in the back. The main hall still preserves the original wood-carved circular frame featuring a dua, which is very exquisite. According to Imam Xue Long from Zhenjiang, the inscriptions on the top and bottom of the main hall plaque use Arabic, Persian, and Xiao'erjing. They translate to: Completed on an auspicious day in the eighth lunar month of the 17th year of the Republic of China, respectfully erected by Abdullah Yang Luji. This is very precious.

The imam of Yancheng Mosque from 1936 to 1979 was Bai Hanzhang. Imam Bai was from Minquan, Henan. He graduated from the Beijing Niujie Islamic Institute in 1922. Later, he served as an imam in Jurong, Zhenjiang, and Nantong, Jiangsu. He became the imam of Yancheng Mosque in 1936 and served there until he passed away in 1979.

























Baoying Mosque

Baoying Mosque was originally located in Guojia Lane inside the east gate of the county town. Its founding date is unknown. It was rebuilt in 1910 (the second year of the Xuantong reign) at the entrance of Luoxiang Lane at the foot of the south city wall. With the help of Tao, the wife of anti-Japanese hero Zuo Baogui, and led by Imam Zhao Dezhai and others, many people including the Gao Mu Ma Jin family from Shandong, Anhui, Zhejiang, Huaiyin, Yangzhou, Yancheng, and Baoying raised funds to complete it in 1914. Baoying Mosque closed after 1958. It was rebuilt on the original site in 2002 and officially opened in 2006.

Baoying Mosque still has the water well dug during the 1910 construction and the ginkgo tree planted at that time. Imam Li at the mosque is from Siyang, Jiangsu. He usually runs the nearby Li's Beef and Mutton shop. If you want to enter the mosque, just call the number on his door. Imam Li is very welcoming. He says that Baoying Mosque still has some local Gao Mu who come to the mosque for Friday Jumu'ah prayers, which is better than some mosques where almost all the attendees are friends (dost) from the Northwest. Imam Li comes from the Zhepai Banqiao Daotang, but he treats all sects equally, and the religious community in Baoying County is very united.










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Summary: This article explains Allah's name Al-Aziz through power, independence, and dominion, with attention to how reflection on creation clarifies Allah's unique might. It keeps the source description and publication details while removing boilerplate and original-link clutter.

Allah communicates to us three aspects of His might through the name Al-Aziz: power, independence, and dominion/sovereignty. Reflecting on Allah’s design in his human creation can provide clarity on the uniqueness of Allah’s might. Authored by Yaqeen Institute Published: July 19, 2024 •Muharram 13, 1446 Updated: February 13, 2026 •Shaban 25, 1447 Read time: 9 minutes
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Summary: This article explains Ashura through the victory of Musa and the Children of Israel over Pharaoh and the reminder to trust Allah's help. It keeps the publication details and main source description while removing navigation, disclaimer, and original-link clutter.

On the day of Ashura, thousands of years ago, Musa (as) and the Children of Israel won a huge victory over the tyranny of Pharaoh. Remembering this event by fasting is a solemn reminder that Allah's help is always there for those who stay righteous and rely on His divine wisdom and mercy. Authored by Yaqeen Institute. Published: July 15, 2024, Muharram 9, 1446. Updated: February 13, 2026, Shaban 25, 1447. Read time: 7 minutes.
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Summary: This article introduces Dr. Omar Suleiman's reflection on the dehumanization of Muslims from Srebrenica to Gaza. It keeps the core historical framing, author information, and publication dates while removing website navigation and subscription boilerplate.

The genocide that occurred in Srebrenica 29 years ago this week, when some 8,000 mostly Muslim Bosniaks were killed by a Serbian nationalist militia, was the largest genocide Europe has seen since the Holocaust. It didn’t come out of nowhere. Read the blog to explore more. Authored by Dr. Omar Suleiman Published: July 8, 2024 •Muharram 2, 1446 Updated: February 13, 2026 •Shaban 25, 1447 Read time: 4 minutes Dr. Omar Suleiman Founder & President (CEO)
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Summary: This article introduces Istikhara as the prayer for guidance and explains that early Muslims sought Allah's help in many kinds of decisions. It keeps the source metadata, publication dates, and central description while removing page navigation and disclaimer text.

While people often perform Istikhara for big decisions, early generations sought Allah’s guidance for many different matters. Explore a full blog on Istikhara, the prayer for guidance. Authored by Yaqeen Institute. Published: June 24, 2024, Dhul Hijjah 18, 1445. Updated: April 13, 2026, Shawwal 25, 1447. Read time: 9 minutes.
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Summary: This article introduces Tom Facchine's discussion of Palestine solidarity, intersectionality, and why Muslims should take a leading role in Gaza protests. It keeps the author, publication dates, and core description from the source while removing subscription and disclaimer boilerplate.

Imam Tom explains why Muslims need to lead the Gaza protests and what Islamically-compliant alliances and coalitions with Muslim and non-Muslim groups looks like. Authored by Tom Facchine Published: June 19, 2024 •Dhul Hijjah 13, 1445 Updated: June 21, 2024 •Dhul Hijjah 15, 1445 Read time: 12 minutes Tom Facchine Research Director of Islam and Society
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Summary: This article gathers Quranic dua and prophetic guidance for parents asking Allah to bless, protect, guide, and strengthen their children. It covers dua for righteous offspring, pregnancy and childbirth, protection, guidance, gratitude, and forgiveness.



As parents, who doesn't want their children to be healthy, sensible, and well-behaved, becoming our pride and joy? Actually, making dua to Allah is the most powerful and direct secret weapon we have in our hands! You don't have to say it out loud; Allah knows everything we think and ask for in our hearts. He has promised that as long as we ask with a sincere heart, He will definitely respond. This article teaches us step-by-step how to pray sincerely for our children, helping them become the light of our eyes—those treasures who bring us endless joy and peace just by looking at them. Start learning now and pray well for your children! How to pray for children: Dua is the most powerful tool we have, a direct plea to Allah to use His almighty power on our behalf. Dua does not even need to be spoken aloud, because Allah sees the silent longings in our hearts. He promised to answer the duas of those who call upon Him (Quran 2:186) and assures us of His closeness. We are closest to Allah during prostration (sujood), and He descends to the lowest heaven when we perform the night dua (tahajjud) in the quiet of the night. But dua can be made at any time and in any place. The best dua is the most sincere one, coming from the deepest part of our hearts, where we admit our own weakness and plead to the All-Powerful. A comprehensive dua for children: Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyatina qurrata aʿyunin wa-jʿalna lil-muttaqina imama. Our Lord! Grant us from our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. (Quran 25:74) This dua is for those who ask for the gift of children, wishing them to be the comfort and peace of our eyes (qurrata a’yun). This phrase means something fascinating and delightful, bringing deep peace and satisfaction. This phrase was used by Asiya (may Allah be pleased with her) to describe Musa (peace be upon him) to convince Pharaoh to adopt him: 'This baby is a comfort to my eyes and yours.' (Quran 28:9). When Allah mentioned returning the infant Musa (peace be upon him) to his mother for nursing, He used a similar phrase: 'So We returned you to your mother so that her eyes might be comforted and she would not grieve' (Quran 20:40). Allah includes 'and make us an example for the righteous' because we should hope our children become leaders in the Muslim community (ummah) through their worship and service. When we see our children performing pious deeds and showing excellent integrity, it brings a unique joy and comfort to our eyes. Whether they are the children we have now or the ones we hope to have, this is the most heartfelt prayer for righteous descendants. Praying for our children's success means wishing them the best outcome in the afterlife (akhira), and the conclusion of this prayer includes that wish. Dua for pregnancy and childbirth: In the Quran, we find a profound narrative about Maryam (peace be upon her) and Zakariya (peace be upon him). Maryam received blessings, and her provision went beyond any worldly explanation. She revealed to Zakariya (peace be upon him) that it was Allah who provided for her. Seeing this divine provision, Zakariya (peace be upon him), though advanced in age, felt inspired to make this dua for offspring: Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibatan innaka samee’u du’a. My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good descendant. You are indeed the Hearer of dua. (Quran 3:38) Zakariya (peace be upon him) and his wife were both past the age of childbearing. Even though it seemed impossible by biological standards, he left the 'how' and 'when' entirely to Allah. His prayer was answered, and his son Yahya (peace be upon him) was born. Allah later reminds us in the Quran: When Zakariya called to his Lord, 'My Lord!' Do not leave me childless, for You are the best of inheritors. So We answered his dua, granted him Yahya (peace be upon him), and enabled his wife to conceive. They truly raced to do good deeds, prayed to Us with hope and fear, and were humble before Us. (Quran 21:89) Rabbi laa tadharnee fardaan wa-anta khayru al-waaritheen. My Lord! Do not leave me childless, though You are the Best of Successors. Allah enabled Zakariya’s wife to conceive, showing that His power is beyond all natural laws. If Allah can make humans from a tiny drop of fluid (Quran 16:4), and all Allah needs to say is 'Be,' and it is (Quran 2:117), then such duas will surely be answered, and miracles will come to those who ask. Many of our prophets struggled with having children. Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the friend of Allah (Wali), was married for many years before having children. Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) dua for offspring: Rabbi hab li min as-saaliheen. My Lord, grant me a righteous child. (Quran 37:100) Allah answered Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) dua beautifully, granting him a descendant who would carry on the message of the One Creator. From his lineage came our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the best of all humanity. We are his spiritual descendants, and our righteous actions are proof of the power of his dua. Dua to protect our children. Many things can harm our children. These include natural accidents like falling, human malice in the form of abuse or neglect, and even supernatural harm. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Recite the Chapter of Sincerity (Al-Ikhlas) and the two chapters of seeking refuge (Al-Falaq and An-Nas) three times in the morning and three times in the evening, and they will be enough to protect you from all harm.' (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 3575). The Chapter of Sincerity (Surah al-Ikhlas) reaffirms the oneness of Allah, which is the foundation of firm faith. The Chapter of the Daybreak (Surah al-Falaq) asks for protection from external evils we cannot control—darkness, evil creatures, and harmful people. The Chapter of Mankind (Surah an-Nas) seeks refuge from internal threats, such as the insidious whispers of the devil (shaytan). Reading these chapters, along with the Opening Chapter (Surah al-Fatiha) and the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi), with our children will form a divine barrier around them, if Allah wills. It is our duty to instill the habit of morning and evening remembrance of Allah (dhikr) in our children. These practices are more than just protective rituals. They are a legacy of faith and resilience that our children will carry into adulthood, strengthening their ability to resist the dangers of the world. Dua to protect our homes from evil and the devil (shaytan). The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not turn your houses into graves. Indeed, the devil flees from a house where the Chapter of the Cow (Surah al-Baqarah) is recited. " (Sahih Muslim #780). He emphasized: "Whoever recites the last two verses of the Chapter of the Cow at night, that will be enough for him. " (Sahih al-Bukhari #5051). The Messenger (ﷺ) believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Amana ar-rasoolu bimaa unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wa-al-mu'minoon kullun aamana bi-llahi wa-mala'ikatihi wa-kutubihi wa-rusulihi laa nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi wa-qaloo sami'naa wa-ata'naa ghufraanaka rabbanaa wa-ilayka al-maseer. Laa yukallif Allahu nafsan illaa wus'ahaa lahaa maa kasabat 'alayhaa maa iktasabet rabbanaa laa tu'aakhidnaa in nasinaa aw akhta'naa rabbanaa wa-laa tahmil 'alaynaa isran kamaa hamaltahu 'alaa alladheena min qablinaa rabbanaa wa-laa tuhammilnaa maa laa ṭaaqata lanaa bihi wa'fu 'annaa wa-aghfir lanaa wa-arḥamnaa anta mawlanaa fa-ansurnaa 'alaa al-qawmi al-kaafireen. They all believe in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. (They say): "We do not distinguish between any of His messengers." They say: "We hear and we obey." Our Lord! Grant us Your forgiveness! To You is the final destination. " Allah does not burden any soul beyond what it can bear. It will have the reward for what it has earned, and it will bear the consequence for what it has committed. (The believers pray): "Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not lay upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with more than we can bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our only Protector. Help us against the disbelieving people. (Quran 2:285-286) Our homes are our shelters, and we should work to protect and nurture them so they become places of worship and salvation. Protecting our homes is essentially protecting our children. Imagine a home where parents often recite the Quran, filling the rooms with sacred verses instead of the noise of the television. Imagine copies of the Quran that are often touched, opened, and read, rather than gathering dust. Look forward to the angels visiting and inviting other angels to join our home study circles, creating an atmosphere familiar with the recitation and practice of the Quran. Dua for a sick child: The entire Quran is a form of healing, a shifaa. "We send down the Quran as a healing and mercy for the believers" (Quran 17:82). As parents and caregivers, we can recite any part of the Quran with sincere hope and intention, praying for Allah to heal our children. Reciting the Quran over a person is an essential part of ruqya, a practice used to treat jealousy, the evil eye, black magic, and physical illness. The Prophet ﷺ even allowed a companion (sahabi) to recite Surah Al-Fatiha over a non-Muslim chief to heal his physical illness (Sahih al-Bukhari #5007). While we should trust in the healing power of Allah's words, we must also recognize the importance of medical treatment. When we make dua for children with physical or intellectual disabilities, we must remember that their condition is divinely ordained, and this qadar is part of Allah's wisdom. Allah has chosen them to face this unique test, and has likewise chosen us to practice patience and unwavering support. To seek strength and comfort, let us recite this dua with our children: Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee badanee, Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee sam‘ee, Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee basaree, laa ilaaha illaa anta. Allaahumma innee a‘oodhu bika mina al-kufr wa-al-faqr, Allaahumma innee a‘oodhu bika min ‘adhaabi al-qabr, laa ilaaha illaa anta. O Allah! Grant me health in my body. O Allah! Grant me health in my hearing. O Allah! Grant me health in my sight. There is no god worthy of worship but You. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is no god worthy of worship but You. (Sunan Abi Dawud 5090) By teaching children how to worship and helping them grow their love for Allah, we nourish their hearts and enrich our own souls. Dua for children. The first dua mentioned in this article is comprehensive, including a dua for righteous children who pray devoutly. Also, Allah teaches in the Quran: Rabbanaa wa-aj‘alnaa muslimayn laka wa-min dhurriyyatinaa ummatan muslimatan laka wa-arinaa manaasikanaa wa-tub ‘alaynaa innaka anta at-tawwaab ar-raheem. Our Lord! Make us both fully submissive to You, and make from our descendants a nation submissive to You. Show us our rites of pilgrimage, and accept our repentance. Show us our rites of pilgrimage, and accept our repentance. You are the Ever-Relenting, the Most Merciful. (Quran 2:128) The best time to build a habit of prayer (salah) in children is when they are young. When you perform prayer (salah), let them play near you and take them to the mosque often, even if they do not know how to pray yet. Action must go hand in hand with dua. If our children are to love prayer, they must see that their parents value it. If we pray in a rush, dressed poorly, or with our minds elsewhere, they will copy that neglect. However, if we treat prayer with reverence and dignity, they will naturally copy that love and devotion. We must practice the behavior we want our children to adopt. We are their first role models, and they watch all our strengths and weaknesses. It is vital to read and love the Quran around them, perform our voluntary prayers (rakat), and enjoy family night prayers (qiyaam) together. Dua for children to seek wisdom. Teaching our children the importance and power of dua will inspire them to seek help from Allah themselves. Even Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was commanded by Allah to make this dua for his own wisdom and memory: Rabbi zidnee ‘ilmaa. My Lord! Increase me in knowledge. (Quran 20:114) We can sit with our children and recite this dua until it becomes their own. Teach them to make this specific dua before they start any learning, whether it is Islamic knowledge or academic studies. Instead of wishing them good luck on their exams, remind them of this dua and encourage them to recite it before they start. As they grow, this habit will become second nature, and there is no better dua for learning and seeking knowledge than those found in the Quran itself. Dua for a deceased child: According to most scholars, if a child passes away before reaching adulthood, they are granted paradise (jannah) because they are pure and without sin. There is no specific dua taught for such a child, as they have not accumulated any sins. Instead, we say: Allaahumma aj‘alhu lanaa faratan wa-salafan wa-ajran. O Allah! Make him a forerunner, a predecessor, and a reward for us. (Fortress of the Muslim #161) The best dua for the deceased and other duas can be found in the series 'For Those Left Behind': Allaahumma aghfir lahu wa-arḥamhu wa-‘aafihi wa-‘fu ‘anhu wa-akrim nuzulahu wa-wassi‘ mudkhalahu wa-aghhsilhu bil-maa’i wa-ath-thalji wa-al-barad wa-naqqihi mina al-khaṭaayaa kamaa naqqayta ath-thawba al-abyada mina ad-danas wa-abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi wa-‘ahlan khayran min ahlihi wa-zawjan khayran min zawjihi wa-adkhilhu al-jannata wa-a‘idhhu min ‘adhaabi al-qabr aw min ‘adhaabi an-naar. O Allah! Forgive him, have mercy on him, grant him well-being, and pardon him. Honor his reception and widen his entrance. Wash him with water, snow, and hail. Cleanse him of his sins just as You cleanse a white garment of filth. Replace his home with a better home, his family with a better family, and his spouse with a better spouse. Admit him into paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the fire. (Sahih Muslim #963) Teaching our children to make dua: The power of dua is unmatched; it is a direct path to the infinite mercy and wisdom of Allah. By building the habit of making dua, we not only seek the help of Allah but also confirm our dependence on Him, strengthening our worship and solidifying the principle of monotheism (tawhid). In our dua, we find not only comfort but also strength. By teaching our children to make dua, we pass on the greatest legacy: a connection with their Creator, which will support them in this life and guide them toward the hereafter. This article is adapted from: Coolness of My Eyes | Taraweeh Reflections | Dr. Omar Suleiman [a] How to Raise Muslim Children | Webinar Hadith 35 - Rights of People with Disabilities | 40 Hadith on Social Justice [c] Episode 3: The Best Dua for the Deceased | For Those Left Behind - Prophetic Duas for Relief and Protection - For more articles on parenting, please click here.
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Summary: This article explains the name Al-Aziz and how it points to Allah's power, honor, independence, and complete authority over creation. It keeps the Quranic references and core lessons from the source while using clear English for Muslim readers.

Author: Yaqeen Institute



In the final revelation from Allah, the Almighty says: "Do not let their words grieve you, for all might belongs to Allah." He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Quran 10:65)

Through the beautiful name Al-Aziz, Allah shares three parts of His power with us: power, independence, and dominion/sovereignty. Reflecting on Allah's design in human creation helps us understand the uniqueness of His power more clearly. Why does Allah tell us His beautiful names?

Learning the names and attributes of Allah is the foundation for building a deep connection with Him. By studying Al-Aziz, we realize He is supreme and no power can challenge Him, yet His power always comes with wisdom and mercy. Power and Mercy

In the Quran, Al-Aziz often appears alongside Al-Rahim (the Most Merciful). This reminds us that while Allah has absolute power, He uses it with mercy. His power is not for oppression, but for guidance and protection. Power Beyond Imagination

Humans often rely on worldly power, such as wealth, status, or manpower. However, Al-Aziz reminds us that all these things are temporary. True, eternal power belongs only to Allah. His power is infinite and has no limits. Allah is Self-Sufficient

When a person truly understands the meaning of Al-Aziz, they no longer fear anything except Allah. They know that as long as they have Allah's support, they have the strongest backing. As the verse says: "All might belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, but the hypocrites do not know." (Quran 63:8) Controlling Everything

Allah has absolute control over how the entire universe runs. From the movement of the stars to the activity of atoms, everything happens by the will of Allah. This understanding brings great peace to believers because they know everything is in the hands of the All-Powerful and Most Merciful Lord. Conclusion

Through the beautiful name Al-Aziz, we learn humility and trust. We humbly admit our weakness and place our full trust in Allah, who holds absolute power and is full of love for all He has created.
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Summary: This article explains Ayat al-Kursi, Quran 2:255, through its meaning, core themes, hadith evidence, and role as a daily protection dua. It covers memorization, ruqya, recitation after prayer, and the spiritual benefits connected to this verse.

Author: Sh. Ismail Kamdar

About the author: Ismail Kamdar graduated from the ʿĀlimiyyah program in 2006 and finished his Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies at the International Open University in 2014. He specializes in Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), Quranic exegesis (Tafsir), and history. He has written over a dozen books on Islamic studies and personal development. He is the founder of Islamic Self Help and a research manager at the Yaqeen Institute.



The Verse of the Throne (Ayatul Kursi) is one of the most important verses in the Quran. It is recognized as the greatest verse in the Quran and should be memorized, understood, and recited often. It serves as a daily protection against worldly harm and unseen sources of danger. What is the Verse of the Throne?

The Verse of the Throne (Ayatul Kursi) is the 255th verse of the Chapter of the Cow (Surah al-Baqarah). It is recognized as the greatest verse in the Quran, and Muslims around the world recite it daily to protect themselves from evil. Because of its importance and core teachings, Muslim children learn to memorize the Verse of the Throne at a very young age. Memorizing, understanding, and frequently reciting this important Quranic verse is a significant act of worship. The Verse of the Throne — Arabic, Transliteration, and English Meaning

Allahu laa ilaaha illaa Huwal Hayyul Qayyoom; laa ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa laa nawm; lahu maa fissamawati wa maa fil-ard; man dhalladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illaa bi-idhnihi; Ya'lamu maa bayna aydeehim wa maa khalfahum; wa laa yuheetoona bishay'in min 'ilmihi illaa bimaa shaa'; wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard; wa laa ya'ooduhu hifzhuhuma; wa Huwal 'Aliyyul 'Azeem

Allahu laa ilaaha illaa Huwa al-Hayyul Qayyoom; laa ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa laa nawm; lahu maa fissamawati wa maa fil-ard; man dhalladhi yashfa’u ‘indahu illaa bi-idhnihi; He knows what is before them and what is behind them; and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills; His throne (kursi) extends over the heavens and the earth; and their preservation tires Him not; and He is the Most High, the Most Great.

Allah, there is no god worthy of worship except Him. He is the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them. They encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His throne (kursi) extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. He is the Most High, the Most Great. (Quran 2:255)

The core themes of the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi).

The Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) summarizes some core beliefs and principles of Islamic monotheism (Tawhid). It introduces the attributes of Allah and the ways to understand these attributes. The Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) teaches us that there is only one true Allah, and He alone is worthy of worship. Allah is perfect in His names and attributes. He neither sleeps nor grows tired. He controls and knows everything, and nothing happens unless He wills it. Nothing is like Allah, and His attributes are unique and perfect.

The Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) also reminds us that only Allah can protect us from all harm and evil. He is perfect, never sleeps, and controls everything. Therefore, all protection comes only from Him. The Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) has a dual purpose: it is both a confirmation of the core beliefs of Islam and a protective dua we are advised to recite daily. Why is it called the greatest verse in the Quran?

There is some debate about whether we can consider certain chapters of the Quran to have more virtue than others. Shaykh Yousef Wahb explores these different views in detail in his paper, "Are Some Quranic Verses More Virtuous Than Others? Reconciling Different Scholarly Views." Given the mainstream view that some verses are greater than others, the Throne Verse is the greatest verse in the Quran according to the following hadith.

Ubayy ibn Ka’b reported that the Prophet ﷺ asked, "Abu Mundhir, do you know which verse in the Book of Allah you have is the greatest?" I recited the Throne Verse: "Allah, there is no god but He;" the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence..." (2:255). The Prophet ﷺ patted my chest and said, "Abu Mundhir, by Allah, congratulations on this knowledge!" (Sahih Muslim 810)

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Everything has a peak, and the peak of the Quran is the Cow Chapter (Surah Al-Baqarah)." It contains a verse that is the head of the Quran, which is the Throne Verse. (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2878)

These narrations show that the Throne Verse is the greatest verse in the Quran. This is because it summarizes the most important beliefs of Islam and is also an extremely powerful means of protection. The Cow Chapter is listed as the peak of the Quran because it contains the Throne Verse. The Cow Chapter is an explanation of the core teachings of Islam, and the Throne Verse covers the most important lessons within it. The Benefits of the Throne Verse

There are many narrations that point to the virtues of the Throne Verse. Besides being called the head of the Quran and the greatest verse in the Quran, it is also a means of protection against harm, a daily protective dua, ruqya (spiritual protection against jinn, the evil eye, and magic), and a path for people to enter Paradise. The following narrations are evidence of these virtues.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ entrusted me with guarding the charity of Ramadan. Someone came to me and started taking food. I caught him and said, 'I must take you to the Prophet!' Abu Hurairah told this story to the Prophet, and the Prophet said, 'That person told me that when I go to bed, I should recite the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi).' Allah will appoint a protector to guard me, and no devil will be able to come near me until morning. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'He told you the truth, even though he is a liar.' That was Satan. (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010)

From this story, we learn that the Throne Verse is a protective dua that keeps a person safe from evening until morning, and from morning until evening. Therefore, it is recommended to recite it early every morning, usually after the dawn prayer (fajr), and in the evening, after the afternoon prayer (asr) or sunset prayer (maghrib). In this account, Abu Hurairah caught a devil trying to steal from the treasury. The devil taught him this dua in exchange for his freedom. In any other situation, what a devil teaches would be suspicious, but here, the Prophet (peace be upon him) confirmed that he spoke the truth, even though he is a liar. We follow this hadith not because of what the devil said, but because the Prophet (peace be upon him) confirmed that this specific statement was true.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Whenever it is recited in a house, the devils will flee.' That verse is the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi). (Kitab al-Amr bi-l-Ma'ruf wa-l-Nahy 'an al-Munkar, Vol. 2, p. 370)

It is also narrated that devils will flee from a house where the Chapter of the Cow (Surah al-Baqarah) is recited. (Sahih Muslim 780) Since the Throne Verse is the most important verse in the Chapter of the Cow, reciting it is often enough to drive away devils. This makes the Chapter of the Cow, and especially the Throne Verse, an important form of spiritual healing (ruqya). Spiritual healing (ruqya) refers to any recitation used to protect against devils, magic, and the evil eye. If someone feels the presence of a devil or magic in their home, it is recommended to recite the Throne Verse frequently to drive away the evil presence. If that does not work, try reciting the entire Chapter of the Cow for a more powerful spiritual healing. The best time to recite the Throne Verse

The Throne Verse should be part of our daily recitations. Ideally, there are two times each day when the Throne Verse should be recited. According to the following account, it should be recited after every obligatory prayer (fard namaz).

Abu Umamah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'Whoever recites the Throne Verse after every prescribed prayer, nothing will stop him from entering Paradise except death.' (Al-Tabarani: Al-Mu'jam al-Awsat 8068, Rating: Sahih)

Reciting the Throne Verse after every prayer is a path to entering Paradise. Additionally, the Throne Verse should be recited in the morning after the dawn prayer, and in the evening after the afternoon or sunset prayer, as a means of daily protection. This can be understood from the earlier account of Abu Hurairah and is also explained in the following account.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Whoever says these words when they wake up in the morning will be protected from the devil until they go to sleep in the evening. Whoever says these words when they go to sleep in the evening will be protected from the devil until they wake up in the morning. (Al-Hakim 1:562, Rating: Sahih) Conclusion

The Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) is one of the most important verses in the Quran. It is recognized as the greatest verse in the Quran and should be memorized, understood, and recited often. It serves as a way to protect yourself from everyday harm and from unseen sources of harm like the devil, magic, and the evil eye. Also, reciting it after every namaz can lead to Paradise. These are some of the true virtues of the Throne Verse as told in various authentic hadiths.
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Summary: This fourth part of the Jiangsu mosque series records historic mosque sites in Nanjing and Liuhe, including Taiping Road Mosque, Caoqiao Mosque, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque, Hushu Mosque, South Gate Mosque, Changjiang Road Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque. The article preserves founding dates, women's mosque history, Da Pusheng family records, stone tablets, ancient trees, and surviving architectural details.

















The front hall of the former Taiping Road Mosque served as the office for the chairman of the Chinese Islamic Association between 1945 and 1949, where Bai Chongxi once worked.

















The brick carving titled 'Purifying the Heart and Gazing at the Palace' (xixin zhanque) from the water room of the former Taiping Road Mosque.



The former Taiping Road Mosque collection includes the 'Postscript to the Filial Piety Arch for Mother' written by Jiang Guobang. It records that Jiang, a wealthy Nanjing merchant, lost his father early and was raised by his mother, Madam Ma. In 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong reign), he petitioned to build a memorial arch for his mother's filial piety. Due to the change in government, it was finally completed in 1914.

Jiang Guobang came from the wealthy Jiang merchant family of Jinling, but he was indifferent to fame and wealth, dedicating himself to the study of traditional Chinese classics. Jiang Guobang was very filial. To provide his mother with a good place for her retirement, he spent a large sum of money to buy the Small Ten Thousand Willow Hall (xiaowanliutang) by West Lake in Hangzhou, later naming it 'Jiang Manor' (Jiangzhuang), which was one of the three major manors of West Lake at the time. Jiang Guobang oversaw the reconstruction of the Taiping Road Mosque in 1924 and later built a filial piety arch for his mother inside the mosque. The arch no longer exists, leaving only the stone tablet record.







The Qing dynasty well railing and the Guangxu reign stone tablet at Caoqiao Mosque. Caoqiao Mosque was first built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, destroyed by fire during the Taiping Rebellion, and rebuilt in the early years of the Tongzhi reign. Because it was located in Qijiawan, a neighborhood where Hui Muslims lived, Caoqiao Mosque once had the largest number of congregants in Nanjing. Historically, Caoqiao Mosque had no property of its own; its daily expenses were covered by the Beef and Bone Trade Association located within the mosque. After 1958, Caoqiao Mosque was occupied and later rented to the Nanjing Woodware Factory, suffering severe damage. The property was returned in 1985 but remained closed until it was demolished in 2003.







Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque.

Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was first built in the late Tongzhi reign of the Qing dynasty. It is one of the few remaining old buildings among the 33 mosques in Nanjing from the Republic of China era. The mihrab (mihalabu) niche currently in Jingjue Mosque was moved here from the Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque. Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was used as a residence for a long time. It has now been vacated and may be put to new use.

In 1917, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque founded the private Wuben Primary School to teach cultural subjects and Islamic knowledge. It moved to the entrance of Xiaowangfu Lane on Fengfu Road in 1953 and became a municipal school in 1956.



















Hushu Mosque.

Hushu Mosque was first built in 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign). It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and the main hall was rebuilt in 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign). In 1911, five tile-roofed rooms were built on the left side in front of the main hall, with the water room on the left, dormitories on the right, and a guest hall in the middle. In 1919, three rooms of the front hall, five rooms of the main hall, and two rooms of the east wing at the main gate were rebuilt.

Around 1932, a primary school for Hui Muslim children was established inside Hushu Mosque, which moved out of the mosque in 1956. In 1964, the main hall of Hushu Mosque was demolished during the 'Four Cleanups Movement' and was occupied by the Hushu Straw Bag Factory, Hushu Hardware Factory, and Hushu Supply and Marketing Cooperative during the Cultural Revolution. The main hall was rebuilt in 1988. The roof of the main hall at Hushu Mosque was originally built in a palace style with upturned eaves, but it was changed to a flat roof after renovations.







The gate piers from the original construction in 1392.







A ginkgo tree transplanted in 1689.









Liuhe South Gate Mosque.

Liuhe once had seven mosques and three schools for women. Today, the Changjiang Road Mosque, South Gate Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque are open, and the historic buildings of the South Gate Women's School and Zhuzhen Women's School have been preserved.

Liuhe South Gate Mosque was first built in 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), renovated in 1553 (the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign), destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and later rebuilt. One of the four famous imams of the Republic of China, Imam Da Pusheng, had three generations of his family—from his great-grandfather to his father—serve as the imam at South Gate Mosque. The old Da family home is on Qingzhen Street right at the mosque entrance. Imam Da Pusheng studied the scriptures at South Gate Mosque for seven years from the age of 10 to 17, before moving on to Nanjing and Beijing for further studies.

The ancestors of the Baiyetang Da family, to which Imam Da Pusheng belonged, were from the Western Regions during the Yuan Dynasty. Research shows they belonged to the Kipchak Yuliberi tribe, and his ancestor served as a darughachi in Zhenjiang before passing away there. His sixth-generation ancestor, Da Shanyu, moved from Zhenjiang to Liuhe in the early Ming Dynasty to take up a position as a county assistant. He settled in Liuhe, making this the oldest Hui Muslim family from the Western Regions in the area.

After 1966, South Gate Mosque was occupied by a kindergarten, during which time the Shamao Hall (a secondary hall), the north wing, the red gate, and the entrance hall were demolished. The kindergarten moved out in 1975, and the site was later borrowed by Baozhen Primary School. It was finally reclaimed in 2000 when the school moved out. In 2013, the main hall was raised and rebuilt. Later, the Tongxin Tower and Tongxing Building were added, and the site was finally opened for use in 2020.



















Stone carvings and ancient trees at Liuhe South Gate Mosque:

A stone tablet from the seventh year of the Daoguang reign commemorating a house donation by a Hui Muslim named Li.



A boundary marker for the mosque.



A stone tablet from the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, recording that South Gate Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion during the Xianfeng period, many Hui Muslims from the local militia died in battle, and the government later stepped in to protect the graves.



A couplet written by Wang Jianli in the 10th year of the Republic of China: 'Keep your heart pure and clean as if in the afterlife, return to the truth and simplicity just the same.'



Qing Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases in front of the main gate.





A 460-year-old Chinese juniper in front of the main hall, classified as a first-class ancient tree.





Liuhe Women's School.

The Liuhe Muslim Women's School began in 1912, and the current building was constructed in 1930. It was later used as a funeral home for Hui Muslims and is a rare surviving example of a Muslim women's school from the Republic of China era.

Traditionally, these women's schools did not form formal classes, did not call the adhan, did not hold Jumu'ah or Eid prayers, and the female imam (shiniang) did not lead the prayer from the front, but instead stood in the middle of the first row. Women's mosques (nuxue) do not have minarets, and the main prayer hall does not have a pulpit (minbar). Female imams (shiniang) lead the local women in their religious duties and teach them about the faith.

Women's mosques emerged in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, starting in Henan and spreading to nearby areas in Hebei, Shandong, and Anhui. In the early Republic of China, the New Culture Movement and the women's liberation movement helped Hui Muslims understand the ideas of promoting women's education and ending foot-binding. The number of women's mosques grew quickly, with over 100 in Henan province alone, and many more built in other provinces.

During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Nanjing had two women's mosques at Hanximen and Changle Street. During the Republic of China, four more were built at Fangjia Lane, Zhuganli, Shigu Road, and Dahuifu Lane, but all of these have since been torn down. In the early Republic of China, Liuhe had three women's mosques at Houjie, Nanmenwai, and Zhuzhen. The historical buildings at Nanmenwai and Zhuzhen still stand today.













Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque.

The Changjiang Road Mosque was originally called Chengqingfang, and was also known as the Liuhe North Mosque, the City Mosque, or the Da Family Mosque. It was built in 1424 (the 22nd year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) by the Da family, who had lived in Liuhe for generations. The Changjiang Road Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Xianfeng period. It was later rebuilt through donations from the imam Liu Weiting and local elders. In 1885 (the 11th year of the Guangxu reign), Da Guangyong donated money to build a reception hall. In 1928, Wang Dashi, the widow of the wealthy merchant Wang Zuochen and aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng, donated money to build the Wuxin Pavilion on the site of the original Wangyue Tower.

In 1899, the great imam Da Pusheng returned to his hometown of Liuhe from the Niujie Mosque in Beijing to serve as the imam of the Changjiang Road Mosque. It was not until 1905, when Imam Wang Kuan of Niujie went on the Hajj, that Imam Da returned to the Niujie Mosque to serve as the acting imam and lead religious affairs. Imam Da founded the Guangyi Primary School inside the Changjiang Road Mosque to promote modern education. He offered courses in Chinese and Arabic, scripture, geography, history, and mathematics, marking the first transition from traditional scripture hall teaching to modern education. In a memoir from the early 1950s, Imam Da wrote: 'I worked hard for six years. Perhaps moved by the success of Guangyi Primary School, the local Hui Muslims supported the school with great effort. Looking back, it was not easy to struggle at that time, patiently convincing stubborn traditionalists and acting courageously without being accused of going against the faith!'

After 1966, the Changjiang Road Mosque was occupied by a theater troupe and a cultural troupe. It was returned and reopened in 1983.



















Existing stone tablets at the Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque:





The 11th-year Guangxu tablet records Da Guangyong's donation to build the reception rooms at the Liuhe City Mosque. Da Guangyong was an 18th-generation descendant of the Baiyetang Da family, held a minor official rank, and lived to be 81.



The 25th-year Guangxu tablet, titled 'Record of the Renovation of the Tangyi City Mosque and the Surrounding Market Shops,' documents the specific situation of the Changjiang Road Mosque during the Guangxu period. All those who signed it were local Hui Muslims from the Da family.



The 17th-year Republic of China tablet, regarding Wang Dashi's donation to help repair the Wangyue Pavilion and redeem market shops, records that Dashi, the wife of the Zhuzhen elder Wang Zuochen, donated money to build the Wangyue Pavilion. Wang Zuochen was a Hui Muslim from Zhuzhen, Liuhe. He ran a grain business on North Street in Zhuzhen for decades and was very devout, never missing his prayers. However, he was suddenly kidnapped by bandits in 1925 and was never heard from again. Wang Zuochen's wife, Dashi, was also very devout and had founded the Zhuzhen Women's School. After her husband went missing, Dashi spent years asking people to help find him, but there was no result. Because Wang Zuochen had no brothers or children, Dashi donated all the family's money to the Zhuzhen Mosque and to build the Wangyue Pavilion at the Changjiang Road Mosque.





Inside the mosque, there is a 350-year-old Chinese juniper (yuanbai) tree.







Zhuzhen Mosque

Zhuzhen Mosque was originally located outside the East Bridge. It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and rebuilt in 1901 (the 27th year of the Guangxu reign) in Wangjia Lane in the middle of the old street. In 1968, Zhuzhen Mosque was turned into a dormitory for teachers at an agricultural middle school. It was reclaimed and reopened in 1983, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2001.

In 1939, the imam of Zhuzhen Mosque, Li Shudu, formed the Hui Muslim Anti-Japanese Independent Guerrilla Battalion and served as its commander. He worked with the New Fourth Army and made significant contributions to the anti-Japanese cause.

Additionally, in 1939, Hui Muslims from the 'Qiaobang' group in the Gaoyou and Lingtang areas built a mosque near Xinhua Garden on the west side of Zhuzhen. After 1966, it was converted into a Hui Muslim food processing factory.





Zhuzhen Mosque still has a door plaque from the Qing Dynasty's Guangxu reign, inscribed with 'Built by the Zhudun Community.' Zhudun is the old name for Zhuzhen.















Liuhe Zhuzhen Mosque houses a Qing Dynasty stone well called 'Songquan,' two pairs of drum-shaped stone bases, and a 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China) stele recording the will of Wang Zuochen's wife, Madam Da. Madam Da was the aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng. The inscription records that the Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded by Wang Zuochen and fellow members of the faith, who also provided all the funding. Later, Wang Zuochen was kidnapped by bandits and remained missing for several years. Because of this, his wife, Madam Da, decided to donate all their family farmland and property, except for a portion used for her own support. The funds were mainly for the daily expenses of the Zhuzhen Girls' School, with the remainder going to Zhuzhen Mosque. The inscription mentions her 'nephew Da Pusheng.'







Across from Zhuzhen Mosque, there is a shop selling small-mill sesame oil (xiaomo mayou), and there are only hand-pulled noodle (lamian) shops in town.









Zhuzhen Girls' School

Zhuzhen Girls' School features typical Jianghuai architectural style. The entrance hall and the main hall form a small courtyard, and both sides have classic Hui-style horse-head walls (matouqiang).

Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded in 1921 by Wang Zuochen, the uncle-in-law of the great imam Da Pusheng, along with fellow members of the faith in Zhuzhen. It was originally located on Zhuzhen Middle Street and was rebuilt in 1931 by Wu Tieqian and others along the south riverbank outside the East Bridge. After 1966, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was occupied by the Hui Muslim food processing factory. It was renovated in 2007 and is currently not open to the public. During the Republic of China era, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was led by two female imams, Teacher Dai and Teacher Bai, who taught scriptures and religious doctrines to local Hui Muslim women.

Wu Tieqian was a famous Hui Muslim anti-Japanese patriotic businessman. His original name was Wu Jiashan. At age 22, he inherited his father's business and ran the Wudeyuan Grain Store. After 1938, when the New Fourth Army entered Zhuzhen to lead the anti-Japanese resistance, Wu Tieqian took the lead in donating grain, money, and guns. He also served as the chairman of the Zhuzhen Merchants' Anti-Enemy Association. In 1942, Wu Tieqian became the first mayor of the Zhuzhen Anti-Japanese Democratic Government. He took risks to rescue and protect many comrades and also mobilized ambitious young people to join the revolution. After the founding of New China, Wu Tieqian was elected as the vice director of the Nanjing Islamic Association. He passed away (guizhen) in 1967.





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Reposted from the web

Summary: This fourth part of the Jiangsu mosque series records historic mosque sites in Nanjing and Liuhe, including Taiping Road Mosque, Caoqiao Mosque, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque, Hushu Mosque, South Gate Mosque, Changjiang Road Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque. The article preserves founding dates, women's mosque history, Da Pusheng family records, stone tablets, ancient trees, and surviving architectural details.

















The front hall of the former Taiping Road Mosque served as the office for the chairman of the Chinese Islamic Association between 1945 and 1949, where Bai Chongxi once worked.

















The brick carving titled 'Purifying the Heart and Gazing at the Palace' (xixin zhanque) from the water room of the former Taiping Road Mosque.



The former Taiping Road Mosque collection includes the 'Postscript to the Filial Piety Arch for Mother' written by Jiang Guobang. It records that Jiang, a wealthy Nanjing merchant, lost his father early and was raised by his mother, Madam Ma. In 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong reign), he petitioned to build a memorial arch for his mother's filial piety. Due to the change in government, it was finally completed in 1914.

Jiang Guobang came from the wealthy Jiang merchant family of Jinling, but he was indifferent to fame and wealth, dedicating himself to the study of traditional Chinese classics. Jiang Guobang was very filial. To provide his mother with a good place for her retirement, he spent a large sum of money to buy the Small Ten Thousand Willow Hall (xiaowanliutang) by West Lake in Hangzhou, later naming it 'Jiang Manor' (Jiangzhuang), which was one of the three major manors of West Lake at the time. Jiang Guobang oversaw the reconstruction of the Taiping Road Mosque in 1924 and later built a filial piety arch for his mother inside the mosque. The arch no longer exists, leaving only the stone tablet record.







The Qing dynasty well railing and the Guangxu reign stone tablet at Caoqiao Mosque. Caoqiao Mosque was first built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, destroyed by fire during the Taiping Rebellion, and rebuilt in the early years of the Tongzhi reign. Because it was located in Qijiawan, a neighborhood where Hui Muslims lived, Caoqiao Mosque once had the largest number of congregants in Nanjing. Historically, Caoqiao Mosque had no property of its own; its daily expenses were covered by the Beef and Bone Trade Association located within the mosque. After 1958, Caoqiao Mosque was occupied and later rented to the Nanjing Woodware Factory, suffering severe damage. The property was returned in 1985 but remained closed until it was demolished in 2003.







Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque.

Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was first built in the late Tongzhi reign of the Qing dynasty. It is one of the few remaining old buildings among the 33 mosques in Nanjing from the Republic of China era. The mihrab (mihalabu) niche currently in Jingjue Mosque was moved here from the Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque. Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was used as a residence for a long time. It has now been vacated and may be put to new use.

In 1917, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque founded the private Wuben Primary School to teach cultural subjects and Islamic knowledge. It moved to the entrance of Xiaowangfu Lane on Fengfu Road in 1953 and became a municipal school in 1956.



















Hushu Mosque.

Hushu Mosque was first built in 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign). It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and the main hall was rebuilt in 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign). In 1911, five tile-roofed rooms were built on the left side in front of the main hall, with the water room on the left, dormitories on the right, and a guest hall in the middle. In 1919, three rooms of the front hall, five rooms of the main hall, and two rooms of the east wing at the main gate were rebuilt.

Around 1932, a primary school for Hui Muslim children was established inside Hushu Mosque, which moved out of the mosque in 1956. In 1964, the main hall of Hushu Mosque was demolished during the 'Four Cleanups Movement' and was occupied by the Hushu Straw Bag Factory, Hushu Hardware Factory, and Hushu Supply and Marketing Cooperative during the Cultural Revolution. The main hall was rebuilt in 1988. The roof of the main hall at Hushu Mosque was originally built in a palace style with upturned eaves, but it was changed to a flat roof after renovations.







The gate piers from the original construction in 1392.







A ginkgo tree transplanted in 1689.









Liuhe South Gate Mosque.

Liuhe once had seven mosques and three schools for women. Today, the Changjiang Road Mosque, South Gate Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque are open, and the historic buildings of the South Gate Women's School and Zhuzhen Women's School have been preserved.

Liuhe South Gate Mosque was first built in 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), renovated in 1553 (the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign), destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and later rebuilt. One of the four famous imams of the Republic of China, Imam Da Pusheng, had three generations of his family—from his great-grandfather to his father—serve as the imam at South Gate Mosque. The old Da family home is on Qingzhen Street right at the mosque entrance. Imam Da Pusheng studied the scriptures at South Gate Mosque for seven years from the age of 10 to 17, before moving on to Nanjing and Beijing for further studies.

The ancestors of the Baiyetang Da family, to which Imam Da Pusheng belonged, were from the Western Regions during the Yuan Dynasty. Research shows they belonged to the Kipchak Yuliberi tribe, and his ancestor served as a darughachi in Zhenjiang before passing away there. His sixth-generation ancestor, Da Shanyu, moved from Zhenjiang to Liuhe in the early Ming Dynasty to take up a position as a county assistant. He settled in Liuhe, making this the oldest Hui Muslim family from the Western Regions in the area.

After 1966, South Gate Mosque was occupied by a kindergarten, during which time the Shamao Hall (a secondary hall), the north wing, the red gate, and the entrance hall were demolished. The kindergarten moved out in 1975, and the site was later borrowed by Baozhen Primary School. It was finally reclaimed in 2000 when the school moved out. In 2013, the main hall was raised and rebuilt. Later, the Tongxin Tower and Tongxing Building were added, and the site was finally opened for use in 2020.



















Stone carvings and ancient trees at Liuhe South Gate Mosque:

A stone tablet from the seventh year of the Daoguang reign commemorating a house donation by a Hui Muslim named Li.



A boundary marker for the mosque.



A stone tablet from the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, recording that South Gate Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion during the Xianfeng period, many Hui Muslims from the local militia died in battle, and the government later stepped in to protect the graves.



A couplet written by Wang Jianli in the 10th year of the Republic of China: 'Keep your heart pure and clean as if in the afterlife, return to the truth and simplicity just the same.'



Qing Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases in front of the main gate.





A 460-year-old Chinese juniper in front of the main hall, classified as a first-class ancient tree.





Liuhe Women's School.

The Liuhe Muslim Women's School began in 1912, and the current building was constructed in 1930. It was later used as a funeral home for Hui Muslims and is a rare surviving example of a Muslim women's school from the Republic of China era.

Traditionally, these women's schools did not form formal classes, did not call the adhan, did not hold Jumu'ah or Eid prayers, and the female imam (shiniang) did not lead the prayer from the front, but instead stood in the middle of the first row. Women's mosques (nuxue) do not have minarets, and the main prayer hall does not have a pulpit (minbar). Female imams (shiniang) lead the local women in their religious duties and teach them about the faith.

Women's mosques emerged in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, starting in Henan and spreading to nearby areas in Hebei, Shandong, and Anhui. In the early Republic of China, the New Culture Movement and the women's liberation movement helped Hui Muslims understand the ideas of promoting women's education and ending foot-binding. The number of women's mosques grew quickly, with over 100 in Henan province alone, and many more built in other provinces.

During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Nanjing had two women's mosques at Hanximen and Changle Street. During the Republic of China, four more were built at Fangjia Lane, Zhuganli, Shigu Road, and Dahuifu Lane, but all of these have since been torn down. In the early Republic of China, Liuhe had three women's mosques at Houjie, Nanmenwai, and Zhuzhen. The historical buildings at Nanmenwai and Zhuzhen still stand today.













Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque.

The Changjiang Road Mosque was originally called Chengqingfang, and was also known as the Liuhe North Mosque, the City Mosque, or the Da Family Mosque. It was built in 1424 (the 22nd year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) by the Da family, who had lived in Liuhe for generations. The Changjiang Road Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Xianfeng period. It was later rebuilt through donations from the imam Liu Weiting and local elders. In 1885 (the 11th year of the Guangxu reign), Da Guangyong donated money to build a reception hall. In 1928, Wang Dashi, the widow of the wealthy merchant Wang Zuochen and aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng, donated money to build the Wuxin Pavilion on the site of the original Wangyue Tower.

In 1899, the great imam Da Pusheng returned to his hometown of Liuhe from the Niujie Mosque in Beijing to serve as the imam of the Changjiang Road Mosque. It was not until 1905, when Imam Wang Kuan of Niujie went on the Hajj, that Imam Da returned to the Niujie Mosque to serve as the acting imam and lead religious affairs. Imam Da founded the Guangyi Primary School inside the Changjiang Road Mosque to promote modern education. He offered courses in Chinese and Arabic, scripture, geography, history, and mathematics, marking the first transition from traditional scripture hall teaching to modern education. In a memoir from the early 1950s, Imam Da wrote: 'I worked hard for six years. Perhaps moved by the success of Guangyi Primary School, the local Hui Muslims supported the school with great effort. Looking back, it was not easy to struggle at that time, patiently convincing stubborn traditionalists and acting courageously without being accused of going against the faith!'

After 1966, the Changjiang Road Mosque was occupied by a theater troupe and a cultural troupe. It was returned and reopened in 1983.



















Existing stone tablets at the Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque:





The 11th-year Guangxu tablet records Da Guangyong's donation to build the reception rooms at the Liuhe City Mosque. Da Guangyong was an 18th-generation descendant of the Baiyetang Da family, held a minor official rank, and lived to be 81.



The 25th-year Guangxu tablet, titled 'Record of the Renovation of the Tangyi City Mosque and the Surrounding Market Shops,' documents the specific situation of the Changjiang Road Mosque during the Guangxu period. All those who signed it were local Hui Muslims from the Da family.



The 17th-year Republic of China tablet, regarding Wang Dashi's donation to help repair the Wangyue Pavilion and redeem market shops, records that Dashi, the wife of the Zhuzhen elder Wang Zuochen, donated money to build the Wangyue Pavilion. Wang Zuochen was a Hui Muslim from Zhuzhen, Liuhe. He ran a grain business on North Street in Zhuzhen for decades and was very devout, never missing his prayers. However, he was suddenly kidnapped by bandits in 1925 and was never heard from again. Wang Zuochen's wife, Dashi, was also very devout and had founded the Zhuzhen Women's School. After her husband went missing, Dashi spent years asking people to help find him, but there was no result. Because Wang Zuochen had no brothers or children, Dashi donated all the family's money to the Zhuzhen Mosque and to build the Wangyue Pavilion at the Changjiang Road Mosque.





Inside the mosque, there is a 350-year-old Chinese juniper (yuanbai) tree.







Zhuzhen Mosque

Zhuzhen Mosque was originally located outside the East Bridge. It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and rebuilt in 1901 (the 27th year of the Guangxu reign) in Wangjia Lane in the middle of the old street. In 1968, Zhuzhen Mosque was turned into a dormitory for teachers at an agricultural middle school. It was reclaimed and reopened in 1983, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2001.

In 1939, the imam of Zhuzhen Mosque, Li Shudu, formed the Hui Muslim Anti-Japanese Independent Guerrilla Battalion and served as its commander. He worked with the New Fourth Army and made significant contributions to the anti-Japanese cause.

Additionally, in 1939, Hui Muslims from the 'Qiaobang' group in the Gaoyou and Lingtang areas built a mosque near Xinhua Garden on the west side of Zhuzhen. After 1966, it was converted into a Hui Muslim food processing factory.





Zhuzhen Mosque still has a door plaque from the Qing Dynasty's Guangxu reign, inscribed with 'Built by the Zhudun Community.' Zhudun is the old name for Zhuzhen.















Liuhe Zhuzhen Mosque houses a Qing Dynasty stone well called 'Songquan,' two pairs of drum-shaped stone bases, and a 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China) stele recording the will of Wang Zuochen's wife, Madam Da. Madam Da was the aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng. The inscription records that the Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded by Wang Zuochen and fellow members of the faith, who also provided all the funding. Later, Wang Zuochen was kidnapped by bandits and remained missing for several years. Because of this, his wife, Madam Da, decided to donate all their family farmland and property, except for a portion used for her own support. The funds were mainly for the daily expenses of the Zhuzhen Girls' School, with the remainder going to Zhuzhen Mosque. The inscription mentions her 'nephew Da Pusheng.'







Across from Zhuzhen Mosque, there is a shop selling small-mill sesame oil (xiaomo mayou), and there are only hand-pulled noodle (lamian) shops in town.









Zhuzhen Girls' School

Zhuzhen Girls' School features typical Jianghuai architectural style. The entrance hall and the main hall form a small courtyard, and both sides have classic Hui-style horse-head walls (matouqiang).

Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded in 1921 by Wang Zuochen, the uncle-in-law of the great imam Da Pusheng, along with fellow members of the faith in Zhuzhen. It was originally located on Zhuzhen Middle Street and was rebuilt in 1931 by Wu Tieqian and others along the south riverbank outside the East Bridge. After 1966, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was occupied by the Hui Muslim food processing factory. It was renovated in 2007 and is currently not open to the public. During the Republic of China era, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was led by two female imams, Teacher Dai and Teacher Bai, who taught scriptures and religious doctrines to local Hui Muslim women.

Wu Tieqian was a famous Hui Muslim anti-Japanese patriotic businessman. His original name was Wu Jiashan. At age 22, he inherited his father's business and ran the Wudeyuan Grain Store. After 1938, when the New Fourth Army entered Zhuzhen to lead the anti-Japanese resistance, Wu Tieqian took the lead in donating grain, money, and guns. He also served as the chairman of the Zhuzhen Merchants' Anti-Enemy Association. In 1942, Wu Tieqian became the first mayor of the Zhuzhen Anti-Japanese Democratic Government. He took risks to rescue and protect many comrades and also mobilized ambitious young people to join the revolution. After the founding of New China, Wu Tieqian was elected as the vice director of the Nanjing Islamic Association. He passed away (guizhen) in 1967.





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Reposted from the web

Summary: This second part of the Jiangsu mosque series documents historic mosque communities, old prayer halls, inscriptions, and Hui Muslim settlement history in the province. The article keeps the original dates, place names, architectural terms, community records, and image order intact.







Gaoyou Mosque

I visited Gaoyou Mosque in 2021, only to find out it was only open for Friday prayers (Jumu'ah). This time, I specifically came for Jumu'ah and finally got to enter the mosque.

Gaoyou Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty. According to the Records of Gaoyou Prefecture (Qing Qianlong era), the mosque was rebuilt in 1864 (the third year of the Tongzhi reign) by local elders Ma Guixing, Liu Tianxing, and Ma Hongxing. The current gate features a stone plaque inscribed with 'Rebuilt in the middle of winter, the second year of the Qing Tongzhi reign,' along with the title 'Respectfully repaired by the Gaoyou Prefecture office.'

Gaoyou Mosque consists of a gate and a main prayer hall, forming an elegant and beautiful traditional Jianghuai-style courtyard. Inside, there is a 175-year-old boxwood (guazi huangyang) tree, a 225-year-old Chinese juniper (yuanbai) tree, and an ancient Qing Dynasty well.



















The main prayer hall at Gaoyou Mosque is quite small, and its prayer niche (mihrab) follows the traditional Jiangsu style. The congregation for Jumu'ah is mostly made up of Northwest Chinese Muslims who run local hand-pulled noodle (lamian) shops. This is the current situation for many mosques in the southeastern region.



















Lingtang Mosque

By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Lingtang already had a mosque in 'Huihui Bay' by Gaoyou Lake, but it was later destroyed by floods. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, it moved to Yangdazhuang, then to its current location in the early Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt in 1844 (the 24th year of the Qing Daoguang reign), expanded again in 1921, and completed in 1924.















The golden osmanthus (jingui) tree next to the prayer hall was planted when local elder Xue Yukuan and his wife, Mrs. Xue Yang, had an imam perform their marriage ceremony (nikah). It is now over 130 years old.

















The exhibition hall at Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque displays a water kettle (tangping hu) gifted by the Jizhaoying Mosque in Nanjing during the Qing Dynasty, as well as Republic-era water kettles, a bronze Xuande incense burner, blue-and-white porcelain incense burners, and the boiler (guozhengzi) and bucket used in the mosque's 1950s washroom. The boiler was used to heat water, and the bucket had a hole at the bottom; pulling out the wooden plug allowed for a shower.

















The mosque is also a heritage site for the Yangzhou intangible cultural heritage known as 'Lingtang Hui Muslim Customs.'



Shaobo Mosque

Traveling north from Yangzhou city along the Grand Canal, the first place you reach is the ancient town of Shaobo. Historically, Shaobo was a bustling canal trading port and a key route connecting Yangzhou and Gaoyou. The ancient town still preserves a three-mile-long stone path and over 20 ancient houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Shaobo Mosque is said to have been built by Hui Muslims from Shandong during the Xianfeng reign. The gate and main hall still stand, and it is a protected cultural site in the Jiangdu District of Yangzhou. The mosque was once used as a residence and is currently abandoned.

The gate still has its original plaque and drum-shaped stone bases. The main hall is a hard-gable style building with blue bricks and dark tiles, typical of Jianghuai architecture.















Yangzhou Shaobo Mosque is three bays wide and seven purlins deep. The gable walls feature brick wind-bracing, the ridge purlin is supported by a dougong bracket system, and the columns rest on ancient mirror-style bases with carved patterns. Besides the main hall, Shaobo Mosque once had other buildings, but now only stone remains like column bases are left.































Xianhe Mosque

Xianhe Mosque is located on Nanmen Street in Yangzhou. It was founded in 1275 (the 12th year of the Yuan Zhiyuan reign) by the Western Region sage Puhading before he passed away. It was rebuilt in 1390 (the 23rd year of the Ming Hongwu reign) by Ha San, renovated in 1523 (the third year of the Jiajing reign) by merchant Ma Zongdao and the imam Ha Ming, and repaired again in 1791 (the 56th year of the Qianlong reign).

The gatehouse has a single-eave, ridge-roofed, hard-mountain style roof, with some wooden parts dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases in front of the gate are very exquisite and rare among mosques in China.







The Xianhe Mosque layout uses small courtyards instead of the traditional four-sided courtyard style common in northern mosques. Xianhe Mosque divides the lecture hall, main prayer hall, and gate into three separate small courtyards, and the addition of a moon-viewing pavilion (wangyue ting) and covered walkways outside the south wall of the main hall gives the mosque a garden-like atmosphere.































Inside Xianhe Mosque stands a 745-year-old ginkgo tree, the oldest surviving ginkgo in Yangzhou.







Majianxiang Mosque

Majianxiang Mosque is located on Majianxiang Street near Yangzhou's East Gate. According to the Hui Muslims' Gu Family Genealogy, it was built in 1714 (the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign) by Gu Yuanbing, a 24th-generation descendant of Pu-ha-ding.

Majianxiang Mosque originally had dozens of rooms, including a gate hall, memorial archway, main prayer hall, reception hall, water room (shuifang), side rooms, and dormitories. Today, only the main prayer hall, a reception hall, and the water room remain. In the early years of the Republic of China, the mosque housed the second Yangzhou branch of the Beijing-based Zhenzong Newspaper and a religious book and newspaper room.

In 1932, Liu Binru, a famous Yangzhou imam and one of the founders of the China Islamic Association, along with Hua Ruzhou, then a director of the Jiangdu County Hui Muslim Association, established the China Islamic Scripture Translation Institute here to translate religious texts. Liu Binru, who was fluent in Arabic and Persian, was responsible for translating the Arabic originals, while Hua Ruzhou translated summaries from the English version by the Indian Islamic scholar Muhammad Ali, which were attached before each section of the scripture. On January 1, 1935, the Chinese Translation of the Quran with Ali's Summaries was officially published with an initial print run of 2,000 copies, sold by major bookstores across the country.

In 1933, the Yangzhou Islamic Association founded the Hui Muslim Cultural Institute at Majianxiang Mosque, led by Liu Binru. to teaching Arabic, the institute offered Chinese, English, and arithmetic, equivalent to upper elementary to junior high school levels, using a classroom-based teaching method instead of the traditional individual scripture hall instruction. Teachers included the Arabic-proficient Majianxiang imam Hua Jinhou, imam Ruan Dechang, imam Lan Baohua of the Huihui Tang Mosque outside the East Gate, and Liu Binru. They also hired Hui Muslim Association members Shen Junchen and Zhang Shaozhe to teach Chinese and arithmetic, and Hua Ruzhou to teach English.

Between 1934 and 1935, the missionary Claude L. Pickens visited Majianxiang Mosque and saw the reading room inside, which contained many books and magazines. He photographed the Gu Gong Memorial Stele erected in 1931. The inscription records the life of the mosque director Gu Sisu, who served for 11 years, repaired the water room and market shops, and built a new greenhouse, making great contributions to the mosque. He passed away in 1930, before the age of 40.

In 1958, Majianxiang Mosque was converted into a factory workshop and occupied by a craft sign factory, a sack factory, and a brush factory. The property was not recovered until 1997, and it was listed as a municipal cultural relic protection unit in 2008; it is currently used as a residence.















Huihui Tang Mosque

Legend says Pu-ha-ding was a 16th-generation descendant of the Prophet. He came to Yangzhou during the Xianchun period of the Song Dynasty (1265-1274) and died in Yangzhou in 1275 (the 12th year of the Yuan Zhiyuan reign). He was buried on a high ridge east of the East Gate River in the New City, a place later called Huihui Tang (commonly known as Baba Tomb).

According to oral traditions from local Yangzhou imams, as told by imam Lan Baohua of Huihui Tang on July 17, 1947, Pu-ha-ding was born in 1204 (the 4th year of the Song Jiatai reign) into an aristocratic Arab merchant family and was the 16th-generation descendant of the Prophet. Pu-ha-ding was highly learned and well-versed in scripture and law. At age 57, following the saying 'Seek knowledge even if it is in China,' he spent four years preparing and, at age 61, led a team of 17 people across the Arabian Sea to China.

Pu-ha-ding arrived in Yangzhou in 1265 (the 1st year of the Song Xianchun reign). During his 10 years in Yangzhou, he presided over the founding of Xianhe Mosque, expanded the ancient mosque outside the South Gate, and rebuilt the Nanchao Guan Mosque. He died on a boat in 1275 (the 12th year of the Yuan Zhiyuan reign) while returning from a lecture, at the age of 71. Guangling Governor Yuan Guang'en buried him on a high ridge on the east bank of the Grand Canal, east of Yangzhou city.

The mosque southwest of the Puhading Cemetery is called Huihui Tang Mosque or Babayao Mosque. It was one of the six traditional Hui Muslim neighborhoods in Yangzhou during the Qing Dynasty and is the only one remaining outside the city walls. The current Babayao Mosque was rebuilt in 1776 (the 41st year of the Qianlong reign) and renovated in 1845 (the 25th year of the Daoguang reign), featuring the traditional architectural style typical of the Huaiyang region.

The main gate of Babayao Mosque is on the southwest side of the Puhading Cemetery. The stone plaque above the gate was installed during the Qianlong reign, and the rectangular stone door pillows have a very elegant design.

The main prayer hall is north of the main gate, right next to the stone-paved road of the Grand Canal, and features upturned eaves. The interior has a hard-mountain roof, floor-to-ceiling slatted partition doors, and a traditional timber-frame structure.





























Inside the north gatehouse of the Puhading Cemetery, there is a stone tablet from 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign) titled 'Record of the Tomb of the Sage from the Western Regions, Puhading.' Besides recording his birth and death, it tells legendary stories that the local community calls 'karamat' (miracles). The inscription records that an old monk from the Dragon King Temple tried to compete with Puhading in spiritual power, but he could not win and eventually submitted. It also records that in the early Qing Dynasty, thieves tried to dig up Puhading's tomb. After they opened the tomb cover, a fierce fire suddenly erupted and burned many of the thieves. Later, they saw there were no remains in the tomb, only a copy of the Quran (Tianjing), a hat, shoes, a fan, and a staff. The inscription is signed by 'the imam of this mosque and others who oversaw the carving.' The imam of this mosque refers to the leader of Babayao Mosque.



Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque

Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque is also called the West City Mosque or the Great West Mosque. Its original construction date is unknown. It was expanded during the Kangxi reign, destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion in 1853 (the 3rd year of the Xianfeng reign), and rebuilt in 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign). According to the 'History of Islam in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu,' the late Imam Tan Yuanshen, who lived to be over eighty, recalled hearing from his grandfather and the elders that before the Kangxi-era expansion, the West City Mosque was just three thatched huts. At that time, the area was sparsely populated and vast; one could see the Zhenjiang city gate tower to the east and Yuntai Mountain to the west.

After Zhenjiang opened as a treaty port, the area outside the West Gate became a busy commercial district. In 1865, the British established a concession by the river. With the opening of the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway, the area outside the West Gate developed further, and Hui Muslims kept moving there to trade and settle around Shanxiang Mosque.

In 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign), Zhenjiang Hui Muslims raised funds to expand Shanxiang Mosque, and the current layout dates back to this renovation.

Shanxiang Mosque consists of a small courtyard and a large courtyard. Entering the main gate, you find the first small courtyard. Passing through the front hall leads to the second small courtyard, with a side door on the side and the second gate directly ahead. Passing through the second gate leads to the third small courtyard, and then a corridor leads into the large courtyard, which contains the prayer hall, the south lecture hall, and the opposite hall. This layout of large and small courtyards is very characteristic of the Jianghuai region.

Main gate







During the War of Resistance, the front hall was used as a classroom for Muyuan Primary School. The plaque above was written by Imam Hua Guilin in 1984, and the couplets were written in 2010 by the famous Beijing Arabic calligrapher Li Wencai.

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Reposted from the web

Summary: This third part of the Jiangsu mosque series continues through historic Hui Muslim mosque sites, inscriptions, architectural remains, and community stories across the province. It records mosque relocations, preserved prayer halls, Qing and Republic of China era tablets, family histories, and the changing urban settings around these sites.





The stone door base outside the front hall.



The rockery inside the second small courtyard.



The second gate.







Facing the side gate hall is a green screen door with the circular characters for "halal" written in the center.

After the mosque was smashed and occupied in the 1960s and 1970s, only the side gate hall remained, guarded by an elder named Ma Zhonglin. The occupying unit tried to force Ma Zhonglin out with various excuses, but he refused them all and spent ten difficult years there. During those ten years, all the Hui Muslims in Zhenjiang stored funeral supplies and held funeral preparations in this gate hall. At that time, only elder Ma Zhonglin washed the bodies of the deceased, performed the funeral dua (namaz), and recited dua at the gravesite. He also slaughtered poultry for the village elders in the side gate hall every morning.

In 1981, elder Ma Zhonglin passed away. Afterward, Tan Quanhong and Zhang Dagui took turns slaughtering poultry for the elders in the side gate hall every morning. That same year, the occupying unit began to move out, and the Shanxiang Mosque was finally recovered.







The third small courtyard outside the second gate.









The large courtyard. The courtyard has a cross-shaped path and is planted with pine and ginkgo trees. There were once two ginkgo trees over 200 years old in the courtyard, but they were cut down in 1958 to support the Great Leap Forward steel production.





Shanxiang Mosque was once an important national base for printing and publishing Islamic books. From the Qianlong to the Tongzhi periods of the Qing Dynasty, more than 20 types of philosophical and religious books, including the "Baoming Zhenjing," "Tianfang Dianli," "Guizhen Zongyi," and "Huihui Yuanlai," were woodblock printed in hundreds of editions and shipped across the country by land and water. To this day, the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing, the Central University for Nationalities Library, and the Peking University Library all hold books printed by the Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Shanxiang Mosque was severely damaged, and none of its scriptures, woodblock plates, plaques, couplets, furniture, decorations, or other cultural relics survived.



















The opposite hall, decorated with calligraphy hanging in the center and on scrolls.













The traditional winding alley.





The alley name comes from the Persian word "Baba," which is what Hui Muslims often call their elders.



Stone carvings from the Ming and Qing dynasties at the Jianzi Alley Mosque.

Jianzi Lane Mosque was originally called Gurun Mosque. It was first built in Ren'an Ward on Fumin Street and served as a mosque for the Hui Muslims in Zhenjiang during the Yuan Dynasty. According to the 1333 (the fourth year of the Zhishun era of the Yuan Dynasty) Records of Zhishun Zhenjiang, there were 59 Hui Muslim households with 374 people in Zhenjiang during the Yuan Dynasty. The famous Yuan Dynasty Hui Muslim poet Sa Dula served as a darughachi (a seal-holding administrator) for the Zhenjiang Circuit Record Office for three years starting in 1328 (the first year of the Tianli era). According to the Guangxu-era Dantu County Annals, Sa Dula did many good deeds in Zhenjiang, such as stabilizing prices, opening granaries to help the people, curbing powerful servants, and breaking down superstitions. In 1326 (the third year of the Taiding era), a scholar named Zhemaluding, who had passed the provincial examinations in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, served as a professor at the Zhenjiang Circuit Confucian School, which was the highest educational official position at the time.

Gurun Mosque was destroyed at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty. In 1602 (the 30th year of the Wanli era), it was moved to Jianzi Lane inside the city and became known as Jianzi Lane Mosque. It was renovated three times in 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang era), 1904 (the 30th year of the Guangxu era), and 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong era).

In 1958, Jianzi Lane Mosque was occupied by a knitting factory and a color printing factory. From the 1970s to the early 1980s, the printing factory and other units demolished the main prayer hall, the lobby, and the water room to build factory buildings. A stone tablet titled Record of Gurun Mosque, written in 1620 (the 48th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty) by the scholar Li Yiyang, was used to mix cement, leaving the inscriptions damaged and blurry. The calligrapher for the Wanli renovation tablet was Ma Zhiqi, a Hui Muslim from Xinye, Henan. Ma Zhiqi was a runner-up in the 1610 (the 38th year of the Wanli era) imperial examinations. He was skilled in poetry and calligraphy. Between the Wanli and Chongzhen eras, he wrote renovation tablets for the Xiaopiyuan Mosque in Xi'an, Shaanxi, the Datong Mosque in Shanxi, the Jinshifang Street Mosque in Beijing, and the Wudu Chengguan Mosque in Gansu. In 1982, the Zhenjiang Islamic Association restored the stone tablet and moved it to Shanxiang Mosque, finally preserving it.

The printing factory occupying the mosque did not move out until 1993, and the Islamic Association regained ownership of Jianzi Lane Mosque in 1994. In 2005, when Zhenjiang built the First Building commercial pedestrian street, Jianzi Lane Mosque was completely demolished. A new Gurun Mosque was built on Xuefu Road, and the Wanli renovation tablet, the ancient well railing, and three Qing Dynasty renovation tablets from the original Jianzi Lane Mosque were placed in the courtyard for preservation.

















Qing Dynasty mihrab from the South Gate Mosque.

to the relics from Jianzi Lane Mosque, Gurun Mosque also houses the mihrab tablet from the kiln hall of the South Gate Mosque in Zhenjiang.

The South Gate Mosque in Zhenjiang was located at the east end of Miaojia Lane. It is believed to have been built in the early Qing Dynasty and was an east-facing courtyard house. Opposite the mosque gate stood a row of tall elm trees that provided dense shade. The prayer hall and the opposite hall were both three bays wide. There were tall ginkgo trees on both sides in front of the hall, with guest rooms to the south and a water room, kitchen, and storage room to the north.

In the early 20th century, the imam of the South Gate Mosque was an imam named Ma from Henan. In the early 1920s, he was hired by the community (dost) in Shou County, Anhui, and was succeeded by Imam Wan Shourong. The daily affairs of the mosque were managed by Jin Zhiguang from the Xinchangheng fabric store and Xia Songfu, the father of Xia Rongguang. During the Republic of China era, the firewood and rice market outside the South Gate was very prosperous, and more than 50 Hui Muslim households lived there.

In 1937, the South Gate Mosque was destroyed by war. The mihrab tablet from the kiln hall was kept in the home of Hua Baoren next to the mosque until it was moved to Gurun Mosque in 2005.

The lotus-shaped Arabic script at the top of the stone tablet is the Basmala. The middle part contains verse 163 of the Cow Chapter (Surah Al-Baqarah), and the diamond-shaped inscription at the bottom is in Kufic Arabic calligraphy, which reads: Prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord.









Xinhe Street Mosque.

Xinhe Street Mosque was built in 1930. Zhenjiang Hui Muslims also commonly called it the Jinde Association. It was originally a private residence purchased with donations from Muslims in both Shanghai and Zhenjiang, so it is a Jiangnan-style courtyard house with three sections and two side wings.

Yihewani, also known as the New Sect, means brothers in Arabic. It was founded by Ma Wanfu from Guoyuan Township, Linxia, after he returned from the Hajj in Mecca at the end of the 19th century, and was later carried on by Hu Songshan. The Ikhwan sect advocates following the scriptures and reforming customs, basing their faith on the Quran and Hadith. They opposed certain traditional practices of the Gedimu sect, such as wearing mourning clothes or calling the adhan when moving into a new home.

The Ikhwan sect spread to the Jiangnan region in the 1920s. In 1926, Imam Ha Decheng and others founded the Jinde Association at the Xiaotaoyuan Mosque in Shanghai to promote Ikhwan teachings. Fa Jiesan (1872-1958), a local Hui Muslim from Zhenjiang who moved to Shanghai, discussed the teachings with Imam Ha Decheng. He accepted the Ikhwan views and returned to Zhenjiang to practice his faith at home according to Ikhwan rituals. Later, funds were raised in both Shanghai and Zhenjiang to build an Ikhwan mosque on Xinhe Street.

After the Ikhwan sect arrived in Zhenjiang, it was generally hard for the middle-aged and elderly to accept, but many young people embraced it. At the time, the new and old sects lived in peace and operated side by side.

The old Xinhe Street mosque had a stone plaque above the main gate engraved with the words 'Mosque' (Huijiaotang), but it no longer exists. The current building consists of three small bays with three courtyards and side rooms. There is a covered patio between the first and second courtyards, a garden gate connecting the second and third, and the third section is a two-story building.







The Zhenjiang Jinde Association usually held a dinner every Saturday night after the evening namaz. They invited an imam to give a sermon (wa'az), and everyone who came to listen was invited to eat. The costs were covered by members who had hired the imam to perform memorial prayers for their ancestors.

During summer and winter breaks, the Jinde Association also organized scripture classes for Hui Muslim children, and families from all sects sent their children to study.

After the mosque was built, many famous imams were hired to lead religious affairs. In 1947, the famous Imam Li Si (Li Zhenji) from Anhui came to the Xinhe Street mosque from the Luohe Mosque in Henan. According to Mr. Xia Rongguang, Imam Li Si was nearly 70 years old at the time. He had a kind and gentle appearance and a refined manner. When he explained the teachings, everyone, regardless of their level of understanding, felt inspired. Because of this, more and more elders from other neighborhoods came to the mosque for Friday Jumu'ah prayers. In the autumn of 1949, Imam Li Si returned to Luohe from Zhenjiang.

In 1950, 43-year-old Imam Zhang Zhushu came to the Xinhe Street mosque to serve as the head imam. Imam Zhang Zhushu was from Xiangfan, Hubei. Mr. Xia Rongguang recalled that he was well-versed in religious teachings and had broad modern knowledge. When he taught, he connected it to real life with vivid, simple language. He attracted ordinary elders and won the praise of intellectuals, and local Muslims in Zhenjiang called him an imam of the new era. In 1953, Imam Zhang Zhushu was invited by the Fuyou Road Mosque in Shanghai to serve as their imam, so he left Zhenjiang.

After that, the elder Tan Jizhen managed the prayers and affairs at the Xinhe Street mosque until it was merged into the Shanxiang Mosque in 1958. It later became a dormitory for a forestry machinery factory and has been abandoned ever since.





Jingjue Mosque

Jingjue Mosque is located on Sanshan Street in the south of Nanjing. It was originally called the Sanshan Street Mosque, but was renamed Jingjue Mosque during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. It is the primary mosque of Nanjing from the Ming era.

One account says Jingjue Mosque was built in 1388 (the 21st year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) by imperial order to house officials from the Western Regions who had submitted to the Ming, such as Yibulajin and Kemaruding. Another account says it was built in 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign) by imperial order for Saihazhi, the seventh-generation descendant of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din. Both accounts are recorded on Ming Dynasty stone tablets.

According to the 1493 (fifth year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty) inscription titled 'Imperial Decree to Build Two Mosques in Yingtian Prefecture, Jiangnan,' it states: 'In the 21st year of the Hongwu reign, Yibulajin, Kemaluding, and others, originally from the Rumi Kingdom in the Western Regions, followed the Duke of Song to submit to China after conquering the Jinshan and Kaiyuan areas. Therefore, two mosques were built by imperial decree to settle them, and five households including Kemaluding were assigned to live at the Jingjue Mosque near the Moon-Watching Tower (Wangyue Lou).' The family genealogies of two Hui Muslim branches with the surname Ma, known as 'Weiyitang' and 'Bojitang' in Hushu, Nanjing, both record that they are descendants of Ma Gutai and Ma Baihao, who were settled at the Jingjue Mosque at that time.

According to a 1405 (third year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) inscription at the Great Mosque on Huajue Lane in Xi'an, 'On the 14th day of the third month of the 25th year of the Hongwu reign, Saihazhi, the seventh-generation grandson of the Prince of Xianyang, Sai Dianchi, went to the inner court to receive an imperial decree:...two mosques were to be built in two locations, one at Copper Workshop on Sanshan Street in Yingtian Prefecture, Nanjing, and one on Ziwu Lane, Chang'an County, Xi'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province.' The 'Genealogy of Sai Dianchi' records that Saihazhi was granted the hereditary title of Marquis of Xianning, and 'when the Ming Emperor Taizu established the capital in Jinling, he commissioned Saihazhi to build a mosque in Jinling.' After the work was finished, he built the Great Mosque in Chang'an. When the Tiemao Lane Mosque in Taicang, Jiangsu, was rebuilt in the 1980s, a stone tablet was found inside the wall, revealing that the Taicang mosque was also built by Saihazhi.

Additionally, according to the Republic of China era 'Zhongnan and Huaibei Regional Gazetteer,' 'North of the street is the Jingjue Mosque. Wu Ru from the Western Regions came to China during the Ming Dynasty to serve in the Imperial Board of Astronomy. He lived in Nanjing and built this mosque next to his residence.' Therefore, the Jingjue Mosque may have originally been part of Wu Ru's residence.

The Jingjue Mosque was destroyed by fire in 1430 (fifth year of the Xuande reign), and Zheng He requested its reconstruction before his seventh voyage to the Western Oceans. According to the 'Record of the Imperial Decree for Eunuch Zheng He to Rebuild the Mosque,' it states: 'Your request has been received: The mosque on Sanshan Street in Nanjing has been burned down.' 'Because you wish to rebuild it to pray for the safety of the funds, grain, people, and ships for your voyage, this shows your respectful heart. How could this be neglected?' 'As an imperial envoy, since you have already set your heart on this, how could your wish be abandoned?' 'If the personnel and materials you use are insufficient and delay your project, you may draw supplies from the Nanjing Directorate of Palace Servants and the Ministry of Works so that it can be completed in time for the winds to set sail. This is the decree.'

During the Taiping Rebellion, most of the bricks, tiles, and wood from the Jingjue Mosque were dismantled to build the mansion of the feudal prince. After being rebuilt in 1877 (third year of the Guangxu reign) and renovated in 1879 (fifth year of the Guangxu reign), it took on its current layout. In the early years of the Republic of China, the wealthy Nanjing gentleman Jiang Xiudong and his wife funded the construction of the north and south lecture halls and the hall building for the Jingjue Mosque, and it was renovated again in 1957. After the 1960s, the Jingjue Mosque was occupied by a rubber company and the No. 3 Rubber Factory. The remaining Ming Dynasty brick and stone archway and the Butterfly Hall were demolished, and plaques, couplets, and stone tablets were severely damaged. It was reopened in 1983 after renovations in 1982, and the reconstruction of the archway was completed in 1985.



During the Ming Dynasty, the main hall of the Jingjue Mosque had 81 rooms and was built with nanmu wood. The current main hall was rebuilt in 1877 (third year of the Guangxu reign). It is convex-shaped and features a traditional wooden frame structure. The main hall and the opposite hall are connected by a corridor, forming a gong-shaped plan, which is typical of the Jiangnan style. The mihrab niche was moved from the original Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque, and the surrounding wooden carvings of scriptures were carved in 2001.



















The back of the prayer hall connects directly to a high wall, which is a typical practice of Jianghuai courtyard-style architecture and is very rare in the north.





During the 2007 renovation, the main hall was raised by 1 meter. During this process, workers dug two meters deep and unearthed Ming Dynasty glazed tiles, brick carvings, stone railings, and huge Ming Dynasty stone column bases. These bases were twice the diameter of those from the Guangxu period.













The only remaining Ming Dynasty brick and stone archway and the Butterfly Hall were both demolished in the 1960s. The archway was rebuilt in 1985, the Butterfly Hall was rebuilt in 2004, and a new stele pavilion was built in 1996.



















The only Jahriyya mosque in Nanjing.

Inside Nanjing's Jingjue Mosque, there is a stone tablet from the 17th year of the Guangxu reign titled 'Great Transformation to Truth' (Da Hua Gui Zhen). It records how Wu Defa followed his father Wu Dasong's final wishes and donated the back part of their family home at 59 Shigu Road (formerly Xiaofengfu Lane) to build the Shigu Road Mosque. The tablet mentions two Jahriyya imams, Fan Yuncai and Zhan Fengxiang. Witnesses included neighbors surnamed Chen, Cai, Zhou, and Yu; fellow Muslims surnamed Sun, Li, Wu, Zhan, Zong, and Jin; close relatives surnamed Ha, Ma, and Mai; and clan members surnamed Wu. This tablet was originally kept at the Shigu Road Mosque. After the mosque was demolished in 1986 for road expansion, the tablet was moved to Jingjue Mosque.

Shigu Road Mosque is the only Jahriyya mosque in Nanjing. In the late years of the Qianlong reign, a Hui Muslim of the Jahriyya order surnamed Wu from Taiyuan, Shanxi, settled on Shigu Road in Nanjing. Influenced by him, Jahriyya followers (gaomu) began to appear in the Shigu Road, Sanmaogong, and Nantai Lane areas of Nanjing. Most of them worked in the fish fry farming industry. Initially, Nanjing's Jahriyya followers practiced at the Wuxueyuan Mosque (Yuan Mosque) near Shigu Road. During the Taiping Rebellion, Wuxueyuan Mosque was destroyed by war, so the followers moved their practice to the Fengfu Road Mosque. Because their loud chanting style was different, Wu Defa later invited Jahriyya followers to practice at his own home on Shigu Road, eventually founding the Shigu Road Mosque in 1891 (the 17th year of the Guangxu reign).

The Nanjing Jahriyya order belongs to the Beishan Menhuan. The Beishan Menhuan is centered in Beishan, Zhangjiachuan, Gansu. Its leader, Ma Yuanzhang, was well-read in both Islamic and Chinese classics and adopted the ideas of Liu Jielian to explain Islam through Confucianism. After the Shigu Road Mosque was established, Fan Yuncai and Zhan Fengxiang from the Beishan Menhuan served as imams. Imam Fan Yuncai was from Siyang, Jiangsu. During the Republic of China era, his son Fan Zhaofa opened the 'Faji Carriage Company' in Nanjing, which was very successful. In 1905, Wu Wenlian, the grandson of Wu Defa, went to Gansu to study Islamic texts. After completing his studies in 1911, he was appointed by Ma Yuanzhang as the imam of Shigu Road Mosque.

After the Beishan leader Ma Yuanzhang passed away in 1920, his nephew Ma Dianwu took over the leadership. It remained the Beishan Menhuan, overseeing over 100 mosques in places like Zhangjiachuan, Tianshui, and Longnan in Gansu, Qiqihar in Heilongjiang, Runan in Henan, and Long County in Shaanxi. Nanjing's Shigu Road was its only mosque in East China.

In 1937, Ma Dianwu appointed Imam Su Ziying from Zhangjiachuan, Gansu, as the imam of Shigu Road Mosque. Imam Su actively visited other mosques, connected with community elders, and promoted education. This helped the Shigu Road Mosque flourish and trained over 20 students (hailifa). In 1953, Imam Yang Junwen succeeded as the imam of Shigu Road Mosque. In 1958, the mosque closed, and Imam Yang Junwen became an imam at Fengfu Road Mosque. Afterward, Imam Yang no longer maintained contact with the Beishan Menhuan, and his religious practices gradually merged with the Gedimu order.

In 1986, the Shigu Road Mosque was demolished for road widening. Although the mosque closed, some descendants of Nanjing's Jahriyya followers still kept up their religious practices. For example, Fan Songshou, a descendant of Imam Fan Wencai, made a living running a tofu shop. Even in his nineties, he insisted on performing the five daily prayers (namaz) and continued to fast during Ramadan. In the 1960s, he still volunteered to wash and bury the deceased and help with funeral arrangements.



Plaque inscriptions at Jingjue Mosque:

'Pure and Single-minded' (Wei Jing Wei Yi): An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the Gengyin year of the 16th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing, by the Commander of the Jiujiang Town, Jiangxi.



'Correct Heart and Sincere Intent' (Zheng Xin Cheng Yi): June of the 11th year of the Republic of China, respectfully erected by members of the Nanjing Islamic Association.



The stele from the 47th year of the Qianlong reign records the four boundaries of Jingjue Mosque. It notes that a shop on the east side was rented out, and a shop on the west side near Horse Lane (Ma Xiang) was rented out for a flower shop. The elders who donated funds included those with the surnames Chen, Ma, Wu, Jin, Zheng, and Sha.



The stele from the 18th year of the Guangxu reign records that Imam Ma donated his own land next to the mosque to build the main prayer hall and the water room (wudu area).





Jingjue Mosque houses a memorial stele for Ma Yitang, a Hui Muslim merchant from Nanjing who lived in Shanghai. It was inscribed in 1931 by Ma Fuxiang, a famous Beiyang general who was serving as the chairman of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission.

Ma Yitang was born in 1869. His ancestors ran a money shop outside Jubao Gate in Nanjing, and the family owned the Ma Yulong Satin and Fan Shop. Ma Yitang used Shanghai as his base to expand his trade in Chinese and foreign general merchandise. He set up businesses in Chengdu and Chongqing, and his goods were sold as far away as the Tibetan regions. Ma Yitang was devoted to the faith. He served as a director for the North Mosque and West Mosque in Shanghai and helped fund the founding of the Hanxi Gate Girls' School and the Zhugan Lane Girls' School in Nanjing. In 1909, Ma Yitang became a special deliberative director of the Shanghai Islamic Board of Directors and participated in all its decision-making. In 1921, he was responsible for expanding the Xiaoshadu Mosque in Shanghai, which is now the Huxi Mosque.



Jingjue Mosque houses a notice stele from the 15th year of the Republic of China issued by the Police Department for the Shangfuqiao Mosque. It was erected by the West District Police Station of the Jiangsu Provincial Capital Police Department. It records that the police stepped in to protect the Shangfuqiao Mosque and the Dajiao Lane Mosque to uphold the rights of the faith. The petitioners included Hui Muslims with the surnames Bai, Tao, Pu, Ma, Yuan, Liang, Wei, and Jin.

Shangfuqiao Mosque was located in Chuanban Lane. It was first built in 1662 (the first year of the Kangxi reign), destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion in the Xianfeng era, and rebuilt in 1876 (the second year of the Guangxu reign). It was later occupied by Nanjing No. 62 Middle School, and the notice stele was moved into Jingjue Mosque. Dajiao Lane Mosque was first built in 1874 (the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign). The mosque once housed trade associations for the pavilion decoration, wedding, and fried rice industries. It was later occupied by a factory and eventually demolished.



Jingjue Mosque houses a Qing dynasty stone carving from the Neiqiaowan Mosque, which was rescued from under an excavator during the demolition of Neiqiaowan in 2019.

Neiqiaowan Mosque was located on Zhongshan South Road. One account says it was first built in 1645 (the second year of the Shunzhi reign), while another says it was built in 1662 (the first year of the Kangxi reign). In 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign), Shi Jialiang bought a group of houses in Neiqiaowan to rebuild the main prayer hall. The Shi family's ancestral home was in Wuwei, Gansu. They came to Nanjing during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty to develop the silk trade and later became a famous satin-trading family in Nanjing. They founded the Shi Juxing Satin Shop during the Daoguang reign. The Shi family moved to Shanghai during the Guangxu reign to develop their business and were members of the Shanghai Mosque Board of Directors.

Neiqiaowan Mosque once housed a primary school and a trade association for the glutinous rice food industry. It was demolished in 1991 due to road widening.

















The former Taiping Road Mosque.

Because the Jiangsu Hotel expanded to Taiping Road, the main prayer hall and the opposite hall of the Taiping Road Mosque were moved 40 meters south of the Old Caoqiao Mosque in 2003. The work was completed in 2005.

Taiping Road Mosque was originally called Huapailou Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun in the early Ming dynasty. It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and later rebuilt with funds raised by elders from the Ha, Ma, Zheng, Yang, Ding, and Chang families. It was renovated under the leadership of Ma Jingtao during the Tongzhi reign. In 1924, Nanjing wealthy merchants and brothers Jiang Muzhou and Jiang Sukan (Guobang) donated funds to rebuild a new mosque on the south side, which was still called Huapailou Mosque. When the road was widened in 1931, the gate tower was demolished. Huapailou was renamed Taiping Road, and Huapailou Mosque was also renamed Taiping Road Mosque.

After the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan in 1945, the Jiang family of Jinling funded the renovation of the main prayer hall and built the Jiang Family Shouxuan Hall in the north courtyard. In the same year, the China Islamic National Salvation Association moved into the Taiping Road Mosque and changed its name to the China Islamic Association. Its first chairman was Bai Chongxi. It was the highest Islamic organization in the country at the time until it moved to Taipei in 1949. After the 1960s, the Taiping Road Mosque was occupied. It was reclaimed in 1978, reopened in 1980, and designated as a municipal cultural relic protection unit in 1982. It remained there until it was demolished in 2003, when the components of the main prayer hall and the opposite hall were moved to a new site.

The wealthy Jiang family of Nanjing paid for the daily expenses of Taiping Road Mosque, making it the richest mosque in Nanjing during the Republic of China era. The Jiang family of Nanjing originally came from Yuncao, an ancient town in Hanshan County, Anhui. They moved to Nanjing in 1808 (the 13th year of the Jiaqing reign). They started as small vendors before expanding into the silk, salt, and pawnshop businesses. By the Guangxu reign, they had opened branches in major trading ports and became a wealthy merchant family.

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Reposted from the web

Summary: The fifth Jiangsu mosque entry is a short photo record in a larger series on the province's historic Hui Muslim mosque heritage. It preserves the original image order while keeping the focus on Jiangsu mosque sites, community memory, and remaining architectural traces.













Next to the mosque is a square that introduces famous Hui Muslims from Liuhe.







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Reposted from the web

Summary: This first part of the Liaoning mosque series traces historic Hui Muslim mosques, migration routes, and community life across the province. The article preserves founding dates, architectural layouts, imam and elder stories, old inscriptions, and photos of prayer halls, gates, and carved details.

I am sharing 12 ancient mosque (qingzhensi) buildings I visited in Liaoning, moving in a clockwise direction.

Lingyuan Mosque: First built during the Qianlong reign.

Suizhong Mosque: First built in 1737, moved in 1797, and renovated in 1927.

Luyang Mosque: First built in 1531 and rebuilt in 1925.

Beizhen Mosque: First built in 1522 and expanded in 1617.

Xinlitun Mosque: First built in 1842 and rebuilt in 1873.

Xinmin Mosque: First built in 1765 and rebuilt in 1883.

Shenyang South Mosque: First built in 1636, with expansions in 1662 and 1902.

Shenyang East Mosque: First built in 1803 and renovated in 1935.

Kaiyuan Old City Mosque: First built in 1406 and rebuilt in 1680.

Fengcheng Mosque: First built in 1775 and expanded in 1890.

Fuzhou Mosque: First built in 1649 and expanded in 1920.

Qingdui Mosque: First built during the Daoguang reign, rebuilt in 1895, and expanded in 1920.

Lingyuan Mosque

Lingyuan sits at the border of Hebei, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia. It was originally called Tazigou. Since the Qianlong reign, Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei kept traveling through the gaps in the Great Wall near Xifengkou to reach the northeast. Lingyuan was their first stop after leaving the pass, and some Hui Muslims settled there.

Lingyuan Mosque was built during the Qianlong reign. According to the stone inscriptions inside, a Hui Muslim doctor named Zhang Lichen and others cured the illness of a Mongol prince from the Harqin Left Banner. The prince's mansion then provided the land and silver to build the Lingyuan Mosque.

Main gate





Hanging flower gate (chuihuamen)



The prayer hall consists of a porch, a main hall, and a rear niche (yaodian), just like traditional northern styles, but the architectural details are very different from styles found inside the pass.













The main hall has cracks due to years of neglect and is currently closed. Namaz is now held in a room nearby.



















Side rooms (xiangfang)















Suizhong Mosque

Suizhong is right next to Shanhai Pass and is the southwestern-most county in Liaoning. Starting in the 18th century, more than ten families of Hui Muslims, including the Zhang, Ding, Li, and Jin families, moved to Suizhong from Hebei Province. The first mosque was built in 1737 (the second year of the Qianlong reign) below the Kuixing Tower in the southeast of Suizhong city, and it was moved to its current location inside the West Gate in 1797 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign).

The Suizhong mosque was renovated between 1924 and 1927, suffered severe damage in the 1960s, and was restored again between 1981 and 1984.



Turn left after entering the gate to find the ablution room (shuifang).



Calligraphy in the ablution room (shuifang).



Opposite the main gate is the second gate.



A vase-shaped ornament on the porch roof (juanpeng).



Inside the second gate is the main prayer hall.





The porch (baoxia) in front of the main prayer hall is the most distinctive part of the mosque, and it is the most brightly colored mosque porch I have ever seen.



The front says "Mosque" (Qingzhensi), and the two sides are inscribed with "Rectify the Heart" (Zhengxin) and "Sincerity" (Chengyi).







A plaque reading "Recognize the Oneness of Allah" (Renzhu Duyi).



Details of the patterns.







Behind the porch (baoxia) is the main prayer hall, which features very delicate brick carvings.



The large character for "religion" (jiao) at the bottom is new work, while the brick carvings above are likely original.



You can take a close look at the content of the brick carvings, which include scrolls, painting tubes, incense bottles, and even a chessboard and various fruits.





Traditional Hui Muslim paintings on the door of the main prayer hall.







The interior of the main prayer hall was likely rearranged after the 1980s, and both the mihrab and minbar are very simple.





Above the rear kiln hall (yaodian) of the main prayer hall is the moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou).







Luyang Mosque.

Luyang Town is located east of Jinzhou, not far from Goubangzi, the home of the famous Goubangzi smoked chicken. Luyang Mosque was first built in 1531 (the tenth year of the Ming Jiajing reign), renovated during the Qing Xianfeng period, and rebuilt into its current form between 1922 and 1925. During the reconstruction, Manager Wang of the Luyang Enliyong pastry shop was in charge of construction, and he invited Yang Peiran (Yuchun), who was a brigade commander in the Northeast Army at the time, to help raise funds. People say when the two main beams for the hall were transported from the Goubangzi train station to Luyang, they were pulled by over a dozen oxen, moving step by step for more than half a month. Work stopped several times to prepare materials, and it finally took two and a half years to complete.

Luyang Mosque is a rare historic mosque in China that places the moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) directly above the main prayer hall, and you can climb up to sight the moon using a wooden ladder inside the hall. A plaque inscribed by the anti-Japanese hero General Zuo Baogui, reading 'Gu Shi Ming Ming,' originally hung in front of the main hall. Sadly, it was destroyed along with other plaques during the Cultural Revolution. The current plaque was re-inscribed in 1984.

















Beizhen Mosque

Beizhen Mosque is located outside the Xiaonan Gate of Beizhen in Jinzhou. It was first built in 1522 (the first year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty), expanded in 1617 (the 45th year of the Wanli reign), and renovated again in 1798 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign). Historically, Beizhen Mosque was inside the south city of Guangning. When the city was renovated during the Qianlong reign, the south city was abandoned. The south city wall gradually disappeared, and later Guangning City was renamed Beizhen City, turning Beizhen Mosque from a city mosque into one located outside the city walls.

Beizhen Mosque follows the traditional northern mosque structure of a porch (juanpeng), main hall, and rear hall (yaodian), but it is unique because the porch and the main hall are separate and not connected. The beams and brackets of the building feature painted floral patterns and exquisite wood carvings.





















Plaques currently preserved at Beizhen Mosque

The Way of Heaven's Mandate: Respectfully presented to Guangning County Mosque by General Wuwei of Fei County, Shandong, Zuo Baogui, in the first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty (1875), during the first ten days of the twelfth lunar month. This was presented by the famous anti-Japanese general Zuo Baogui while he was passing through Beizhen on his way to fight in the war in Korea.



Ancient Islamic Faith: Respectfully erected by followers Yang Yuxi and Yang Yuzhen in the first ten days of the seventh lunar month in the year of Yiyin (1795) of the Qianlong reign.



Everlasting Golden Daylily: Presented by Xu Guangzhang, an official of Guangning County, Jinzhou Prefecture, and Bai Yongfu, a local officer, in the first ten days of the fourth lunar month in the year of Yisi (1845) of the Daoguang reign.



Sincere Righteous Act: The ancient mosque was renovated in the autumn of 1617 (the 45th year of the Wanli reign), respectfully presented by the Northeast Islamic Association.



Gratitude for Great Kindness: Respectfully erected in the first ten days of the fourth lunar month in the year of Yisi (1845) of the Daoguang reign by Jin Qiyuan, a follower and newly appointed patrol officer of Guangning County.



Universal Mercy for All Things: Respectfully erected in the year of Yimao (1794) of the Qianlong reign by follower Yang Yuzhen and his son Jianming.



Righteousness Among Peers: Mr. Zhang, whose wealth-generating name was Juxing. He was a registered resident of Beizhen. He was generous, righteous, and enthusiastic about public affairs. Whenever there was something in our faith that needed to be done or reformed, he was always the first to advocate for it and support it with all his might. Because of this, in recent years, although the affairs of our faith have not reached perfection, they have moved closer to civilization and begun to shine. When drinking water, one must think of the source; Mr. Zhang's contribution is truly worthy of praise. Unexpectedly, Heaven did not grant him a long life, and he was killed in the line of duty for the sake of the country on a certain day of a certain month. Beyond our deep grief, we feared his life's deeds would be forgotten, so we gathered together to erect a stone tablet to honor his name. We still felt a sense of regret, knowing that a tablet might not fully capture his merits. We have now carved this plaque to ensure his memory lasts for a long time and to serve as a small token of our gratitude. The Beizhen County Mosque was established by the entire congregation, on a lucky day in the middle of the twelfth lunar month in the ninth year of the Republic of China (1920).



Xinlitun Mosque

Xinlitun is an ancient town in Jinzhou, western Liaoning, known as the 'First Town Beyond the Border'. During the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Jinzhou, Yixian, Heishan, Yingkou, and other places settled in Xinlitun and built the Xinlitun Mosque in 1842 (the 22nd year of Daoguang).

On the 15th day of the first lunar month in 1873 (the 12th year of Tongzhi), Xinlitun held a stilt-walking festival. During the event, a conflict broke out between the Manchu leader Dashan (Fifth Master) and Hui Muslims including Liu Hua, Zhao Guang'en, and Wang Yao, which escalated into a clash between the Manchu and Hui communities, eventually leading to the burning of the Xinlitun Mosque. Afterward, both the Manchu and Hui communities learned from the incident and decided to rebuild the Xinlitun Mosque. After several years of preparation, General Zuo Baogui, an anti-Japanese hero and commander of the Fengtian Army, led the effort by donating 300 taels of silver to complete the reconstruction.



















The main gate of the Xinlitun Mosque features two couplets: 'Transforming people and things, it can transform all; giving life to heaven and earth, it gives life to all.'

The light that gives life to heaven, earth, people, and all living things, the one Lord of all creation.

Saints, sages, emperors, and kings all follow the one and only supreme authority.

Above the main gate, there is also a stone carving of two dragons playing with a pearl.







The brick and stone carvings at the Xinlitun Mosque are very exquisite and feature various traditional patterns. The stone carvings on both sides of the main prayer hall feature inscriptions, which is very rare for an ancient mosque.











The traditional calligraphy at the Xinlitun Mosque includes both the 'miaohui' (tracing) style and the 'kuanbi' (broad-brush) style, both of which are very distinctive. The plaque in the center of the main prayer hall was handwritten in 1983 by Imam Bai Hexi. Imam Bai was born in 1911 in Pingquan, Hebei, and studied under the famous Great Imam Liu Pinyi from Hebei.























In front of the main prayer hall of the Xinlitun Mosque, there are four steles from the Guangxu era renovation, which contain detailed information about the donors. The 'Stele for the Renovation of the Xinlitun Mosque' from the 13th year of Guangxu (1887) lists not only the name of the anti-Japanese hero and Fengtian Army commander General Zuo Baogui but also the Manchu leader Dashan, who was involved in the earlier conflict, symbolizing the resolution of Manchu-Hui tensions in Xinlitun during the Guangxu era.

The 'Stele of Donor Names and Silver Amounts for the Mosque Renovation' lists a number of contributing mosques that was the highest in Northeast China, showing the close connections between the various mosque communities in the region at that time.

Fengtian Province: South Mosque, North Mosque, Fumin Hall South Mosque, Fumin Hall North Mosque, Huimin Tun Mosque, Banlamen Mosque, Guangning Mosque, Qinghemen Mosque, Shaohuying Mosque, Shijiagou Mosque, Huihui Tun Mosque, Yizhou City Mosque, Jinzhou Prefecture Mosque, Hongluoxian Mosque, Gaoqiao Town Mosque, Zhonghousuo Mosque, Shanhaiguan Mosque, Laogongwo Three Mosques, Tieling Mosque, Kaiyuan Mosque, Fakumen Mosque.

Jilin Province: West Mosque, East Mosque, North Mosque, Manjia Tun Mosque, Yitong Prefecture Mosque, Yingchengzi Mosque, Ashiha Mosque, Wula Street Mosque, Shanqianhuai Mosque, Kaoshan Tun Mosque, Nong'an City Mosque, Taipingzhuang Mosque, Xiaohelong Mosque.

Kulu Street: Public Council, Zhou Junkui, various shop guests, and the Mosque.

Beyond the Northern Border: Shaodang Firm, Niuzhuang City, Haizhou City, Gaizhou City, Fuzhou City, Liaoyang City, Fenghuang City, Xiuyan, Tianzhuangtai, Shegouying, Pikou, Dengshang, Fujia Tun, Bajiaotai, Tongliu Two Forts.















Xinmin Mosque

Xinmin is in the northwest part of Shenyang. In the early years of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, many new immigrants came here to farm during the migration to the northeast, which is how the name Xinmin started. During the Qianlong reign, many Hui Muslims came to Xinmin. In 1765, they built Xinmin Mosque in Nanyingzi. Xinmin Mosque burned down in 1866. It was rebuilt in 1883, which is the structure we see today.

The main building of Xinmin Mosque consists of a porch (juanpeng), the main prayer hall, the rear kiln hall (yaodian), and the Moon-Watching Tower (wangyuelou) on top of the kiln hall. The Moon-Watching Tower has a double-eaved roof with four corners coming to a point, and it has a 1.5-meter-tall copper spire on top. The beams of the porch are painted with Suzhou-style patterns, and the wooden screens feature delicate openwork carvings.







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Summary: This second part of the Liaoning mosque series continues through old mosque communities in the province, including buildings rebuilt or altered across the Qing Dynasty, Republic of China era, and later decades. The article records mosque origins, prayer hall structures, community elders, steles, and architectural details still visible today.











The main gate and side rooms of Xinmin Mosque. Above the main gate hangs a plaque reading "Correct Yourself, Correct Others," presented in 1883 by Liu Dianyuan, a military officer with the rank of Blue Feather Guard.







There are three plaques in front of the main prayer hall. The first plaque, "The One and Only for Eternity," was presented in 1873 by Zhang Delu, a military official; Ha Zhongguang, a hereditary noble; and Ma Shaochun, a local magistrate.



The second plaque, "Be Pure, Be One," was presented in 1883 by Ding Chunxi, a military commander and decorated hero.



The third plaque, "Sincere Intentions and Respectful Heart," was presented in 1883 by Zuo Baogui, a high-ranking military commander in charge of the Fengtian camp. Zuo Baogui was a famous general in the late Qing Dynasty and a hero in the war against Japan. He led troops to guard Fengtian in 1875 and began commanding the Fengtian army in 1880. Zuo Baogui was stationed in Fengtian for twenty years. During this time, he was devoted to his faith, supported public welfare and education, donated to build many mosques, set up schools and soup kitchens, and wrote plaques for many mosques.



The mihrab, minbar, and roof gables of the Xinmin Mosque main hall feature beautiful calligraphy. This is a traditional Chinese calligraphy style that originated in Shandong during the Ming and Qing dynasties and became popular in Northeast China through the Shandong school.



















Qing Dynasty door stones and stone tablets are piled up in the backyard of Xinmin Mosque. A tablet from the Tongzhi era contains a contract for a cemetery, including the names of donors and the boundaries of the land. The inscription also provides a rare mention of the now-vanished Xinmin North Mosque. Xinmin North Mosque was built in 1853. Its kiln-style prayer hall had a moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) with double eaves, but it was destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s.













Shenyang South Mosque.

Shenyang South Mosque was built in 1636. The ancestors of the Tie family who founded it were Hui Muslims who came to the interior of China during the Mongol western campaigns. In the early Ming Dynasty, Tie Xuan served as a government official in Jinan. During the Jingnan Campaign in 1400, Tie Xuan led the defense of Jinan. The Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, attacked for three months without success. It was not until 1402, after the Prince of Yan captured Nanjing and returned north, that Jinan finally fell. Tie Xuan was captured and executed. After Tie Xuan passed away, his second son, Tie Fushu, fled outside the Great Wall and moved from Jinzhou to Shenyang between 1573 and 1620.

The original Shenyang South Mosque was quite simple. In 1662, Tie Kui expanded it into a large mosque and invited the famous imam She Yuanshan from Beijing to teach there. After Imam She's student Tie Hongji finished his studies, he became the leader. From then on, the position of imam at the South Mosque was passed down through the Tie family for 11 generations, with the last imam, Tie Zizhang, serving until 1956.

The rear hall of the mosque was expanded in 1902. The main hall is not the traditional T-shape but features a structure with a rolled-shed roof, a front hall, a rear hall, and a hexagonal kiln-style prayer hall. This style of adding a pavilion-like kiln hall to the rear is common in Northeast China.





















The mihrab of the South Mosque is very unusual; instead of a traditional niche, it uses a "great spirit tablet" design, which is a unique local feature.























Shenyang East Mosque.

Shenyang East Mosque was built in 1803. In 1935, the prayer hall was rebuilt in a Western style, while the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) kept its original Chinese style. The East Mosque was occupied in 1958, returned in 1980, and became the Shenyang Islamic Institute in 1988.















Kaiyuan Old City Mosque

Take a train from Shenyang to Kaiyuan, then take a taxi to the Kaiyuan Old City. Located inside the East Gate of the old city, the Kaiyuan Old City Mosque was first built in 1406 (the fourth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and is the oldest mosque in Northeast China.

The current main prayer hall follows the style of the 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign) reconstruction, consisting of a small porch (juanpeng), the main hall, and a hexagonal pavilion-style rear hall (yaodian), similar in style to the South Mosque in Shenyang.















Porch (juanpeng)





The Old City Mosque once had many plaques and couplets, but only the 'Allah is One' (Zhenzhu Duyi) plaque, gifted by the Kaiyuan County government in 1832 (the 12th year of the Daoguang reign), remains hanging above the main hall.



Inside the main hall









Old items stored in the mosque's reception hall include roof drip tiles, eave tiles, ridge beasts, and carved wooden railings from the main hall, the finial from the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) of the rear hall, and a plaque inscribed with 'Silk and Gauze' (Lingluo Shajuan).



























Wood carvings and stone engravings stored in the reception hall.









Very exquisite calligraphy









Fengcheng Mosque

Fengcheng Mosque was first built in 1775 (the 40th year of the Qianlong reign), renovated in 1862 (the first year of the Tongzhi reign), expanded with a north lecture hall and side rooms in 1876 (the second year of the Guangxu reign), and finally reached its current size after the moon-viewing tower was added in 1890 (the 16th year of the Guangxu reign).

The most distinctive feature of Fengcheng Mosque is the moon-viewing tower, built during the Guangxu reign, which has a double-eaved, four-cornered pyramidal roof, flying eaves, brackets, and intricately carved decorative brackets (que-ti).



















The mosque features 300-year-old Chinese junipers, a stele from the Guangxu renovation, and very exquisite wood and brick calligraphy carvings on the brackets and wall corners.



















Fuzhou Mosque

Fuzhou is a thousand-year-old city established during the Liao Dynasty. It was a major commercial hub in southern Liaoning from the Ming and Qing dynasties onwards, filled with merchants, until it was gradually replaced by Wafangdian along the South Manchuria Railway in modern times.

Around 1641 (the sixth year of the Chongde reign of the Qing Dynasty), Hui Muslims from the four major surnames of Yin, Ma, Dai, and Hui migrated from Cangzhou, Hebei to Fuzhou, and later established Fuzhou Mosque in the southwest of the city in 1649 (the sixth year of the Shunzhi reign). Three thatched rooms were built as the main hall in 1656 (the 13th year of the Shunzhi reign), which was rebuilt in 1774 (the 39th year of the Qianlong reign) and expanded again in 1880 (the sixth year of the Guangxu reign), still with a thatched roof. In 1920, the front porch and rear hall were expanded, and the roof was changed to blue brick tiles, resulting in its current form.



















Hanging in front of the Fuzhou Mosque main hall is a 'Return to Simplicity and Truth' (Huanpu Guizhen) plaque, respectfully presented in 1897 (the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign) by Wang Tingxiang, a third-rank official and imperial censor.







Additionally, there are brick carvings of traditional calligraphy featuring dua on the wall corners.

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Reposted from the web

Summary: The final part of the Liaoning mosque series is a short, image-led record of historic mosque sites and remaining architectural details. It keeps the original photo order and focuses on Liaoning Hui Muslim heritage, mosque preservation, and local community memory.





Qingdui Mosque (Qingdui Si)

Qingdui Town is a thousand-year-old town that has served as a fishing port and commercial hub on the Liaodong Peninsula since the Tang Dynasty. Qingbu Port officially opened in 1743 (the eighth year of the Qianlong reign), making Qingdui Town an important transit point for people from Shandong and Hebei moving to Northeast China. During the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Qingdui Town was home to over three hundred businesses, with shops lining the streets and bustling with activity. Today, Qingdui Town still preserves many old houses with green bricks and dark tiles from the late Qing and Republican periods, and Qingdui Mosque is one of them.

Qingdui Mosque was first built during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, starting as just three thatched rooms. In July 1894, when the First Sino-Japanese War broke out, the famous Hui Muslim general Zuo Baogui led his troops to Korea to fight the Japanese and passed by Qingdui Mosque. General Zuo Baogui got along very well with the mosque's imam, Zhang Chaozhen. He later donated money, and with additional funds raised by his personal Hui Muslim guards and three local halal restaurants—Deshengyuan, Qingshengyuan, and Yongshengyuan—they prepared to expand the mosque. Unfortunately, before the expansion was finished, General Zuo Baogui died heroically while fighting the Japanese in Pyongyang.

In 1895 (the twenty-first year of the Guangxu reign), the mosque's elder, Hui Wanchun, oversaw the rebuilding of the main hall into the three-room green brick and tile structure seen today. In 1920 (the ninth year of the Republic of China), the gate tower was rebuilt and the lecture hall was expanded, giving the mosque its current size.

The mosque's main gate features a brick-carved couplet that reads: 'The pure palace spreads the teachings of the Muhammadan path, the true sage passes down scriptures that bestow grace from the Western Regions.' This is a very precious piece of Republican-era brick-carved calligraphy. The main gate is usually closed, so you must enter the mosque through the south wing where the imam lives. The imam is from Gansu and warmly introduced us to the history of Qingdui Mosque; it is not easy for his family to stay and maintain this small community mosque.

















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Reposted from the web

Summary: This first part of the Inner Mongolia mosque series introduces historic Hui Muslim mosques shaped by Qing-era migration, frontier trade, and settlement on the grasslands. The article covers founding dates, mosque layouts, carved woodwork, inscriptions, and the communities that built and maintained these sites.

I am sharing 12 historic mosque buildings I visited in Inner Mongolia, moving from east to west.

Chifeng North Mosque: First built in 1739 and rebuilt in 1747.

Jingpeng Mosque: First built in 1852 and rebuilt in 1908.

Duolun South Mosque: First built during the Yongzheng reign and expanded in 1761.

Duolun North Mosque: Built in 1798.

Duolun West Mosque: Built in 1880.

Duolun Central Mosque: First built in 1908 and rebuilt in 1935.

Longshengzhuang Mosque: First built in 1751 and expanded in 1831 and 1926.

Hohhot Great Mosque: First built in 1693 and expanded in 1798 and 1925.

Chasuqi Great Mosque: First built in 1760 and rebuilt in 1909.

Salaqi Mosque: First built in 1747 and renovated in 1947.

Baotou Great Mosque: First built in 1743, renovated in 1833, and expanded in 1913.

Baotou Small Mosque: First built in 1908 and rebuilt in 1918.

Chifeng North Mosque

During the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei provinces kept traveling through Gubeikou and Chengde to find work in eastern Inner Mongolia. In the 1730s, ten Hui Muslim families with surnames like Zhang, Ma, and Bai moved from Shandong and Hebei to settle in Chifeng. They were known as the ten great Hui Muslim families or the original settlers (zhanshanhu).

In 1739 (the fourth year of the Qianlong reign), a community elder named Zhang Yueming led the effort to lease seven point six mu of land from a Mongol prince. They built five mud rooms and a three-room main prayer hall, which became the first Chifeng mosque.

In 1742 (the seventh year of the Qianlong reign), elder Ma Fen, who once ran the Desheng Security Bureau in Shenyang, started a project to rebuild the mosque. He bought a plot of land, and the imam and several elders traveled to different places to collect donations through fundraising letters (nietie). Afterward, elder Ma Fen went to Shenyang to hire craftsmen. Construction took four years and finished in 1747 (the twelfth year of the Qianlong reign). All the wood used came from red pine trees in the mountains south of Chifeng. From then on, the imam of the North Mosque was always a scripture reader from the Ma family line.

The main prayer hall of the North Mosque consists of a front porch (juanpeng), the main hall, the rear niche (yaodian), and a moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) on top of the niche. The moon-sighting tower has a double-eaved hexagonal roof with a gilded bronze vase on top and intricate carvings of two dragons playing with a pearl. The front porch sits on a pedestal base (xumizuo). Between the eaves pillars, there are openwork carvings of clouds and flowers, which is a very distinct style from Northeast China.















The beams of the front porch are painted with Suzhou-style patterns and feature wooden dragon head carvings, which are very rare in the country.



The beautiful stone carvings on the gable walls of the main hall feature bats representing good fortune and intertwined lotus patterns.





The phoenix, peony, sun, and moon carvings on the corner stone pillars of the main hall.



The drum-shaped stone bases (baogushi) in front of the porch.



The calligraphic brick carvings on the gable ends (xitou). This style of calligraphy relates to the Shandong school of scripture hall education that spread through the Northeast region.













Jingpeng Mosque (Jingpeng Si).

During the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Jingpeng Town became a major trading hub on the grasslands, located on the main route between Mongolia and the Northeast. During the lama temple fairs, merchants from inland China brought cotton cloth, sugar, and tea to trade with the Mongols for furs, livestock, and local products. In 1723 (the second year of the Yongzheng reign), severe droughts in Shandong and Hebei forced disaster victims to head north to find work. To solve the problem of displaced people, the Qing government implemented a policy of borrowing land to support the people in the southeastern Mongolian grasslands, including Hexigten Banner. During the Qianlong reign, Hui Muslims from Yangxin and Guan counties in Shandong, and Cangzhou and Hejian in Hebei, traveled through Chifeng and Duolun to reach Jingpeng Town to trade on the grasslands, eventually settling there.

After the 19th century, the Hui Muslim population in Jingpeng reached nearly 1,000, with family names including Feng, Cong, Ma, Bai, Li, Jin, and Ha. In 1852 (the second year of the Xianfeng reign), they officially built a mosque (masjid), which started as five mud-brick rooms. In 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign), community elders including Liu Qi, imam Ha Zhaobin, Li Wenrong, Cong Laofeng, Ma Changtai, and Jin Fengming led a fundraising effort to rebuild the Jingpeng Mosque. Liu Qi and Ha Zhaobin traveled inside the Great Wall three times to collect funds. After four years, the current building was completed in 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign). It was named a key cultural relic protection site of Hexigten Banner in 1992.

The north and south lecture halls and the main hall of the Jingpeng Mosque are all Qing Dynasty structures. The main hall consists of a porch, the main hall itself, and a rear kiln-style hall (yaodian) topped with a moon-watching tower (wangyuelou). The moon-watching tower was torn down in 1967 and rebuilt after 1981.



































Duolun South Mosque (Duolun Nansi).

Duolun County is located at the southeastern end of Xilin Gol League and was once a political and economic center on the Mongolian grasslands during the Qing Dynasty. In 1691 (the 30th year of the Kangxi reign), Emperor Kangxi held the Duolun Alliance with the nobles of the three Outer Mongolian tribes and the forty-eight banners of Inner Mongolia, officially bringing Outer Mongolia into the Qing territory. Later, at the request of Mongolian nobles, Kangxi allowed inland merchants to open trade routes between China and the Mongolian grasslands, granting them official titles and favorable treatment. This caused merchants from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, and Shaanxi to flock there, quickly turning Duolun into a commercial hub for Mongolian trade. In 1710 (the 49th year of the Kangxi reign), Xinghua Town was officially established in Duolun. In 1741 (the sixth year of the Qianlong reign), Xinshengying was built north of Xinghua Town, forming the layout of the old city of Duolun.

After the city of Duolun was established, Hui Muslims from Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, and Henan traveled through Zhangjiakou to trade on the grasslands, moving back and forth between the Mongolian plains and inland China. In his book 'Records of Dolon Nor' published in 1908, the late Qing Japanese scholar Jian Hongsheng recorded that the Hui Muslim population in Duolun had already reached 3,000.

The Hui Muslims of Duolun built six mosques: the South Mosque, North Mosque, East Mosque, West Mosque, Central Mosque, and Da'erhao Mosque. The Da'erhao Mosque was transferred to Guyuan County in 1950, and the East Mosque was demolished in the 1960s. Today, the old city still preserves the South, North, East, and West mosques. In 2006, they were collectively listed as a national-level cultural relic protection site under the name 'Duolun Ancient Architectural Complex'.

The South Mosque is the first mosque in Duolun, located on Taiping Street in the old city. It was first built during the Yongzheng reign, and in 1761 (the 26th year of the Qianlong reign), Hui Muslim merchants Mo Tianming and Ma Guifang initiated an expansion to create the current structure. In July 1933, after the anti-Japanese hero General Ji Hongchang recaptured Duolun, the Hui Muslims of Duolun hosted a banquet for him at the South Mosque. The South Mosque is currently closed and not open for visitors.

















Duolun North Mosque

The North Mosque is located on Erdao Street in the old city. It was built in 1798 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign) with funds donated by Hui Muslim merchants from the cattle, horse, and camel trade. It later became the largest mosque (masjid) in the city. In July 1933, after the anti-Japanese hero General Ji Hongchang recaptured Duolun, he stayed at the North Mosque for a short time. Today, the North Mosque is active and holds regular services.

































Duolun West Mosque

During the Tongzhi reign, some Hui Muslims from Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu moved to Duolun to settle down. Since then, Hui Muslims from North China have been called "Kouli people," while those from the Northwest have been called "Westerners."

The East Mosque was located outside Nanjin Fort in the old city. It was started in 1869 (the eighth year of the Tongzhi reign) by Hui Muslims Xiu Mingliang and Liu Changfu from Shaanxi, and was completed in 1878 (the first year of the Guangxu reign). The West Mosque is located on Daxijie Street in the old city. It was built in 1880 (the fifth year of the Guangxu reign) by camel merchants Li Xianyu and Wang Jichen, who were from Ningxia and Gansu. After the 1960s, the East Mosque was completely demolished, and the gate and the north and south lecture halls of the West Mosque were also torn down. Today, only the main prayer hall of the West Mosque remains, and it is open to the public as a historical site.































Duolun Central Mosque

The Central Mosque is located on Nanquangfeng Street in the old city. It was built in 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign) by Wang Guofu and Shan Yunxing. In 1930, He Xingzhou, Cong Dianqing, and others initiated the reconstruction of the main hall, which was completed in 1935. The Central Mosque is currently open for regular activities.





















The Duolun Central Mosque houses plaques and couplets from various mosques in Duolun: Do not be greedy for this life, only for the afterlife; the heavenly way and human way return to the true faith. Carefully guard the righteous path, avoid what is improper, keep your heart happy and your body at peace, and recognize the One. Dedicated in the eighth month of the 24th year of the Jiaqing reign.



Heavenly decree teaches the pure and unique faith, recognizing the truth since ancient times through the seven days; the Prophet's practice spreads the righteous faith, which is one and returns to the belief in the five daily prayers.



Blessings of the One True God: Dedicated on a lucky day in the fifth month of the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Great Qing Dynasty by Zheng Kuishi, Imperial Commissioner overseeing military affairs in Ningguo, Commander-in-Chief of the Zhejiang provincial military, controller of all land and water garrisons, and specially granted the title of Jianwei General and Shalama Gai Batulu.

Zheng Kuishi was a famous general in the late Qing Dynasty and a Hui Muslim from Wanquan, Zhangjiakou, Hebei. He fought against the Taiping Rebellion and the Nian Army for many years. He was the first to break through Luzhou and suffered over twenty wounds in Huaiyuan, nearly losing his life, which earned him great praise from the imperial court. When Zheng Kuishi inscribed the plaque for Duolun in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign, he was serving as the Commander-in-Chief of Zhejiang and overseeing military affairs in Ningguo, which was the highest rank he reached in his life. In a memorial to the throne, Li Hongzhang highly praised Zheng Kuishi, saying he was "hardworking, resolute, and brave beyond compare... he was the first to face the enemy's sharp edge, braving death, and suffered severe wounds eight or nine times. His body was covered in scars, and among all the famous generals north and south of the Yangtze River, everyone considered Kuishi the best."



The Ancient Pure Faith: Respectfully presented by Song Rui, who was specially granted a peacock feather and served as the Duolun Camp Commander. A lucky day in the sixth month of the first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



Benevolence spreads everywhere: To the honorable official Zhu, who wears a peacock feather (hualing) and holds a fourth-rank title while serving as the acting prefect of Duolunnuo'er. Respectfully presented in the first month of summer in the 31st year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty by Hui Muslim community leaders Shan Yunxing, village head Ma Wanxing, and others.



Merciful in this life, uniquely merciful in the hereafter: Dedicated in the seventh lunar month of the eighth year of the Republic of China, managed by the public.





Longshengzhuang Mosque.

Longshengzhuang sits on the border of Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. From the Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, it was a crossroads for trade routes between Hohhot, Datong, and Zhangjiakou. It was a key town for Shanxi merchants trading in Mongolia and was officially named Longshengzhuang in 1765 (the 30th year of the Qianlong reign). Shanxi merchants traveling to Mongolia brought rice, flour, tea, oil, wine, and daily goods from Longshengzhuang to Mongolia. They returned with furs, livestock, and leather, bringing great wealth to the town.

The economy of Longshengzhuang peaked during the Xianfeng reign, with 500,000 sheep sold and transported through the town each year. Longshengzhuang reached its height in the early Republic of China. The town had over 300 shops and more than a dozen stables (madian) used for trading and transporting cattle, horses, and sheep. At that time, the street from the south to the north of Longshengzhuang stretched nearly 2 kilometers, lined with rows of shops.

Starting in the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Hebei and Shandong moved to Longshengzhuang in Inner Mongolia to do business. In the late Qing Dynasty, many Hui Muslims from Shaanxi also migrated there. During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Hui Muslim population in Longshengzhuang grew to two or three thousand. In the early Republic of China, it reached a peak of over five thousand people. At that time, Longshengzhuang had a large halal restaurant and nearly twenty businesses including livestock traders, brokers, and stables. After the Ping-Sui Railway opened in 1921, Longshengzhuang declined rapidly. After the 1930s, many people moved away. Today, only about 30 Hui Muslims remain, mostly elderly, and there are no longer any halal restaurants.

Longshengzhuang Mosque was first built in 1751 (the 16th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty). It originally had only three main halls. As more Hui Muslims came to do business, they added 13 main halls, a front gate, a second gate, side rooms, and a screen wall in 1831 (the 11th year of the Daoguang reign), creating a three-courtyard layout.



















The mosque's porch (juanpeng) was expanded in 1926 and features beautiful ironwork decorations from the Republic of China era.



















The main hall was also expanded in 1926.





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