Reposted from the web

Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Day 15, Ramadan is halfway through! We broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again; it was very sour and refreshing! Many elders (xianglao) went back for a second bowl. The fast-breaking meal (zhaifan) included stir-fried tripe with cilantro (yanbao dusi), yam with meatballs, and braised eggplant. I met more friends (dosti) at Balizhuang today; everyone is welcome to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.











Day 16, Elder Li at Balizhuang Mosque made yellow rice cake (huangmi qiegao) and Elder Fu made fried vegetable meatballs; both were delicious. Every elder at Balizhuang Mosque has a special hidden talent. For the fast-breaking meal, we had noodles with shredded chicken sauce and noodles with diced eggplant sauce, featuring both wheat noodles and oat noodles (youmian) from Zhangjiakou. The noodle toppings included blanched cabbage, blanched cowpeas, blanched bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and shredded radish, making for a very rich texture.

















Day 17, Balizhuang Mosque continued to break the fast with fermented mung bean milk. The meal included large steamed buns (baozi) with cowpea and fennel fillings, which were impossible to stop eating when paired with rice porridge.

















I received camel milk soap given as charity (chusan) by an elder at Balizhuang Mosque; may it bring reward (thawab).



In the evening, I met up with friends (dosti) to pray Tarawih at the Sudanese Embassy. The Sudanese Embassy is right next to Tuanjiehu subway station. We arrived at 7:50 and were able to enter after showing our ID cards at the intersection. The call to prayer (adhan) was at 8:05, and the prayer started at 8:30. There were friends (dosti) from all over the world in the hall, with people of all skin colors standing in rows; it really felt like being abroad. The imam for Tarawih was a young hafiz from Libya whose recitation was melodic, pleasant, and very moving. We prayed eight units (rak'ah) of Tarawih, with a greeting (salam) every four units. The final Witr prayer consisted of two units with a salam, followed by one single unit. This is quite different from the traditional prayer methods of the Gedimu Hui Muslims.

















My Ramadan collection includes a teacup fired in Jingdezhen in the 1980s, featuring a traditional calligraphy style common in southern China. The lid is inscribed with gratitude, blessings, mercy, and worship, while the cup body reads, 'Mercy draws near to those who do good' and 'The stingy cannot enter paradise, even if they are people who worship Allah.'









On the 18th day, a friend (dosti) from Hunan invited us to break our fast at Nanxiapo Mosque, where we had a very delicious meal of stewed meat with rice. I met many new friends during this time; Ramadan is truly a great opportunity for everyone to gather together.















On the 19th day, I went to the Carthage Arabic Restaurant on Dongzhimen Outer Street for the iftar buffet. It is a new spot opened by Adel, the head chef of La Medina, in the breakfast area on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun Taikoo Li, still focusing on Tunisian flavors. Since it has not been open long, it is mostly frequented by foreign friends (dosti) from the nearby embassy district, so there is no need to wait in line.

Because Adel is in charge, the dishes are similar to those at La Medina, though the variety is slightly smaller. Appetizers include chickpea dip (hummus), parsley salad (tabbouleh), and the Tunisian-style roasted eggplant salad (mechouia). Besides roasted eggplant, the roasted eggplant salad (mechouia) contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and olive oil, making it very healthy.

The main course features North African sausage (merguez), made from lamb and beef mixed with cumin, harissa, chili, and various other spices. It appeared as early as the 12th century in Andalusia and later spread throughout North Africa.

They also serve the classic North African Maghreb tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka). The tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka) originated in North Africa under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, when tomatoes and chili peppers were introduced to North Africa from the Americas and then became part of the local diet.

They also have the Arabic version of fried triangular pastries (sambousek), which is a classic Ramadan snack for Arabs. The fried triangular pastry (sambousek) originated in Iran and entered the Arab diet after the 10th century, later spreading to India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. In some parts of eastern China, Hui Muslims still use its Persian name, 'sanmosan'.



















On the 20th day, two-thirds of Ramadan has passed. At Balizhuang Mosque, they freshly made sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and fried crispy dough (zhagezhi). I continued to break my fast with mung bean milk (douzhi), ate stir-fried green beans with meat and braised meatballs (huisongrou) for the meal, and thirteen elders joined in the opening prayer (kaijing). Breaking the fast at the mosque brings richness to both the spirit and the body.



















Ramadan collection. I received a traditional late Qing Dynasty Tianjin-style pine wood dua plaque made by teacher Wang Qifei, which reads, 'O Allah!' Grant Your forgiveness and mercy to those who live in this house and to the believers who enter it!'





On the twenty-first day, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered to make dumplings (jiaozi) with carrot and cabbage fillings. Nothing really beats the taste of dumplings! After eating, I felt full of energy and ready for the Taraweeh prayers. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Lebanon - 15 Mosques in Beirut, Tripoli, Baalbek and Sidon is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Lebanon, Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

1. Beirut

Emir Assaf Mosque: late 16th century

Great Omari Mosque: renovated in 1291

2. Tripoli

Taynal Mosque: 1336

Mu'allaq Hanging Mosque: 1561

Mansouri Great Mosque: 1294

Al-Uwaysiyat Mosque: 1461

Attar Mosque: 1350s

Tawba Mosque: Mamluk period

Burtasi Mosque: late 13th century to early 14th century

3. Baalbek

Umayyad Great Mosque of Baalbek: 715

4. Sidon

El Kikhia Mosque: 1625

El Qtaishieh Mosque: 16th century

Great Omari Mosque: renovated in 1291

El-Bahr Mosque: 1373.

El Barrane Mosque: late 16th to 17th century.

1. Beirut

Emir Assaf Mosque: late 16th century

The Emir Assaf Mosque was built in the late 16th century by the Emir rulers of the local Lebanese Assaf dynasty (1306-1591). The Emir's palace and gardens used to be next to the mosque.

The Assaf dynasty was a Sunni Turkmen dynasty. In 1306, the Mamluk governor of Damascus sent the Turkmen tribes led by the Assaf family to suppress a rebellion north of Beirut. Later, the Mamluk dynasty appointed them to guard the coastal area north of Beirut and manage the local Shia residents. In 1516, the Ottoman Empire took the Levant region from the Mamluk Sultanate and appointed the Assaf family as their main agents for the Beirut and Tripoli areas.

The Assaf dynasty lowered taxes and housing prices to attract Maronite Christians to settle in northern Beirut, using them to balance the local Sunni and Shia populations. In 1579, the Ottoman Empire established the Tripoli Eyalet to keep the Assaf dynasty in check. In 1591, the Ottoman governor of Tripoli ordered the execution of the last Assaf emir by gunfire, which brought the Assaf dynasty to an end.

We joined the praise of the Prophet (zansheng) at the mosque, which is part of the Mawlid celebrations. Twelve men in formal wear sat on the east side of the main hall, chanting praises to the Prophet in unison, sometimes accompanied by the beat of a drum. Their voices were deep, loud, and very powerful.



















Great Omari Mosque: renovated in 1291

The Great Mosque of Al-Omari is said to have been founded in 635 during the reign of Caliph Umar, and in 1150 the Crusaders built a Romanesque Saint John's Church here. After the Mamluk dynasty captured Tripoli in 1291, they converted it back into a mosque, and in 1350 they added a Mamluk-style gate and minaret. During the French Mandate for Lebanon from 1923 to 1946, the street-facing facade of the Great Mosque of Al-Omari was redesigned to match the architectural style of downtown Beirut, and a porch was added. The Great Mosque of Al-Omari was severely damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, and renovations were completed in 2004.



















2. Tripoli

Taynal Mosque: 1336

The Taynal Mosque was built in 1336 by order of the Mamluk governor (Na'ib) of Tripoli, Emir Taynal. In the mid-14th century, Taynal served three terms as governor of Tripoli and one term as governor of Gaza. The famous 14th-century traveler Ibn Battuta wrote in his travelogue: 'About forty Turkic princes and nobles live in the city.' The city governor was an emir named Taynal, who was known as the 'King of Chiefs'. His residence was commonly called the 'House of Blessings' (Dar al-Sa'ada). He usually went out riding every Monday and Thursday, accompanied by various chiefs and a large group of guards, and only returned to the city when he was satisfied. Amir Taynal passed away in Damascus in 1343. Although a tomb was built for him at the Taynal Mosque, he was ultimately buried in Damascus.

The main hall of the Taynal Mosque consists of two connected halls. The most magnificent part is the entrance to the second hall, which features a gate with a honeycomb-like muqarnas cornice and uses the ablaq technique of alternating black and white marble. Inside the main hall are some ancient Corinthian columns, which are thought to have come from a Crusader-era church or an even older Roman temple. The original pulpit (minbar) in the mosque dated back to its construction in 1336, but it had already been replaced with a new one by the time I visited.



















Mu'allaq Hanging Mosque: 1561

The Hanging Mosque (Muallaq Mosque) was commissioned in 1561 by Mahmud Lutfi al-Za'im, the governor of Tripoli under the Ottoman Empire, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The ground floor of the Hanging Mosque is a culvert on the street, so you must climb the stairs to the side to reach the main prayer hall on the second floor. The octagonal minaret next to the main prayer hall is very eye-catching and features two levels of balconies.











Mansouri Great Mosque: 1294

The Mansouri Great Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Tripoli, was ordered to be built in 1294 by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil and was the first building constructed by the Mamluk dynasty in Tripoli.

In 1109, the French Crusaders captured Tripoli, and for the next 180 years, the city was ruled by European Christian nobles. In 1260, the Mongol army captured Damascus and took the last Ayyubid sultan prisoner, ending the Ayyubid dynasty. From then on, the center of Islamic power on the eastern Mediterranean coast shifted to the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt. In 1289, the Mamluk army arrived at the gates of Tripoli with large catapults. Under the attack of the catapults, two towers in Tripoli soon collapsed. The Mamluk army entered the city and leveled it to the ground.

Soon after, the Mamluk dynasty began building a new city at the foot of the castle on Pilgrim's Mountain in Tripoli. This included building the Great Mansouri Mosque on the ruins of a Crusader church at the foot of the mountain. The minaret inside the mosque today is likely part of the Crusader Church of St. Mary, and the main gate may also contain parts of the original Crusader church gate. The main hall was built by the Mamluk dynasty in 1294, and the courtyard colonnade was built in 1314 by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad.





















Al-Uwaysiyat Mosque: 1461

The Al-Uwaysiyat Mosque was first built in 1461 during the Mamluk period and was renovated in 1534 during the time of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.



















Attar Mosque: 1350s

The Attar Mosque was built in the 1350s by a local Tripoli perfume merchant named Badr al-Din al-Attar on the ruins of a Crusader church. It was also the first mosque in Tripoli not built by the Mamluks. Attar Mosque is known as one of the most beautiful ancient mosques in Tripoli, but it has been closed for several years for renovations.





Tawba Mosque: Mamluk period

The exact age of Tawba Mosque is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Mamluk period. Because it sits right next to the riverbank, the mosque's foundation stone was likely washed away during a flood. The inscription at the mosque entrance now says it was rebuilt after a flood in 1612. Many mosques in Lebanon lock their doors outside of prayer times, so I could not go inside and only saw the octagonal minaret.





Burtasi Mosque: late 13th century to early 14th century

Isa ibn Umar al-Burtasi built Burtasi Mosque during the Mamluk period. Since Isa passed away in 1324, we can guess the mosque was built between the late 13th century and 1324. A flood in 1955 washed away all the houses around Burtasi Mosque, and today it is the only building left standing on the riverbank. The minaret (bangke ta) above the main gate is known as the most beautiful one in Tripoli. Above the three-story stalactite-style cornice (muqarnas) sits a square balcony featuring Moorish-style double-arched windows. This type of double arch is a classic feature of Muslim architecture from Andalusia in southern Spain.







3. Baalbek

Umayyad Great Mosque of Baalbek: 715

The Umayyad Mosque of Baalbek was built in 715 by the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid I, the same year as the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, and both stand together as the oldest surviving mosque (masjid) buildings in the world.

Compared to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the Umayyad Mosque of Baalbek is simpler, but their overall styles are still very similar. Some stone parts inside the main hall may have come from the nearby Roman-era Baalbek Castle, and the column capitals show a strong Roman-Byzantine style. A flood hit Baalbek in 1318 and caused serious damage to the Umayyad Mosque, washing away walls and the pulpit (minbar). The Mamluk prince ruling Baalbek at the time, Najm al-Din Hassan, later repaired it.

The Umayyad Mosque was badly damaged in a 1996 earthquake in Baalbek. A team led by Dr. Saleh Lamei Mustafa, the former dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Beirut Arab University, later carried out the repairs. The repair work lasted for two years and was finished in 1998.

Today, many ancient stone pieces are still scattered around the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Baalbek, giving it a rich sense of history.



































4. Sidon

El Kikhia Mosque: 1625

El Kikhia Mosque was built in 1625 by Mahmoud Kitkhuda and is one of the representative works of Ottoman-era architecture in Lebanon. The mosque is famous for its six domes, and inside the main hall, there is a white marble pulpit (minbar).

















El Qtaishieh Mosque: 16th century

Sheikh Ali Ibn Mohammad Qtaish built the El Qtaishieh mosque in the 16th century, and it still holds beautiful Ottoman tiles.



















Great Omari Mosque: renovated in 1291

The El-Omari Grand Mosque is the main mosque in the old city of Sidon, and it is where the Eid prayers are held. The Great Mosque of El-Omari sits on a hillside on the west side of the old city of Saida and is built from massive sandstone blocks over a meter thick.

The building dates back to the Crusader era, when the Knights Hospitaller turned it into a military fortress in the 13th century, complete with a dining hall, a church, and stables. In 1291, the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil (who reigned from 1290 to 1293) conquered the Crusader castles, including Saida, ending the Crusader states that had lasted for nearly two hundred years. The Mamluk dynasty then built the Great Mosque of El-Omari on the foundation of the Knights Hospitaller fortress.

The main hall of the Great Mosque of El-Omari keeps the Byzantine style of the Crusader church, with a ten-meter-high ceiling supported by five sturdy buttresses. The Mamluk dynasty changed the orientation of the main hall from east-west to north-south. They added a mihrab niche and a minbar pulpit on the south side, and built a water room and school in the outer courtyard to the north. In the late 19th century, the Ottoman dynasty renovated the Great Mosque of Omar and built the current minaret (bangkelou).

During the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Great Mosque of Omar was hit by artillery fire many times and suffered serious damage. The Hariri Foundation led the restoration of the site in 1986, and it won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989.



















El-Bahr Mosque: 1373.

Hassan bin Sawah donated the money to build the El-Bahr mosque in 1373. It features Mamluk-era architecture, including thick walls and cross-vaulted ceilings, and uses granite columns from the ancient Roman period.













El Barrane Mosque: late 16th to 17th century.

El Barrane Mosque was built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries during the reign of the Druze Emir Fakhr al-Din II. Barrani means "outside" because the mosque was located outside the Beirut Gate, the north gate of the ancient city, at that time. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Sidon, Lebanon - Old City, Sea Fort and Mosques (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Sidon, Lebanon, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

We took a minibus from the southern suburbs of Beirut and traveled 40 kilometers south to reach Saida, the third-largest city in Lebanon. Saida has a history of over 6,000 years. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and played a major role in Mediterranean trade.

The landmark of the old city of Saida is the Sea Castle (Qalaat al-Bahr) located on a small island to the north. The Crusaders built it in 1228, and it connects to the mainland by an 80-meter-long bridge. The Sea Castle was destroyed many times, then repaired and expanded during the Mamluk and Ottoman dynasties. Today, the Sea Castle consists of two towers. You can see many Roman-era stone pillars on the outer walls, and there is a small domed mosque built during the Ottoman period on the roof.



















Next to the Sea Castle on the shore is a very famous restaurant called Saida Rest House. The restaurant preserves an Ottoman-era inn (khan) with beautiful inlaid marble and colorful carvings, and the lighting inside is excellent.



















At the seaside seats of Saida Rest House, we ordered the Lebanese specialties of tomato sausage and fish salad with tajen sauce. Tajen is a spicy sesame paste that goes perfectly with pita bread.













The ancient city of Sidon is a well-preserved Sunni Muslim old town on the eastern Mediterranean coast. Enter the maze of streets from the north gate. Many houses are built over the streets, creating tunnels. People set up stalls inside these tunnels, selling all kinds of goods. It feels very lively and full of daily life.



















In the market inside the ancient city of Sidon, you can buy fresh dates (yezao). They have a soft, powdery texture and taste great. You can also buy traditional clothing here. It feels very unique.



















Entering the ancient city of Sidon from the north side, the first attraction is the underground Khan Sacy Archaeological Museum. Khan Sacy is made up of several arched rooms. They date back to stables and warehouses from the Crusader period (1099-1291). Since 2010, archaeological excavations at Khan Sacy have uncovered two bathrooms from the Mamluk dynasty (1201-1517), three water wells with different architectural styles, and a multi-purpose oven from the Ottoman period (1517-1918).















Follow the main road of the ancient city of Sidon south to see the largest Turkish bath in the old city, Hammam Al Jadeed. Hammam Al Jadeed was built in 1720 by the Moroccan merchant Mustafa Hammoud. It is a representative example of a Turkish bath in Lebanon from the Ottoman dynasty. The bathhouse consists of 10 rooms, including bathing, massage, and sauna areas. Corridors connect each area, which features unique marble floors and skylights.

This bathhouse stayed in use until 1948, when it closed because tap water pipes became common. The bathhouse was later used as a carpentry workshop and storage room, and it suffered damage during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-90). During the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, one of the bathhouse domes was hit by shelling and remains unrepaired today.



















In 2018, Said Bacho, the founder and president of the Sharqy Foundation for Cultural Development and Innovation, purchased the Hammam Al Jadeed bathhouse. In 2019, the bathhouse reopened as a historical site after being closed for 71 years.

In 2019, Said Bacho invited the famous British artist Tom Young to create art for the bathhouse. Tom Young interviewed elderly people who had bathed in the bathhouse over 70 years ago. He listened to their memories and gained valuable inspiration.

In 2020, the Revival exhibition officially opened inside the bathhouse. The 10 rooms of the bathhouse displayed 60 oil paintings by Tom Young, featuring not only the past and present of the bathhouse but also many other historical sites in the old city of Sidon. Tom Young also painted a portrait of the bathhouse's former owner, Zahia Al Zarif, based on archival photos from the 1940s.



















Day and night in the old city of Sidon.









Heading west from the Hammam Al Jadeed bathhouse and through the winding alleys, you reach the massive Ottoman caravanserai, Khan al-Franj. Khan al-Franj was built in the late 16th century by order of the Ottoman Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, who served from 1565 to 1579. The inn has a large courtyard, with the ground floor used for storing goods and the second floor for travelers to stay, which is the typical structure of an Ottoman caravanserai.

The inn served as the residence for the French consul in the early 17th century, which is how it got the name French Inn. The inn is currently owned by France, and the French Institute of the Near East (Institut français du Proche-Orient) is located here. The Hariri Foundation leased the space for 35 years. They restored the historical site and opened it as a cultural center, where they host various cultural events from time to time.

You can buy handicrafts made by local Lebanese women at the inn, and we bought a hand-woven hat. This is part of the Hariri Foundation's effort to create jobs for local women and promote tourism and handicrafts in Sidon.



















We had a mint lemonade at Bab Al Saray Cafe, located in a small square in the center of the old city of Sidon. It is one of the oldest cafes in Sidon, and people say their brunch is very authentic.



















After resting, we visited the El Kikhia Mosque. Built in 1625 by Mahmoud Kitkhuda, the El Kikhia Mosque is a representative example of an Ottoman-era mosque in Lebanon. The mosque is famous for its six domes, and inside the main hall, there is a white marble pulpit (minbar).

















Across from the El Kikhia mosque is the Al-Qtaishieh mosque, where we performed our afternoon namaz. Sheikh Ali Ibn Mohammad Qtaish built the Al-Qtaishieh mosque in the 16th century, and it still holds beautiful Ottoman tiles.



















Next, we visited the Great Mosque of El-Omari, the main mosque in the old city of Saida, where the Eid prayers are held. The Great Mosque of El-Omari sits on a hillside on the west side of the old city of Saida and is built from massive sandstone blocks over a meter thick.

The building dates back to the Crusader era, when the Knights Hospitaller turned it into a military fortress in the 13th century, complete with a dining hall, a church, and stables. In 1291, the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Khalil (who reigned from 1290 to 1293) conquered the Crusader castles, including Saida, ending the Crusader states that had lasted for nearly two hundred years. The Mamluk dynasty then built the Great Mosque of El-Omari on the foundation of the Knights Hospitaller fortress.

The main hall of the Great Mosque of El-Omari keeps the Byzantine style of the Crusader church, with a ten-meter-high ceiling supported by five sturdy buttresses. The Mamluk dynasty changed the orientation of the main hall from east-west to north-south. They added a mihrab niche and a minbar pulpit on the south side, and built a water room and school in the outer courtyard to the north. In the late 19th century, the Ottoman dynasty renovated the Great Mosque of Omar and built the current minaret (bangkelou).

During the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the Great Mosque of Omar was hit by artillery fire many times and suffered serious damage. The Hariri Foundation led the restoration of the site in 1986, and it won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1989.



















After leaving the Great Mosque of Omar, we visited the Soap Museum in Sidon. The soap workshop where the museum is located was built by Hammoud in the 17th century. The Audi family took it over in the 1880s and added a residence on the upper floor. The Audi family left Sidon for Beirut in the 1950s, and the building became a school. During the Lebanese Civil War in the 1980s, the building was abandoned and refugees lived on the ground floor. The Audi Foundation began restoring the workshop in 1996 and opened it as a soap museum in 2000.

At the soap museum, you can learn how traditional olive oil soap is made and see the remains of the workshop's plumbing from the 17th to 19th centuries. The museum's gift shop is worth a visit. You can buy traditional olive oil soap there, as well as a variety of creative scented soaps. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Sidon, Lebanon - Old City, Sea Fort and Mosques (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Sidon, Lebanon, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.









Across from the Sea Castle, another fortress sits on a hill in the south of the old city of Sidon. Together, they guard the old city from both ends.

The Land Castle is also called the Castle of Mu'izz or the Castle of Saint Louis. The fourth caliph of the Fatimid dynasty, al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah (reigned 953–975), ordered it built in the late 10th century and named it the Castle of Mu'izz.

In 1253, King Louis IX of France, known as Saint Louis and a leader of the Seventh Crusade, ordered the walls of Sidon to be rebuilt. The Land Castle was also rebuilt during this time, and it has been called the Castle of Saint Louis ever since. Fakhr al-Din II, the Druze emir who ruled Lebanon in the 17th century, rebuilt the castle again. It later fell into ruin, and parts of the walls collapsed during the late Ottoman era.

After Israel expelled large numbers of Palestinians in 1948, the Land Castle served as a shelter for Palestinian refugees. To persecute the Palestinian refugees, Israel ruthlessly shelled the Land Castle, causing further damage. These scars now stand as a witness to the suffering of the Palestinian people.



















Before it became a Fatimid fortress, the hill where the Land Castle stands held an important place as far back as the Phoenician era, more than 1,000 years before the common era. On the hillside next to the castle, you can see many crushed murex shells. These are the waste left behind by the Phoenicians more than 3,000 years ago when they used the shells to make purple dye. Tyrian purple is also called Phoenician purple or royal purple, because only Roman emperors could wear clothes dyed with it during the Roman Empire.

Roman Emperor Elagabalus (reigned 218-222) established a colony in Sidon, and archaeological excavations of the land castle revealed ruins of Roman-era buildings. These ruins might include a Roman theater, so researchers suggest this was the site of the Roman-era acropolis of Sidon.





















After visiting the castle, we went to the famous falafel shop in the old city, Falafel Abou Rami. They opened in 1988 and are very famous in Lebanon. Their falafel is made from a mix of chickpeas and fava beans, and they fry it fresh to order. You can add pickled cucumbers, pickled tomatoes, and yogurt to make a salad, or wrap it in flatbread. We bought one wrap and it was enough for two people; the portion is huge!



















In the afternoon, we prayed the Maghrib namaz at Al-Bahr Mosque by the sea in the ancient city of Sidon. Hassan bin Sawah donated the funds to build Al-Bahr Mosque in 1373. It features Mamluk-era architecture, including thick walls and cross-vaulted ceilings, and uses granite columns from the ancient Roman period.













Afterward, we went to El Barrane Mosque at the entrance of the market on the north side of the ancient city. Many mosques in Lebanon only open for the five daily prayers and stay locked at other times. This mosque was built between the late 16th and early 17th centuries during the reign of the Druze Emir Fakhr al-Din II. Barrani means "outside" because the mosque was located outside the Beirut Gate, the north gate of the ancient city, at that time.











Street view of the ancient city. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Dujiangyan, Sichuan - Mosques, Food and Local History is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Dujiangyan, Sichuan, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

On May 15, we left Chengdu for Dujiangyan and visited the Dujiangyan Mosque at noon. Imam Sha Fuquan was away on a field trip, so Imam Ma Jundong hosted us, with an introduction provided by Imam Saiwabu Ma.

Because it sits at the start of the Songmao Ancient Road, many Hui Muslims have come to do business and settle in the old town of Guanxian, where Dujiangyan is located, since the Ming Dynasty. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Hui Muslims in Dujiangyan pooled their money to buy the former site of the Summer Palace of Prince Kang of Shu and officially built the Dujiangyan Mosque. Currently, there are two crape myrtle trees at the entrance of the main hall that were planted during the Ming Jiajing period, and the six lattice doors on the front of the main hall are also relics from the Ming Dynasty.

The Dujiangyan Mosque has experienced many earthquakes throughout its history, the most recent being the Wenchuan earthquake. The Wenchuan earthquake caused serious damage to the Dujiangyan Mosque, and it took three years to complete the repairs, resulting in the current architectural style that features strong traditional characteristics of western Sichuan. Inside the main hall, there are two pairs of Arabic couplets preserved today; one pair was written by Imam Wei Zhengfang of the Qing Dynasty, and the other was written by Imam Sha Fuquan. The traditional calligraphy on the mihrab was also written by Imam Wei Zhengfang.



















Above the main hall of Dujiangyan Mosque sits the Moon-Gazing Tower (Wangyuelou), added in 1934. It was the tallest building in Guan County at the time, offering a bird's-eye view of the old town streets. The upper level of the Moon-Gazing Tower holds a wooden clapper (bangzi). During Ramadan, it is used to signal the start and end of the daily fast, a very traditional practice.



















Plaques at Dujiangyan Mosque.

In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng reign, Prince Guo inscribed the 'Uphold Good Rules Forever' (Shishoulianggui) plaque and the 'Origin of Worldly Laws' (Shifayuanliu) plaque. Prince Guo was the seventeenth son of Emperor Kangxi. In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng reign, he traveled to Taining to escort the Dalai Lama back to Tibet. While inspecting provincial garrisons and Green Standard Army troops, he passed through Chengdu and inscribed a plaque for Gulou Mosque. Dujiangyan Mosque made copies of these plaques to keep inside.





In the twenty-ninth year of the Guangxu reign, Sichuan Provincial Commander Ma Weiqi hand-wrote the 'Achieve Through Non-Action' (Wuweiercheng) plaque. Ma Weiqi was a Hui Muslim from Dazhuang, Kaiyuan, Yunnan. He was skilled in calligraphy, following the style of Yan Zhenqing, with a powerful and bold brush technique. In the ninth year of the Guangxu reign, Ma Weiqi was ordered to Vietnam to fight the French. He defeated the French army many times and was promoted to the rank of vice-general for his military achievements, receiving the honorary title 'Boduo Huan Baturu'. While serving as the Sichuan Provincial Commander, Ma Weiqi led troops to suppress a rebellion by lamas and local chieftains in Batang, Tibet. He overcame harsh snowstorms and food shortages to restore peace to the region. For his success, he was awarded the first-rank official cap button and the title of General Jianwei. During his time as Sichuan Provincial Commander, Ma Weiqi greatly supported the local Muslim community. He recommended several imams for positions in Sichuan, including Imam Wang Jiapeng, who is known as one of the four great modern imams of Yunnan.





In 1946, Bai Chongxi wrote the plaque reading 'Promote Religion and Build the Nation.' He wrote it while visiting his in-law, Ma Jianqing, in Sichuan. At the time, Bai Chongxi served as the Minister of National Defense for the Republic of China. Bai Chongxi placed great importance on ethnic education. He built Northwest Middle School in Chengdu, Sichuan, and Jiansheng Middle School in Xichang.



In the seventh year of the Xianfeng reign, Chen Tianzhu, a fifth-rank battalion commander (bazong) of the Anfu Camp who held the blue feather honor, hand-wrote the plaque reading 'Original Unique Honor'.



The 'Religion Flourishes in True Unity' plaque dates back to the fourteenth year of the Qianlong reign. Unfortunately, the signature section was destroyed during the 1960s and 1970s. It is believed to have been written by a Hui Muslim military officer during the Qianlong Emperor's Jinchuan campaign. In September of the thirteenth year of the Qianlong reign, the Qing government deployed 35,000 soldiers to the Jinchuan front. These troops included the Eight Banners from the capital and various provinces, as well as the Green Standard Army from Shaanxi, Gansu, Yunnan, and Guizhou.



Besides the Dujiangyan Mosque located on South Street in the ancient city of Guanxian, there were three other mosques in Dujiangyan history: the West Mosque, Baoping Mosque, and Youxi Mosque.

The West Mosque (Xi Si) is located on Shaanxi Lane inside the ancient city of Guanxian. It was built in 1862, the first year of the Tongzhi reign, by Hui Muslims from Songpan, Sichuan. During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi years, Hui Muslims from Songpan with the surnames Jia, Qi, Mi, and Yu traveled south along the Songmao Ancient Road for business. They settled in the ancient city of Guanxian and pooled their money to build the Guanxian West Mosque. In 1959, the Guanxian West Mosque was torn down to make room for the construction of the Guanxian People's Hospital. Today, a plaque reading "Ancient Mosque" (Qingzhen Gusi) from the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign hangs above the second gate of the Dujiangyan Mosque. This is the original plaque that once hung on the main gate of the West Mosque.



Baoping Mosque is also called Maogong Mosque. It was built in 1925 by Hui Muslims from Maogong, which is modern-day Xiaojin County in Sichuan. As early as the beginning of the Tongzhi reign, some Hui Muslims from Maogong had already moved to live in Guanxian. After the Sichuan Railway Protection Movement began in 1911, Hui Muslims from Maogong took an active part. They faced persecution from local feudal forces, causing many to flee, with most settling in Guanxian. In 1925, the Hui Muslims from Maogong who had moved to Guanxian pooled their money to build Baoping Mosque just 50 meters from the Baopingkou intake of the Dujiangyan irrigation system.

Maogong Mosque consists of two courtyards. The outer courtyard was a guesthouse for travelers, and the inner courtyard is the mosque. The main prayer hall has a distinct Republican-era style, blending Chinese and Western architecture. After Imam Ma Zifeng left in 1951, Baoping Mosque did not hire another imam. Since then, 45 Hui Muslim families have lived inside the mosque. In 1981, the property rights were acquired by the Xiaojin County Mosque. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Baoping Mosque was severely damaged. The Xiaojin Mosque could not afford the repairs, so they sold the property rights to the Dujiangyan municipal government. Later, Dujiangyan city renovated Baoping Mosque. The outer courtyard is rented out to a Han Chinese restaurant, but no businesses have moved into the inner courtyard.

Youxi Town is located on a key spot of the Songmao Ancient Road. Many merchants passed through, and some Hui Muslims lived there, so Youxi Mosque was built during the Kangxi reign. In the early years of the Republic of China, devoted community members Wang Yuzhi, Wang Chunyan, and Elder Ma proposed rebuilding Youxi Mosque. The construction was led by Imam Li Tianbo, who was from Changsha, Hunan. With funds raised by Hui Muslim businesses and individuals, the reconstruction was finally completed in 1917. Around 1930, Youxi Mosque had 12 member families (gaomu), including the famous martial artist Ma Guozhu.

In 1950, a fire broke out across Youxi Town and destroyed the Youxi Mosque. After the communal dining halls were introduced in 1958, Hui Muslims in Youxi Town began moving away because daily life became inconvenient. In 1967, the coffin covers (guanzhao) and scripture boxes (tabuxia) stored at the original site of the Youxi Mosque were destroyed. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the Hui Muslim cemetery on the mountain opposite the Youxi Mosque, which dated back to the Kangxi era, was completely destroyed.













Inside the Dujiangyan Mosque stands a memorial archway (paifang) built in 2018 called the Fali Archway. Its four stone pillars came from the original site of the Chengdu Seven Mosque on Donghuamen South Street in Chengdu. The Chengdu Seven Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign and rebuilt in the 5th year of the Tongzhi reign. It was occupied by a wool factory in 1956 and demolished after being requisitioned by the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Materials in 1984. After the Seven Mosque was torn down, the stone pillars were abandoned at Fenghuang Mountain. In 2017, during wall repairs at the Fenghuang Mountain Hui Muslim cemetery, the pillars were dragged to a vacant lot at the Fenghuang Mountain Air Force training base. In 2018, the Dujiangyan Mosque brought them back to build the archway.

There were originally three pairs, or six pillars in total. The Dujiangyan Mosque holds four of them, which are:

To nurture your character and serve Allah, the work of the wise must start with everyday human relationships.

To learn from the basics and reach the heights of understanding the true meaning of morality, you must find it in your daily life.

This is a place of spiritual truth and law, not just a spot for ordinary kneeling and prayer (missing second line).

The path cannot be left for even a moment; whether serving or reflecting, everything happens in the realm where Allah is present (missing second line).

























There are many halal restaurants around Dujiangyan Mosque where you can eat authentic traditional Western Sichuan Hui Muslim food. Huixiangyuan, right next to Dujiangyan Mosque, is a long-established restaurant that displays a very traditional water pitcher (tangping) sign.

The current imam (gaomu) of Dujiangyan Mosque is surnamed Hai. His ancestors were from Shunyi, Beijing, and moved from Shaoyang, Hunan, to Sichuan during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. Later, more of the Hai family moved here during the Qing Dynasty migration period known as Huguang Tian Sichuan.

The Zhang family from Hebei originally came from Zhangjiawan Town in Tongzhou, Beijing. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, three Zhang brothers moved to Pixian and led the construction of the Pixian Zhang Family Mosque, then moved to Dujiangyan during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty.

The Ma family of Maogong originally came from Tianbei Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Xiaojin County, Sichuan, during the Qianlong reign. In 1912, they moved to Eshi Lane in the Huangchengba area of Chengdu because of the Railway Protection Movement. Their house was destroyed during the warlord conflicts in 1917, and they later moved to Dujiangyan.

The Li family of Wenchuan originally came from Xiaoyi Town in Weinan, Shaanxi. They later moved to Weizhou in Wenchuan before settling in Dujiangyan.

The Qi family of Shaanxi originally came from Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Songpan, Sichuan, during the Daoguang reign and then to Dujiangyan between the end of the Qing Dynasty and the start of the Republic of China. They were known as Sauce Garden Qi because they ran a soy sauce factory.

The Li family moved here from Tangyuan Town in Pixian County during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Another branch moved here from Tuanjie Town in Pixian County in 1945.

The Ma family of Shaanxi originally came from Qiaotian Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Dujiangyan in 1808 to escape the White Lotus and Tianli sects. They ran the Daxing mule and horse inn from 1826 until 1949.

The Jiang family of Shandong originally came from Shandong. They later moved to Yanting, Sichuan, and then to Dujiangyan in the early years of the Republic of China.

The Cai family of Taiyuan moved to the Dajin and Xiaojin areas of Sichuan during the Qianlong reign. They moved to Dujiangyan in 1912.



















I had some iced tofu pudding (bing douhua) at a snack shop in Dujiangyan. It was soft and very refreshing. His walls are covered with photos of the Dujiangyan mosque, including one of Imam Sha Fuquan when he was young.













Dujiangyan scenery











The information about the Dujiangyan faith community comes from the mosque's history book. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Lishui, Zhejiang - Mosque Visit and Hui Muslim History is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Lishui, Zhejiang, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

On the afternoon of May 2, I took the high-speed train from Yiwu to Lishui to visit the Lishui Mosque. When we arrived, the person on duty was away for the May Day holiday, and the imam was eating at a nearby noodle shop. We called the shop, and a fellow believer (dosti) from there brought us the key to the mosque. The dosti from the noodle shop is from Zhangjiachuan in Tianshui, Gansu. He told us that the local Hui Muslims in Lishui no longer practice the faith, and the Lishui Mosque is now mainly maintained by over 200 dosti from Northwest China who run noodle shops.

After the mid-Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from places like Shaanxi and Sichuan came to Lishui to do business. In 1886 (the 12th year of the Guangxu reign), the religious leader Ma Huanzhang built a mosque in Gaojing Lane within Lishui city. The Lishui Mosque has two courtyards, featuring two gate towers, a front hall, connecting corridors, and a main prayer hall, all in a style very typical of Lishui. The gate towers are the most unique part and have been named a Lishui City Cultural Relic Protection Unit.

Both gate towers at the Lishui Mosque are brick archways. They are inscribed with the words 'Libaisi' (Mosque) and 'Qingzhensi' (Mosque). They feature traditional roof tiles, upturned eaves, bracket sets on the pillars, and carvings of Arabic script, fish patterns, and peonies.



















After passing through the second gate, you find the front hall and main hall connected by corridors, a design well-suited for the rainy weather in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. The mosque in Wuhu, Anhui, also has this covered corridor structure, though it is smaller than the one at Lishui Mosque. The joints between the beams and pillars feature beautifully carved brackets (que-ti), which show a distinct local style.



















The moon-shaped beams (yue-liang) on the porch in front of the main hall are carved with various traditional patterns that are very unique.









On both sides of the main hall entrance is a couplet commissioned by the imam Ma Huanzhang in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign: 'Sincere and respectful, the Way is rooted in the One that encompasses all things; silent and scentless, the ritual originates from the two energies that connect the three realms.'



Above the couplet are two plaques about Hui Muslims, also commissioned by Ma Huanzhang in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, featuring the Imperial Edict of the Yongzheng Emperor.







The first one reads:

On the seventh day of the fourth lunar month in the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign, the following Imperial Edict was received:

Hui Muslims live in all parts of Zhili, and they have resided there for a long time. Since these people are registered citizens of the state, they are all children of the state and should not be treated differently. People have often sent secret memorials claiming that Hui Muslims have their own religion, different language, and different clothing, and that they act illegally, asking for them to be strictly punished. I believe that the religion of the Hui Muslims was left behind by their ancestors. Their family customs and local habits are also those of the people of China. When people come from different places, their tastes and dialects naturally differ. That is why Hui Muslims have the name of mosque (libaisi), and differences in clothing and writing. As long as they follow local customs and live in peace, they are not like those who commit crimes or deceive the public, so there is no need to criticize the Hui Muslims for having their religion.

Since their religion generally does not go beyond the principles of human relations and righteousness, Hui Muslims should work hard to be good and encourage each other to be honest and kind. The imperial court treats everyone equally, and many Hui Muslims have earned civil or military degrees and served as government officials. As they gradually learn the rules of etiquette and study the classics, Hui Muslims are no different from the rest of the people. Cultivating one's character, doing good deeds, following the law, and serving the public to be a good citizen is the true heart of the Hui Muslims.

People vary in wisdom, and while there are certainly some unruly or dishonest individuals among Hui Muslims, can we say there are none among the Han people? The key is for local officials not to treat Hui Muslims as outsiders, and for Hui Muslims not to see themselves as different. If those who practice Islam are treated as followers of a good faith, then rewards for good and punishments for evil will be effective, and the customs of the people will naturally improve. I believe in the unity of all things and cannot bear to see Hui Muslims treated as separate from the rest of the people, so I offer this detailed guidance. You Hui Muslims must follow the path of righteousness and promote a culture of humility, kindness, filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and honesty. What other religions enjoy and allow is also what the Hui Muslims admire.

From now on, I hope you Hui Muslim fathers will warn your sons, brothers will encourage their brothers, and relatives and clans will advise each other to focus on their work, follow the law, and discipline themselves. Do good to repay the grace of heaven and earth and the care of the state. Governors and officials in every province where Hui Muslims live must announce my will so that everyone hears this special decree.

The second part is:

On the tenth day of the fifth lunar month in the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, I received an imperial decree.

The acting Anhui judicial commissioner Lu Guohua reported that Hui Muslims live everywhere in the interior. They do not distinguish between large and small months, nor do they care about leap months, but decide on a day to start their year and celebrate together. They also pray toward the west every morning and evening, wear white caps, and set up places called mosques. Since they are people of this sacred era, they should follow the unified calendar. How can they privately set their own new year, wear white caps, and engage in such non-compliant and strange clothing? I request that you ban and reform their practices of arranging marriages and gathering crowds.

Hui Muslims have lived in China for a long time. Since I took the throne, I have treated everyone equally, and I cannot bear to see the Islamic faith left out of my moral guidance. I have issued decrees to encourage them to be filial, loyal, and to follow their faith and seek righteousness, so that everyone can be a good person. In recent years, I have not seen any Hui Muslims commit crimes or act lawlessly. Many of them are ambitious. They take exams and serve as officials just like other scholars and commoners. There is never a shortage of those who earn fame in civil or military service, reach high positions, and serve the country with loyalty. People like Ma Jinliang, Ma Xiong, and recently Ha Yuansheng are just a few examples. They all have famous names and clear records of service.

As for Hui Muslims practicing their own faith, it is a tradition passed down from their ancestors, just like other local customs. China is vast, and customs vary from place to place. Past dynasties never enforced a total ban or forced everyone to be the same. Lu Guohua's proposal is harsh and absurd. Hui Muslims have always followed the calendar and the dress code. As for the names of mosques, they are just like the temples and shrines people worship in villages across every province. Why should we single out Hui Muslims and treat these names as crimes? Many people have reported Hui Muslims to me in the past, and I have already issued an imperial decree to instruct and guide them. Now Lu Guohua has made a reckless report over such a trivial matter. He is either acting out of personal spite or trying to disrupt the government. I hereby order the ministry to strictly punish Lu Guohua.



Inside the main hall, there is a wooden plaque listing donors for the 1911 renovation. It starts with Mu Tongchun from the Jinhua Garrison, and Lu Guirong and Imam (ahong) Yang Mingyou from the Chuzhen Central Battalion. The first half lists local Hui Muslims with the surnames Li, Yuan, Ma, He, Jin, Xia, Xu, Qin, Wu, and Hu, with the Ma and Yuan families being the most numerous. The second half lists Hui Muslims from other places, mostly from Nanjing, along with others from Hubei and Yangzhou. There is also a Liu Shengrong from Annam, though I am not sure if that refers to Vietnam.





The main hall is decorated with plenty of Arabic calligraphy. The most impressive pieces are inside the prayer niche (mihrab), which are fine examples of traditional late Qing dynasty Arabic calligraphy.















After leaving Lishui Mosque, I walked around the old town of Lishui. Lishui was once called Chuzhou. The existing city wall dates back to the Zhizheng period of the Yuan Dynasty, and it was changed from brick to stone during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. The Nanming Gate was built along the Ou River, offering a beautiful setting that perfectly captures the style of an ancient southern city.









There is a fitness trail along the north bank of the Ou River in Lishui, which is perfect for a walk.







Also, the area in front of Nice Square in Lishui is a street known for local citrus. You should buy and try the Ou mandarin oranges (ougan), a specialty from the lower reaches of the Ou River.





After exploring the ancient city of Lishui, we went to a Xinjiang restaurant called Alina Zha Lamb Pilaf Restaurant. The owner is from Yili. She met her husband while attending university in Sydney, and later they opened a Xinjiang restaurant in her husband's hometown of Lishui, Zhejiang.

We ordered lamb leg pilaf (zhuafan), rack meat (jiazirou), and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The food was amazing! The lamb leg was fragrant and tender. The pilaf was made with authentic Xinjiang yellow carrots, and every grain of rice was distinct and shiny with oil. The rack meat was made with lamb, and it arrived quickly and was roasted very tenderly. The spicy onion salad (pilahong) uses Xinjiang onions (piyanzi), which are so sweet they taste like fruit. I have almost never found these in other parts of China. I can honestly say this place is more authentic than most Uyghur restaurants in Beijing.

The owner's father runs the front desk, and he is very talkative. He explained that their rice pilaf (zhuafan) chef is from Kashgar, so they make the dish using the traditional yellow carrot style from southern Xinjiang. The barbecue chef is from Turpan, and they even shipped the soil from Turpan to build their clay oven (nangkeng). He even showed us the yellow carrots and onions they ship in from Xinjiang. We could actually tell they were from Xinjiang the moment we tasted them. They also bring their tea set (sanpaotai) from Xinjiang. To see if a Xinjiang restaurant is authentic, besides chatting with the owner when you walk in, you should look at the tea they serve after you sit down. The taste of the tea is an essential part of a Xinjiang meal. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Ipoh, Malaysia - Indian and Malay Mosques is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Ipoh, Malaysia, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ipoh is north of Kuala Lumpur and serves as the capital of Perak state, a city famous for its history and culture. Ipoh is known as the Tin Capital. After 1880, the Kinta Valley where Ipoh sits attracted many workers to mine its rich tin deposits, and Ipoh quickly grew into a mining town.

In the late 19th century, many South Indian Tamils came to Ipoh to make a living. The wealthy businessman Shaik Adam Mohammad Ghaus was the most influential among them, and he started Ipoh's first ice factory and soda factory. Under his leadership, his Indian laborers built the Ipoh Indian Mosque between 1905 and 1908.

The main hall of the Ipoh Indian Mosque was modeled after the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas) at the Red Fort in Delhi, featuring the same rectangular layout and scalloped arches. The defensive-style railings on the roof of the main hall were also influenced by Mughal architecture.













Besides South Indian Tamils, some North Indian Pathans (Pashtun descent) and Punjabis also came to Ipoh under British Malaya rule to work as police. They were responsible for keeping order during peacetime, and they fought bravely against the invaders during the Japanese occupation in 1941. In 1930, the British gave them a piece of land to build a mosque, which became their main gathering place on their day off. Today, this mosque is still used by Punjabi Pakistani Muslims and is known as the Pakistan Mosque.

The Ipoh Pakistan Mosque is mostly pink, which makes it look very cute. The imam was very kind and showed us where we could get water.









Right next to the Pakistan Mosque is Ipoh's Little India. Maybe it was because we went in the morning, but Ipoh's Little India didn't feel as busy as the one in Klang, though it still had all the flower shops, food stalls, and clothing stores.











In the old town of Ipoh, we ate at a place with over 50 years of history called Gerai Makanan dan Minuman Rahamath. It is known as the best Tamil mamak stall for rice with curry (nasi kandar) in Ipoh, famous for its spicy tomato chicken, spiced fried chicken, and lamb curry, which is thick and fragrant.

Rice with curry (nasi kandar) is a dish invented by Tamil Muslims in Malaysia. It is simply rice served with various beef, lamb, chicken, fish, or shrimp curries and side dishes. When Tamils first arrived on the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century, most carried food on shoulder poles to sell along the streets, which is why their food became known as shoulder-pole rice (nasi kandar). By the 20th century, Tamil Muslims opened various restaurants and stalls, but the name shoulder-pole rice (nasi kandar) is still used today.











We also had durian shaved ice (cendol) at Concubine Lane in Ipoh's old town, and they gave us a huge piece of durian; eating durian in Malaysia is really a great deal.









Panglima Kinta Mosque is located by the Kinta River in Ipoh. It was built in 1898 by the Malay chief who ruled Ipoh at the time, Panglima Kinta Muhamad Yusuff, to honor his wife. After it was finished, it became the center of the faith for the Malay people in Ipoh.

Panglima Kinta was one of the eight chiefs of Perak and the lord of the Kinta region. Under his rule, large numbers of laborers came to the Kinta Valley where Ipoh is located to mine tin, and Ipoh quickly grew from an unknown Malay village (kampung) into a city of shophouses. By the time Panglima Kinta passed away in 1903, he was likely one of the wealthiest lords on the Malay Peninsula.

Panglima Kinta Mosque blends Indian-based Mughal style with Roman-Greek neoclassical style. The main hall has a semi-circular Mughal dome on top, while the octagonal minarets on both sides were influenced by Chinese brick towers. The minbar pulpit inside the main hall was built by a master Malay craftsman from Penang named Tuan Haji Mohamed Sopian, and its design is exquisite.





















There are several other buildings surrounding the main hall of the Panglima Kinta Mosque. To the southeast of the main hall is the Balai Lintang, which was used for gatherings during Ramadan. It is now open as an exhibition hall, showcasing the history of the faith in Ipoh and the Kinta region, as well as the life of the Panglima Kinta lord.

The exhibition hall houses a traditional drum (beduk) found in Malay mosques. This single-sided drum is made by hollowing out jackfruit wood and covering one side with cowhide. Slow beats on the beduk drum signal the start of the call to prayer (bang), while rapid beats indicate that someone has passed away.



The exhibition hall also displays the traditional ceremonial headgear (tengkolok) of Perak state. The Sultan of Perak and the eight major chiefs wear the tengkolok when attending various ceremonies.





Further east stands a religious school built in the style of a traditional Malay wooden house. People say Shaik Tholji, a teacher from Egypt, once taught here and made a great contribution to the development of the local faith.





The mosque grounds also contain the graves of the Panglima Kinta lords from past generations.



I found a rattan and bamboo shop on the streets of Ipoh. These beaters used for cleaning blankets and quilts are quite interesting. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: 2023 Mankai Journey - Mosques, Food and Muslim Communities is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Mankai Journey, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

In August 2023, Saudi Arabian Airlines launched direct flights from Beijing to Jeddah. Their website offers a four-day stopover option that includes a transit visa and one night at a hotel. I immediately canceled my planned trip to Malaysia and changed my plans to a Hejaz trip for the end of October.

I took off from Beijing Daxing Airport at midnight for an 11-hour flight to Jeddah. This was the longest flight I have ever taken. Most people on the plane were transferring to Europe, with only a few traveling for Umrah. About 30 minutes before reaching the Miqat, there is an announcement on the plane reminding everyone to change into their ihram. I changed into my ihram and performed wudu in the restroom at the back of the plane. When I opened the door, there was a space for namaz with a curtain I could pull shut. This was my first time performing namaz on a plane.

The plane arrived at Jeddah Airport at 7:00 a.m. The exit was full of drivers trying to get passengers for Makkah, but we needed to drop our bags at the hotel provided by Saudi Arabian Airlines, so we took an Uber to the hotel first. My Uber was linked directly to my credit card, so I did not need to pay with cash. I want to remind my fellow Muslim friends (dostani) that the Uber pickup point is not in the parking lot directly in front of the exit. You need to go down to the first floor, head out, and turn left to find the designated Uber area.

The hotel check-in was supposed to be in the afternoon, but they let us check in as soon as we arrived in the morning. After getting settled, we grabbed our small shoe bag, travel prayer rug, prayer booklet, and prayer counter, then caught an Uber right outside the hotel to head to the Kaaba. There is actually a high-speed train between Jeddah and Makkah, but since there were three of us, we would have had to pay for taxis to and from the train station, so it was easier to just take a taxi the whole way. A quick tip for my fellow brothers and sisters (dostani): you cannot take an Uber around the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram). If you take a taxi, always agree on the price first and clarify if the rate is per person or the total price to avoid any arguments when you arrive.

We set our destination to the Clock Tower. After an hour-long drive, the driver dropped us off at the underground passage of the Clock Tower. We took the escalator up and came out right at the King Fahd Gate of the Sacred Mosque, which is Gate 79. The Sacred Mosque has many gates. Some only lead to prayer areas, while others only lead to the upper floors. If you are performing Umrah, the King Fahd Gate (Gate 79) is the best one to use.

Right outside the King Fahd Gate, there are separate washrooms for men and women. Since we had already performed wudu at the hotel, we went straight inside, walked through a prayer area, and headed directly to the courtyard where the Kaaba is located. You do not need to book Umrah on the Nusuk app, but men must be wearing their ihram (pilgrim garments) to enter the Kaaba courtyard through the King Fahd Gate. Those not wearing ihram must enter the Sacred Mosque through other gates.

Once you enter the courtyard, your first step is to find the Black Stone. Even though it is less crowded in the morning than at night because of the hot sun, it is still hard to get close to the Kaaba. The easiest way to find the Black Stone is to look for the Golden Door on the Kaaba; the Black Stone is at the bottom left corner of that door. Start at the Black Stone, uncover your right shoulder, and circle the Kaaba seven times. The crowd is thickest near the Station of Ibrahim, so dear friends (dostani), please stay safe. After you finish the circuits, cover your right shoulder again. There is a fenced-off area outside the Station of Ibrahim where you can pray two rak'ahs of namaz.



















After finishing the circuits of the Kaaba, look for the signs for Masaa (the ritual running) and head east to the place where you walk between the two hills. The nearest entrance was under construction and closed, so we walked further south until we found the path to the area for the walk between the two hills. The entrances to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) often open and close based on how many people are there, so you may have to walk around if it gets too crowded.

Once you enter the area for the running, go to Mount Safa at the far south end to officially start your seven trips. The men start running when they see the green light strip on the ceiling, then go back to walking normally once the light strip ends. Since the walk takes a long time, you might lose track of how many laps you have done, so I recommend that fellow believers (dostani) bring a counter. We happened to catch the prayer time (peshin) while walking, and it was powerful to see everyone in the hallway doing namaz together before continuing the walk.













After finishing the walk, you need to shave your head to end the state of ihram. The barbers are in the underground passage on the west side of the Clock Tower, and you can choose between using clippers or a clean shave.







You do not need to buy water in advance for Umrah because Zamzam water is everywhere inside the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) for you to drink. They have both room temperature and ice water, and they even thoughtfully posted the etiquette for drinking Zamzam water in several languages, including Chinese.







After finishing the Umrah rituals, we had lunch in the Clock Tower across from the Sacred Mosque. There are two food courts inside the Clock Tower. We went to the one on the 4th floor of the west building first, which is a bit smaller than the one in the center of the Clock Tower. The food court mainly serves popular Middle Eastern fast food. There are not many tables and chairs, so most people buy their food to go. We ate lamb rice (mandi) and grilled fish. Both tasted good, but the portions were huge! One order was enough for the three of us. Mandi rice comes from Yemen and is the most popular staple food across the Arabian Peninsula. Mandi is mainly seasoned with a spice blend called Hawaij, which is made from cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and other spices.

This place is the former home of the first Rashidun Caliph, Abu Bakr, and the starting point of the Prophet's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina. In 622 AD, when the Prophet decided to migrate following Allah's command, he arrived at Abu Bakr's house at noon to tell him he would be joining the journey. Abu Bakr shed tears of joy and wanted to give the Prophet a camel. The Prophet insisted on paying for it, so Abu Bakr had to accept the money. That evening, the Prophet Muhammad came to Abu Bakr's house again. He led Abu Bakr to leave Makkah in a hurry and start their migration journey.















We entered the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) around 5:00 PM. Because the temperature had dropped, there were many more people than in the morning. The entrances to the central courtyard of the Kaaba were already closed, so we had to walk a long way around the outer corridor to circle it. We performed the sunset prayer (Maghrib) on the upper floor of the corridor. The side of the corridor near the courtyard was blocked off, making it hard to see the Kaaba directly.



















After Maghrib, it took us a long time to find an exit from the mosque. We went back to our hotel in the Clock Tower to rest for a bit, then went to the prayer hall on the P9 floor of the Clock Tower to perform the night prayer (Isha). We followed the congregation (jama'ah) from the Sacred Mosque here, and the reward for performing the prayer (namaz) is the same as doing it inside the mosque. From the windows of the prayer hall, you can see the Sacred Mosque packed with people at night.

The Saudi authorities built the Clock Tower itself in 2002 after they demolished the Ajyad Fortress, which was built by the Ottoman Empire in 1780, and leveled the Bulbul mountain where the fortress stood. The demolition of the Ajyad Fortress caused a huge protest. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism compared this act to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. King Fahd of Saudi Arabia ordered the castle to be torn down and promised to rebuild it, but more than 20 years have passed and there is still no news.



















After passing Hufu Beach, we had dinner at the food court on the fourth floor of the Clock Tower building. It mainly serves Arab fast food like shawarma (kaoroujuan) and rice dishes (menfan), as well as South Asian curry and various fried chicken and burger spots. There are international chains like Burger King and McDonald's, along with some local brands. We drank a mango milkshake and ate a beef burger. The milkshake was quite sweet, which is very typical of South Asian style, and the burger felt a bit inferior compared to Burger King.



















The supermarket inside the Clock Tower building is where pilgrims (Hajis) do their daily shopping. You can buy traditional Arab yogurt drink (Leben) inside, which is a beverage made by fermenting milk for a whole day and then stirring it to remove the butter. You can also buy freshly squeezed guava juice.



















At dawn, the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) was brightly lit and packed with people; it was impossible to squeeze into the core area. We followed the crowd and were directed to the rooftop. The spots with prayer rugs were already full, so we sat right on the marble floor. I reminded my fellow believers (dostani) that it is best to bring a travel prayer rug when visiting the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram).

I truly felt the power of faith (imani) here, where believers (dostani) from all over the world gather because of their faith (imani). I used to always make the intention (niyyah) to face the Kaaba, but this time I was finally there in person facing it. The emotion is hard to put into words.



















After the dawn prayer (fajr), we went back to the hotel for breakfast. We stayed at the Movenpick Hotel in the Clock Tower, where many Hajj groups stay. Although it is very close to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), the elevators are a hassle because you have to switch them halfway. Also, the hotel entrance is a no-go zone for UBER, so you have to hail a taxi yourself.

The hotel breakfast is quite rich, with highlights like the Egyptian fava bean stew (ful medames) and deep-fried chickpea balls (falafel). Ful medames is a fava bean stew that dates back to ancient Egypt. It is seasoned with olive oil and cumin, and you can add your own toppings like parsley, garlic, onion, lemon juice, and chili. Egyptian falafel is made from fried fava beans, while in the Levant region, it is mostly made from chickpeas. Sometimes the inside of a falafel is green because parsley and green onions were added during the grinding process.



















After breakfast, we took a taxi to climb the Mountain of Light (Jabal al-Nour). Before receiving revelation, the Prophet would retreat to the Cave of Hira on the Mountain of Light for one month of meditation every year. In 610 AD, the Archangel Jibril appeared in the Cave of Hira and revealed the first five verses of the Chapter of the Clot to the 40-year-old Prophet, marking the beginning of his mission.

The trail up the Mountain of Light is quite steep. We started climbing at 7:43 AM and reached the summit at 8:31 AM. Although the morning sun was softer than in the afternoon, I was still sweating heavily and drank several bottles of water. Because there were too many people inside the Cave of Hira, we performed our two-rak'ah namaz on the platform at the summit for safety.



















There are several lemonade stalls along the mountain road of Mount Guangming where you can take a break. Drinking lemonade with masala spices added is a great way to rehydrate.







At noon, I prepared to leave by high-speed rail for Medina. I bought an appetizer platter and grilled meat with rice (pilaf) at the Clock Tower to pack and eat on the train. The high-speed rail connecting Makkah, Jeddah, and Medina opened in 2018. It takes about two hours to get from Makkah to Medina, which is currently the most convenient way to travel between the two holy cities. The boarding gate closes 10 minutes early. There were not many people on the high-speed train, and the air conditioning was very strong. I felt a bit uncomfortable after a while and had to stand in the area between the carriages for a bit to feel better. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Johor Bahru - Sultanate History, Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Johor Bahru, Muslim Heritage, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

In 1511, the Malacca Sultanate was invaded by the Portuguese. After the last Sultan of Malacca, Mahmud Shah, died in 1528, his son Alauddin Riayat Shah II became the Sultan in Johor, and he was known as the Sultan of Johor from then on. The history of the Johor Sultanate includes three dynasties: the Old Johor Dynasty, the Johor Bendahara Dynasty, and the Johor Temenggong Dynasty. Temenggong is an ancient Malay and Javanese noble title. Monarchs could appoint people with this title to rule border regions as regents or governors. In 1855, Sultan Ali of Johor signed a treaty with the British in Singapore. He agreed to hand over most of his power to Temenggong Ibrahim of Johor, who officially took the throne as the Sultan of Johor in 1858.

As early as 1844, Temenggong Ibrahim encouraged Chinese and Javanese people to move to the Malay fishing village of Tanjung Puteri in southern Johor to open ports and clear land. The Chinese grew sugarcane and pepper here, while the Javanese dug canals, built roads, and planted coconuts. In 1866, this place was officially named Johor Bahru, which is known as Xinshan in Chinese. In 1889, Sultan Abu Bakar succeeded to the throne and officially moved the royal capital to Johor Bahru.



Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque (Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar) was ordered to be built by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1892 and was officially completed in 1900. It is a very unique Victorian-style mosque in Malaysia. The mosque sits on a hilltop beside Skudai Road in Johor Bahru, overlooking the Straits of Johor and facing Singapore across the sea.

Victorian style is a revivalist architectural style that formed during the reign of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (reigned 1837-1901). Due to the pro-British sentiment of the Johor Sultanate at the time, many official buildings were constructed in the British style, and Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is a prime example. The minaret of Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque was modeled after 19th-century British clock towers while incorporating some Moorish architectural elements. Looking up at the minaret, it appears very magnificent.













We performed namaz inside the mosque. The main prayer hall is dominated by yellow tones, with the golden roof and pale yellow walls complementing each other to look very elegant. In the center of the main hall stands a minbar with a metallic, mechanical look, giving it a strong Victorian-era steampunk feel.









The Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum (Makam Diraja Mahmoodiah) is the royal burial ground for the Sultans of Johor. It was built in 1895 for the burial of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor. Since then, it has served as the final resting place for all subsequent Sultans of Johor and many members of the royal family. Johor's Chief Ministers and many other important figures are also buried here. Like the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque built during the same period, the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum uses Victorian architectural style while incorporating some Moorish architectural elements.

Sultan Abu Bakar was the first Sultan of modern Johor. Because he pushed hard for modernization, Johor became the fastest-progressing state at the time, earning him the title 'Father of Modern Johor'. Sultan Abu Bakar is most famous for the 'Kangchu system'. This policy encouraged large numbers of Chinese people to immigrate to Johor Bahru, which brought great wealth to Johor. At the same time, under the rule of Sultan Abu Bakar, his friendship with Queen Victoria allowed the Sultanate of Johor to maintain its independence. The Johor state flag could fly on a flagpole at the same height as the British Union Jack. The Johor State Constitution of 1895 was the first constitution in the Malay Peninsula, and it is still used by the state of Johor today.







On the east side of the cemetery stands the Kampung Mahmoodiah Mosque (Masjid Kampung Mahmoodiah), which shares the same style as the mausoleum. This mosque was first built in 1926 as a small mosque, and it was only upgraded to a Jumu'ah mosque in 2023.







In the afternoon, we performed the Asr namaz at the Pasir Pelangi Royal Mosque (Masjid Diraja Pasir Pelangi). The Pasir Pelangi Royal Mosque was built in 1911 next to the Johor Sultan's Pasir Pelangi Palace. The mosque features a neoclassical style that shows a clear British influence.

















We visited an exhibition at the Johor Art Gallery. It features many works by Johor artists, including landscapes of buildings, local customs, and pieces that combine calligraphy with fine art.



















A staff member at the Johor Art Gallery guided us through a hands-on experience with traditional tie-dye. The gallery also displays various colorful paintings by local artists. The traditional Malay snack stall at the entrance of the art gallery is also very famous. We were short on time and didn't get to eat there, which was a shame.



















The courtyard of the Johor Art Gallery has restored several traditional Johor Malay buildings. A staff member explained Johor Malay culture to us, and we had a lot of fun trying on traditional Johor Malay clothing for free photos.



















Besides Malay and Chinese people, there are also many Indian people in Johor Bahru. On Jalan Dhoby in the old town of Johor Bahru, there is a traditional bakery called Salahuddin Bakery that has been open for over 80 years. The founder came to Malaysia from New Delhi in 1925 and opened the current bakery in 1937. It has now been passed down through four generations. His shop still uses a traditional wood-fired oven to bake bread, creating a taste of childhood for generations of people in Johor Bahru.











Their most famous specialty is the curry puff (karipap). The word 'Kari' in this name means 'sauce' in the South Asian Tamil language, while 'pap' comes from the Hokkien word for 'puff'. Curry puffs made by Malaysian Indians have flaky, layered pastry. The fillings are very spicy and include vegetarian options like potato and onion curry, as well as chicken or mutton meat fillings.







In the evening, we performed the evening prayer (namaz) at the Indian mosque in the old town of Johor Bahru. The Indian mosque in Johor Bahru was built in the 1950s. It started as a small prayer hall (surau) for an initial community of 300 people. As the Indian community grew, the mosque was rebuilt and finally became a Friday mosque (Masjid) in 1994. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Day 15, Ramadan is halfway through! We broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again; it was very sour and refreshing! Many elders (xianglao) went back for a second bowl. The fast-breaking meal (zhaifan) included stir-fried tripe with cilantro (yanbao dusi), yam with meatballs, and braised eggplant. I met more friends (dosti) at Balizhuang today; everyone is welcome to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.











Day 16, Elder Li at Balizhuang Mosque made yellow rice cake (huangmi qiegao) and Elder Fu made fried vegetable meatballs; both were delicious. Every elder at Balizhuang Mosque has a special hidden talent. For the fast-breaking meal, we had noodles with shredded chicken sauce and noodles with diced eggplant sauce, featuring both wheat noodles and oat noodles (youmian) from Zhangjiakou. The noodle toppings included blanched cabbage, blanched cowpeas, blanched bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and shredded radish, making for a very rich texture.

















Day 17, Balizhuang Mosque continued to break the fast with fermented mung bean milk. The meal included large steamed buns (baozi) with cowpea and fennel fillings, which were impossible to stop eating when paired with rice porridge.

















I received camel milk soap given as charity (chusan) by an elder at Balizhuang Mosque; may it bring reward (thawab).



In the evening, I met up with friends (dosti) to pray Tarawih at the Sudanese Embassy. The Sudanese Embassy is right next to Tuanjiehu subway station. We arrived at 7:50 and were able to enter after showing our ID cards at the intersection. The call to prayer (adhan) was at 8:05, and the prayer started at 8:30. There were friends (dosti) from all over the world in the hall, with people of all skin colors standing in rows; it really felt like being abroad. The imam for Tarawih was a young hafiz from Libya whose recitation was melodic, pleasant, and very moving. We prayed eight units (rak'ah) of Tarawih, with a greeting (salam) every four units. The final Witr prayer consisted of two units with a salam, followed by one single unit. This is quite different from the traditional prayer methods of the Gedimu Hui Muslims.

















My Ramadan collection includes a teacup fired in Jingdezhen in the 1980s, featuring a traditional calligraphy style common in southern China. The lid is inscribed with gratitude, blessings, mercy, and worship, while the cup body reads, 'Mercy draws near to those who do good' and 'The stingy cannot enter paradise, even if they are people who worship Allah.'









On the 18th day, a friend (dosti) from Hunan invited us to break our fast at Nanxiapo Mosque, where we had a very delicious meal of stewed meat with rice. I met many new friends during this time; Ramadan is truly a great opportunity for everyone to gather together.















On the 19th day, I went to the Carthage Arabic Restaurant on Dongzhimen Outer Street for the iftar buffet. It is a new spot opened by Adel, the head chef of La Medina, in the breakfast area on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun Taikoo Li, still focusing on Tunisian flavors. Since it has not been open long, it is mostly frequented by foreign friends (dosti) from the nearby embassy district, so there is no need to wait in line.

Because Adel is in charge, the dishes are similar to those at La Medina, though the variety is slightly smaller. Appetizers include chickpea dip (hummus), parsley salad (tabbouleh), and the Tunisian-style roasted eggplant salad (mechouia). Besides roasted eggplant, the roasted eggplant salad (mechouia) contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and olive oil, making it very healthy.

The main course features North African sausage (merguez), made from lamb and beef mixed with cumin, harissa, chili, and various other spices. It appeared as early as the 12th century in Andalusia and later spread throughout North Africa.

They also serve the classic North African Maghreb tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka). The tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka) originated in North Africa under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, when tomatoes and chili peppers were introduced to North Africa from the Americas and then became part of the local diet.

They also have the Arabic version of fried triangular pastries (sambousek), which is a classic Ramadan snack for Arabs. The fried triangular pastry (sambousek) originated in Iran and entered the Arab diet after the 10th century, later spreading to India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. In some parts of eastern China, Hui Muslims still use its Persian name, 'sanmosan'.



















On the 20th day, two-thirds of Ramadan has passed. At Balizhuang Mosque, they freshly made sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and fried crispy dough (zhagezhi). I continued to break my fast with mung bean milk (douzhi), ate stir-fried green beans with meat and braised meatballs (huisongrou) for the meal, and thirteen elders joined in the opening prayer (kaijing). Breaking the fast at the mosque brings richness to both the spirit and the body.



















Ramadan collection. I received a traditional late Qing Dynasty Tianjin-style pine wood dua plaque made by teacher Wang Qifei, which reads, 'O Allah!' Grant Your forgiveness and mercy to those who live in this house and to the believers who enter it!'





On the twenty-first day, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered to make dumplings (jiaozi) with carrot and cabbage fillings. Nothing really beats the taste of dumplings! After eating, I felt full of energy and ready for the Taraweeh prayers. view all

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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Hexiwu, Tianjin - Hometown Memories, Mosques and Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Tianjin, Hui Muslims, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

On Saturday, I went back to my hometown with my family in Hexiwu Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin. My family farmed in Hexiwu Town for generations. After 1949, my grandfather answered the call to help build Beijing. He moved to the city and became a construction worker who helped build the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China.

The house in the picture is the site of my family's old ancestral home. In the 1950s, my grandfather sold it to the supply and marketing cooperative so he could buy a house inside Fuchengmen in Beijing.



A small greenhouse at my uncle's house (my great-uncle's son).



The wheat fields in my hometown. Everything is lush and green right now.



The Grand Canal section in Hexiwu. Hexiwu is known as the First Post Station of Tianjin, as it was the first stop for the Grand Canal when entering the city.





The view of the Hui Muslims' street in Hexiwu Town. Because it was a key hub for water transport, many Hui Muslim merchants lived in Hexiwu Town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There was even a Hui Muslim camp to the southwest of the town, and many people eventually settled there.









The Hexiwu Mosque was first built in the early years of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was expanded during the Longqing reign, destroyed by a flood in the seventh year of the Kangxi reign, and rebuilt in the eighth year. It was renovated again in the third year of the Xuantong reign and in 1949. The mosque suffered severe damage between 1966 and 1976 and was destroyed after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. It was rebuilt on the original site in 1988 and completed in 1990.

















The mosque houses an important artifact: a plaque reading "Wu Tai Gui Yi" (The Truth Returns to One) dedicated by Jin Yuqi, a third-rank official in the Xuantong reign.



The Chinese-Arabic plaque and the sign about slippers in front of the main prayer hall are also quite interesting.



















After leaving the mosque, we bought some food to pack and take home for our fast.

We first went to Xinpengzhai Restaurant to buy their specialty, golden-rimmed braised pancakes (jinbian koumen), which is beef and bean sprouts braised with pancakes and topped with fried egg. The egg was very fragrant. It was my first time eating braised pancakes this way, and it tasted great.









Then we went to the First Post Station Snack Street inside the Hexiwu farmers' market. The most famous item there is the yellow rice fried cake (huangmi zhagao) from the century-old shop Wangji Lirenzhai. We arrived a bit late, and the shop closed at 1:00 PM, so we just bought all the remaining fried cakes (zhagao).

Lirenzhai is a Tianjin intangible cultural heritage site for the craft of making Hexiwu Lirenzhai fried cakes (zhagao). The Wang family's ancestral home is in Cangzhou, Hebei. In the late Qing Dynasty, they fled the war and arrived in Wuqing, first settling in Yangcun. Later, they heard that Hexiwu was densely populated and had a large community of Hui Muslims, so they moved to Hexiwu to settle down. In 1918, Wang Zhenlong inherited the family craft and officially set up a stall in Hexiwu, specializing in yellow rice fried cakes (zhagao). After 1958, the Wang family's fried cake business was merged into a cooperative store, and it was shut down after the 1960s. It was not until 1979 that the second-generation successor, Wang Jinyuan, inherited the family business and brought back the Wang family fried cakes. In 1999, the third-generation successor, Wang Xueren, took over and renamed it Lirenzhai, which is the name it uses today.











Besides yellow rice fried cakes (zhagao), the fried crispy rolls (gezhe he) in Hexiwu are also very famous. Unlike the common version, the fried crispy rolls (gezhe he) here have fillings. They come in mung bean flour and white flour varieties, giving them a richer texture than the standard ones. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Two Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Continuing from the last post, I will share more about the iftar meals at Balizhuang Mosque.

Day eight, today we are breaking our fast with Balizhuang mung bean milk (douzhi)! This must be the only place in the country that does this. The freshly boiled mung bean milk (douzhi) is thick, and it comes with fermented bean curd residue (ma doufu) made from the same base. It is completely authentic. For the iftar meal, we had shredded chicken noodle soup (dalu mian) and diced eggplant noodle soup (qie ding lu mian) with various vegetable toppings. I ate two bowls.



















Day nine, today at Balizhuang Mosque, Elder Li made fried yam and date rolls (tang juan guo) again. They have plenty of dates and are a classic staple of the Balizhuang iftar meals! There were also honey dates and walnuts pickled by the elders. The shredded potatoes, chicken drumettes, and braised eggplant served for iftar were all delicious.









Day ten, today the elders made deep-fried mung bean flour crisps (gezhi), mung bean residue with fermented bean curd (ma doufu), and tofu meatball soup. The main dish was stir-fried meat with flatbread (chao bing), and the soup was lamb offal soup (yangza tang). You cannot buy these deep-fried mung bean flour crisps (gezhi) or the tofu meatball soup anywhere else. Old Hui Muslims use these crisps when they fry meat rolls and meatballs.











Day eleven, a blessed Jumu'ah. Today I attended the charity Ramadan and elder-respecting event at Dongsi Mosque. I met a friend (dosti) who just returned from vacation in Saudi Arabia, and I also ran into the owner of Xiayi Restaurant on Dongsi North Street, where I have been eating lamb skewers since I was a child. Next to the main prayer hall, there is a stone tablet from the Republic of China era. It lists the names of students from the former Chengda Teachers College, many of whom went on to achieve great things.











In the afternoon, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque made steamed dumplings (shaomai) together. The skins were thin, the fillings were large, and the meat was very fragrant. Dipping them in Laba vinegar really brought out the flavor. They also fried chicken strips and boiled rice porridge. Today I met three sisters from Yunnan who came here because of the mosque's reputation. I am very grateful (shukr).

















Day twelve, today at Balizhuang Mosque, we had fried tofu stewed with meat, along with stir-fried lamb liver, stir-fried shrimp, and fried yam and date rolls (tang juan guo).











Day thirteen, today the elders at Balizhuang Mosque made nail-head meat pies (mending roubing) together. Elder Ma from the mosque is the very same chef who specializes in making these pies at Jingxiangzhai in Shilipu. The meat buns (mending) made at the mosque are very fragrant, full of savory juices, and the reward (thawab) for preparing food for those fasting is great.

Also, today the elders made sticky rice cake (qiegao) and sweet melon salad (saixianggua). Sweet melon salad (saixianggua) is made with shredded pear, cucumber, and hawthorn jelly (jinggao), making it very refreshing to eat.



















On the fourteenth day, two weeks into Ramadan, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque brought donkey roll cakes (lvdagun), fried crispy crackers (zhagezi), honey-glazed pastries (misandao), pea flour cakes (wandouhuang), and fried rice sticks (jiangmitiao). For the fast-breaking meal, we had braised chicken (huangmenji) and sesame flatbread with meat (shaobing jiarou), along with various vegetable dishes and two types of fried steamed bun slices. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week One Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.

It is the holy month of Ramadan again. I spent a wonderful time at Balizhuang Mosque last year (see "Ramadan in Beijing 2023—The Beautiful Balizhuang Mosque"), and I am spending Ramadan at Balizhuang Mosque again this year.

On the evening of March 11, I performed the first Taraweeh prayer at Balizhuang Mosque. Every year, I enjoy the blessed atmosphere of Ramadan the most, when everyone gathers at the mosque to complete their worship.





On the first day, Balizhuang Mosque had Hohhot pastries and baked flatbreads (beizi) donated by Elder Yang, as well as tea donated by the imam. For iftar, we had braised meat (hui songrou), braised eggplant, stewed radish, and fermented bean curd (ma doufu). It was simple and tasty, and I felt very comfortable after eating.













Looking at the Douyin building from Balizhuang Mosque, I see people praying and people working overtime.



On the second day, I had stewed beef with potatoes, stewed kelp, and cabbage with vermicelli at Balizhuang Mosque. The stewed beef was great with rice, and the kelp and vermicelli were lighter than what you get in restaurants, which is perfect for breaking the fast because it does not make you thirsty.













On the third day, Elder Li made donkey-roll cakes (lvdagun) for everyone at Balizhuang Mosque. I experienced his cooking skills last year. For iftar, we had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) and eggplant sauce noodles. There were various toppings like radish, cabbage, cucumber, and roast chicken. I love soybean paste noodles so much! Soybean paste noodles in restaurants are usually all sauce with very little meat, but the ones at the mosque have plenty of meat.



















On the fourth day, for the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I went to Dongsi Mosque. The midday sun was warm, and spring in Beijing is in full swing.











In the evening, a friend (dosti) kindly invited everyone to break their fast at Nanxiapo Mosque. We ate delicious stewed beef, and I felt very grateful. Nanxiapo Mosque now hosts charity meals (nietie) and is also open to the public, selling the eight classic bowls (badawan), breakfast, and fast food. You can enter through the hot pot restaurant next to the mosque. If you want to try traditional Beijing Muslim cuisine, you can come and give it a try.





























On the fifth day, at Balizhuang Mosque, I had fish head with pancakes (yutou paobing). The elders made the pancakes themselves, along with candied yam rolls (tang juanguo), and there was also grilled fish and pilaf (zhuafan) donated by a foreign friend (dosti). There were many people on the weekend, filling four large tables. For a small mosque, this is not easy at all.

















On the sixth day, the Balizhuang Mosque made dumplings. We had fennel filling and cabbage filling, plus spiced beef (jiang niurou) and stir-fried egg with wood ear mushrooms and meat (muxu rou). Fennel dumplings have been my favorite since I was a kid!















The wild peach blossoms by Erdaogou stream at the entrance of Balizhuang Mosque are in full bloom. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Hui Muslims in Balizhuang used water from Erdaogou to irrigate their crops. The village was full of bean trellises, melon frames, heavy fruit, and lush green trees.







On the seventh day, I got some rice cake (niangao) made by Elder Li at the entrance of Balizhuang Mosque. For the communal meal, we had hot noodle soup, lamb chops, and fried tofu stewed with meatballs. We also had steamed buns (mantou) and griddle-baked flatbread (laobing). I was completely stuffed. After eating, I had tea and chatted with the elders, then went into the prayer hall for the scripture reading and the prayer service. view all

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Summary: This Jiangsu travel account revisits Huai an in 2017 through mosques, Hui Muslim community history, streets, and local food. It preserves the original notes on removed source material, place names, architectural details, and historical references.

Because the article was taken down, I have revised and reposted it.

On March 11, 2017, I went to Huai'an, Jiangsu, to explore the food and sights. I visited three places: Qingjiangpu, Hexia, and Wangjiaying. I will introduce them to you one by one.

Qingjiangpu

In 1415 (the 13th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), Chen Xuan, the Earl of Pingjiang, dredged Qingjiangpu. He built the Changying Granary, which stretched for several miles, and the massive Qingjiang Shipyard. He conscripted over 6,000 craftsmen, and grain transport ships from every province were repaired and built here. As a hub for grain transport, the town of Qingjiangpu gradually took shape and became increasingly prosperous.

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 and travelers chose to leave their boats at Qingjiangpu. They would cross the Yellow River at Wangjiaying and switch to horse-drawn carriages to continue north. Qingjiangpu became a transportation hub known for "southern boats and northern horses."

In 1677 (the 16th year of the Kangxi reign), the Director-General of Grain Transport moved to Qingjiangpu, making it the center of the grain transport system. In his collection of notes and stories, "Seven Inks of the Golden Pot" (Jinhu Qimo), the Qing Dynasty writer Huang Junzai recorded: "Along the Qingjiang River for over ten miles, the markets were prosperous and filled with goods. People from all directions gathered here, with shoulders rubbing and carriage wheels touching; it was truly magnificent."

However, due to the dual impact of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom capturing Nanjing in 1853 (the third year of the Xianfeng reign) and the Yellow River bursting its banks and changing course at Tongwaxiang in 1855 (the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign), the canal began to fall into disrepair and silt up. In 1860, the Nian Army captured Qingjiangpu, and its twenty-mile-long bustling market streets were burned down. In 1873, the Qing government ordered the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company to transport grain from Shanghai to Tianjin by steamship, causing Qingjiangpu to decline rapidly. After the Jinpu Railway opened in 1912, Qingjiangpu declined even further. When the new Grand Canal was completed in 1959, Qingjiangpu finally ended its history as a transportation hub.







Qingjiang Mosque

The most important wharf in Qingjiangpu is next to Yuezha. It is called the Imperial Wharf (Yu Matou) because both the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors landed there during their southern inspection tours. This was once the most prosperous and lively place in Qingjiangpu.

Starting from the Ming Dynasty, Hui Muslims did business on Yuehe Street in front of the Imperial Wharf. This gradually formed the Yuehe Street Hui Muslim community in Qingjiangpu, and the center of this community is the Qingjiang Mosque.





Qingjiang Mosque was originally called Yuanpu Mosque. It was first built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty and underwent large-scale renovations and expansions in 1799 (the 57th year of the Qianlong reign). In 1860 (the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign), the Nian Army captured Qingjiangpu and destroyed the mosque. The imam, Ma Huanwen, unfortunately passed away from illness while raising funds for its reconstruction. Fortunately, an elder from Nanjing named Jiang Hengqing took over. He organized everyone to raise funds, and they finally rebuilt the main prayer hall in 1870 (the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign).





















The 1870 (9th year of the Tongzhi reign) stele inscription titled 'Record of Rebuilding the Mosque Main Hall' inside the mosque tells the history of Qingjiang Mosque.





In 1910 (the 2nd year of the Xuantong reign), Qingjiang Mosque established Muying Primary School next to the mosque to teach both Chinese and Arabic. The famous historian Professor Pang Pu once studied there. Today, the school building is destroyed, and no traces remain.

To the west of the mosque once stood the former residence of Zuo Baogui, known as the Zuo Mansion. General Zuo Baogui led his troops to defend the Xuanwu Gate in Pyongyang during the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign), dealing heavy blows to the Japanese army. On September 15, General Zuo Baogui personally lit a cannon to fire. His right arm was blown off, but he bandaged the wound and kept fighting. He was eventually hit in the chest by a shell and died a heroic death at the age of 57. That same year, the Yangzhou government followed an imperial decree to build a cenotaph for Zuo Baogui next to the Puhading Tomb in Yangzhou, which is still preserved today.

Qingjiang Mosque stopped its activities and was occupied in 1966. It was renovated in 1979 and has been open ever since.





Halal food in Qingjiangpu.

There are over ten halal restaurants in Qingjiangpu. Just on the Yuehe Snack Street in front of the mosque, there are eight, and each one has its own specialty.











Liu Si Noodle Shop serves chicken noodle soup with fish balls, beef balls, and squid. The fish balls are super delicious, and the soup is excellent. It feels great to finish a bowl. However, the owner said this area will be demolished in a year or two, so they will likely have to move.











Salted goose (yanshui e) from Sha's Beef Shop.









Wonton noodles (huntun mian) from Ding Si Wonton Noodle Shop.









Little sparrows (fried mini wontons).









Seman Cafe is run by local Hui Muslims. They serve tea in the afternoon and grilled skewers at night. I ordered Arabic coffee, dates, and date milk. The atmosphere is quite nice.

















Saudi perfume.







I read for a while in the cafe. There are many books on the shelves.









Finally, I bought some Dubai wheat soda.



Hexia Ancient Town.

Travel south along the Grand Canal from Qingjiangpu, and you will reach Hexia Ancient Town, not far northwest of the Huai'an Prefecture city. Hexia is the largest town in the suburbs of Huai'an. Its historical official name was Manpu. After Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty attacked the Southern Tang, he set up the Manpu Customs here and built dams and locks. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, Hexia developed into an important canal town.







Because the salt fields along the coast of Huaibei produced high-quality salt, many salt merchants from the northwest and Anhui came to Huaibei during the late Ming Dynasty. The Huaibei Salt Transport Office was located in Hexia. Salt from the fields had to be shipped to Hexia for inspection before merchants sold it elsewhere. Hexia then entered its most prosperous period. Salt merchants built gardens and courtyards there. The Qing Dynasty record "Hexia Annals of Huai'an" states: "Wealthy salt merchants brought their capital and made their homes in Hexia, making the town extremely prosperous." The wealth brought by these merchants made the town's business thrive, and many Hui Muslims also came to settle in Hexia.

In 1831 (the 11th year of the Daoguang reign), Liangjiang Governor Tao Peng implemented the ticket salt law in Huaibei, requiring permits to transport salt. Many salt merchants went bankrupt quickly. This event is known as the "Salt Reform," and Hexia Ancient Town began to decline from then on.



Hexia Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty. In 1860 (the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign), when the Nian Army captured Huai'an, 10 rooms of the mosque were burned down, but it was later rebuilt. After 1966, Hexia Mosque stopped its activities and four rooms were damaged. It resumed activities in 1986 and recently underwent major renovations to reach its current state.













When we visited, the Hexia Mosque was empty. Imam Sha was running a beef and lamb shop on the other side of town and only goes to the mosque when needed.





In the early years of the Republic of China, a Hui Muslim named Zhang Bu'ao opened the Kaifuxingzhai Halal Restaurant in Hexia Town. It was a famous halal restaurant at the time with 11 rooms, two of which faced the street. The building still stands today and is listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Huai'an City.





Halal snacks in Hexia Town.

The second issue of Jiangsu Muslims in 2016 featured an article titled Famous Halal Products, Restaurants, and Snacks in Huai'an, provided by the Huai'an Islamic Association. The article mentions that in the late Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim named Li in Hexia Town applied noodle-pulling techniques to making fried dough twists (sanzi), creating a unique version of the snack. The Li family's fried dough twists (sanzi) are made with sesame oil and no alkaline additives, allowing them to be shaped into fans, combs, pagodas, and other patterns.

Halal tea-flavored fried dough twists (sanzi) in Hexia Town today.













There is also a type of sweet cake.



Hexia Town once had a teahouse opened by a Hui Muslim named Chen Yongyuan during the Xianfeng era. The lintel above the door was inscribed with the word Halal in red, Chen Yongyuan in the middle, and Teahouse at the bottom. This piece is now in the collection of the Chuzhou Museum. Every morning, someone was sent to fetch water from the Grand Canal. After returning, they used alum to clarify the water, then boiled it to brew famous teas like Longjing and Biluochun. People came to the teahouse every morning to drink tea and chat in a constant stream.

Today, there is still a halal snack shop on Zhugan Lane in Hexia Town, where we had some very delicious shredded chicken noodles.











Wangjiaying.

Wangjiaying, now called Wangying, is located between the old Yellow River course and the Yan River. During the Ming Dynasty, the Dahe Guard was established in Huai'an 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 the 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 busy towns together.



The old Yellow River course before 1855.

Wangjiaying experienced many Yellow River floods, and the town moved east three times before reaching its current location. Wangjiaying became more prosperous in the early Qing Dynasty. The Wangjiaying Gazetteer records that it was a place where southern boats and northern horses met and crowds gathered. In 1831, the Viceroy of Liangjiang, Tao Peng, implemented a salt ticket system in Huaibei. Known as the salt reform, this meant sea salt from Huaibei salt fields no longer needed to be inspected and taxed in Hexia Town. Tao Peng chose Xiba in Wangjiaying as the new distribution center for Huai salt. Because of this, Wangjiaying became the center for eighteen salt warehouses and seventy-two salt bureaus. Salt boats traveled constantly along the three-hundred-mile waterway between the Huaibei salt fields and Wangjiaying.

The rise of Wangjiaying during the Qing Dynasty led to Hui Muslims settling there. The first Hui Muslims to arrive in Wangjiaying were the Ma and Sha families, who came from Lingzhou in Gansu by way of Shandong and Zhenjiang. Later, families named Jin, Dai, Chang, Ge, Fan, Li, and Yang also settled here.



The history of the Wangjiaying Mosque is documented in the book A Century-Old Mosque in the Ancient City of Huaiyin by Imam Fan Weiming and in The Past and Present of Wangying Mosque by Mao Lifa, the former director of the Huaiyin District CPPCC Cultural and Historical Committee. I have organized that information here.

The Wangjiaying Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng reign as three thatched rooms next to the lotus pond at Wangjiapo. At the end of the Daoguang reign, it 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 in Taoyuan County, Huai'an Prefecture, Jiangsu (now Siyang). In his youth, he studied in Lingzhou, Gansu (now Lingwu, Ningxia), and after completing his studies, he visited various places in Jining, Shandong, to continue his religious education. In 1810, at the age of 26, Imam Chang Tingzhang was invited to lead the Wangjiaying Mosque. Imam Chang Tingzhang had deep knowledge of Arabic classics, astronomy, and medical theory. According to the Wangjiaying Gazetteer, a man named Third Master Tao from Hangzhou died in Huai'an during the Daoguang reign. Because it was the heat of summer, Imam Chang Tingzhang personally bought a boat to transport the body south along the Grand Canal to Hangzhou to fulfill his duty to the family.

In 1860, the Nian Army entered Wangjiaying and burned the mosque. In 1867, Imam Dai Jingzhai, the son of Imam Dai Mingxuan, built a few thatched huts, and later, with donations from the community, a main prayer hall with three thatched rooms was constructed.

Imam Chang Tingzhang passed away in 1870, and Imam Dai Jingzhai took over religious affairs. In 1884, the thatched rooms were rebuilt with tile roofs. Because Imam Chang Tingzhang had studied at the Jahriyya order's Daotang in Lingzhou, Ningxia, in his youth, the Wangjiaying Mosque later invited five successive Jahriyya imams from Ningxia to lead religious affairs and teach. Subsequent imams also went to Ningxia for further study. This made the Wangjiaying Mosque one of the nine branch centers of the Banqiao Daotang in Ningxia, maintaining a very close relationship with the Banqiao Daotang in Wuzhong, Ningxia.

In 1912, the mosque built a new main gate, a south lecture hall, a kitchen, and a washroom. In 1920, with funding from the Jinshantang in Gansu and money from selling dozens of willow trees from the public cemetery, they rebuilt the three-room tiled eave structure in front of the main prayer hall and added a new three-room east lecture hall.

In 1958, the Wangjiaying Mosque moved to the east side of West Ma Road in Wangying, and in 1961, it moved to its current location because a bank needed the land to build. In 1966, during the campaign to destroy the Four Olds, the main hall's plaques reading "The Way Spreads to the Central Land," "The Faith Follows the Western Regions," and "Stop at the Ultimate Good," along with the gold-lettered Arabic plaques and the couplets reading "See the invisible, hear the soundless, rectify the mind and be sincere, become a sage or a worthy, original nature;" were all smashed or burned. The couplet continued, "The Way stands, movement brings harmony, reach others through oneself, help things and help the world, all is complete," and these were also destroyed, along with funeral equipment, while the main hall was taken over by a shoe and hat factory to use as a warehouse.

In 1979, under the leadership of Imam Ge Weili, the Wangjiaying Mosque was rebuilt in a traditional style, finishing in 1985, and after two more renovations and expansions in 2003 and 2006, it reached its current appearance.











Imam Ge Weili was born in 1924, went to Ningxia to study in 1937, became the imam of Wangjiaying Mosque after completing his training in 1945, served as the imam in 1966, and later became the vice president of the Jiangsu Islamic Association and president of the Huai'an Islamic Association. The religious affairs of the Wangjiaying Mosque are now handled by Imam Fan Weiming, a student of Imam Ge Weili.





Halal food in Wangjiaying.

The second issue of "Jiangsu Muslims" in 2016 featured an article titled "Famous Halal Products, Shops, and Foods in Huai'an," provided by the Huai'an Islamic Association, which wrote about the halal food in Wangjiaying.

In 1831 (the 11th year of the Daoguang reign), after the salt administration expanded at Xiba in Wangjiaying, Imam Dai Mingxuan of the Wangjiaying Mosque opened a halal restaurant at the north end of Yushan Street, hiring the best local chefs and making it a high-end spot where many Huai'an officials and nobles held banquets.

In 1860 (the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign), after the Nian Army broke through Wangjiaying, the halal restaurant and the mosque were both destroyed in the war. In 1886 (the 12th year of the Guangxu reign), with everyone's help, Imam Dai Jingzhai, the son of Imam Dai Mingxuan, reopened the halal restaurant at the North Weimen gate in Wangjiaying. The halal restaurant was forced to close after 1937, reopened after 1945, but struggled due to the following wars. After the public-private partnership in 1958, the halal restaurant merged into the Huaiyin Food and Beverage Company No. 2, with Ma Hengpu serving as manager. At the end of 1959, it moved to Beijing Road, featuring three storefront rooms in the front and four kitchen rooms in the back, with Wang Jinbiao taking over as manager. After the 1970s, Li Haiquan took over as manager and renamed it the Hui Muslims Restaurant (Huimin Fandian). In the 1980s, Ma Hengbao led the construction of a new two-story building, and Dai Peng took over as manager. In March 2003, the Hui Muslims Restaurant was restructured, the original staff were all bought out, and it became a private enterprise.

The beef jerky (niupu) made by Ma Wu in Wangjiaying is also very famous. Ma Wu's real name was Ma Guowu. During the Taiping Rebellion, his grandfather Ma Xingyuan moved from Shaanxi to Mule Horse Street (Luoma Jie) in Wangjiaying and supported his family with his ancestral beef jerky craft. By Ma Wu's generation, the business grew larger, and the storefront was rebuilt from three single-story rooms into a multi-story building. Ma Wu chose only the best lean yellow beef. After cutting it into pieces, he sprinkled it with salt and saltpeter brine, rubbed it thoroughly, and put it in a vat to cure. It took one week in winter, and a few days less in other seasons before it was ready to be taken out. After taking it out of the vat, he drained the brine and put the meat into a pot. He added old brine, rock sugar, fennel, soy sauce, almonds, galangal, and over ten other ingredients. He brought it to a boil and then simmered it over low heat for 7 hours until it was done.

In 1954, during the public-private partnership, Ma Wu became a worker at the Wangying Town Bean Products Factory. After the reform and opening up, he returned to his old trade until he passed away (guizhen) in February 1999 during Eid al-Adha (Jierbang Jie). None of his children inherited the family business, and the Wangjiaying Ma family beef jerky was lost from then on.

After this, another Hui Muslim from Wangjiaying, Fan Weishun, put up the sign for Fan's Beef Jerky (Fanji Niupu). Fan Weishun learned to make beef jerky from his father, Fan Degao, since he was a child. He innovated the traditional curing technique and figured out methods for making tender and firm beef, as well as techniques for using high, medium, low, simmering, and intense heat. This made Fan's Beef Jerky comparable to the Ma Wu beef jerky of the past.

Li's Fried Dough Sticks (Li Ji Youdatou) are an ancestral craft of the Li family, who are Hui Muslims in Wangjiaying. They put the prepared dough in a basin and use two bamboo sticks to pick it up and scrape it into a pot that is high on one side and low on the other. The finished fried dough sticks are less than 3 inches long and 3 centimeters thick. They are golden in color, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and have a soft texture. The dough for these fried dough sticks is softer than that used for regular fried dough sticks (youtiao), and it contains less alkali, alum, and salt.

In 1956, during the joint operation of individual enterprises and workshops, the Li's Fried Dough Sticks shop was merged into the Wangying Central Store, Dahua Restaurant. After the enterprise reform in 1984, the elder Mr. Li retired. No descendants inherited the craft, and Li's Fried Dough Sticks were lost from then on.

In the past, the halal pastries from the Huaiyin Hui Muslim Food Factory were very famous. They made over ten types of treats, including golden twisted dough sticks (jinsi mahua), pineapple cakes (boluo bing), and heart-shaped cakes (fanxin bing) that children loved. For the elderly, they had laughing cookies (kaikouxiao), red bean paste mooncakes (dousha yuebing), and black sesame and salt-and-pepper mooncakes (heizhima jiaoyan yuebing). Farmers also enjoyed their harvest mooncakes (fengshou yuebing) and rock sugar pastries (bingtang su).







A witness to the Grand Canal

Inside the courtyard of the Huaiyin District Library in Wangjiaying, there is a tomb for Zheng Wenying, a high-ranking official from the Ryukyu Kingdom. Zheng Wenying was a high-level translator for the Ryukyu Kingdom. His ancestors were among the thirty-six families of Fujian boatmen gifted to Ryukyu by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. After these Fujian boatmen arrived in Ryukyu, they handled navigation, shipbuilding, writing and translating diplomatic documents, and trade with China. Zheng Wenying was the fifteenth generation of this family.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, tribute envoys from Ryukyu traveled along the Grand Canal to reach Beijing. In 1761, the twenty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign, the Qingkou Post Station was established in Wangjiaying. It served as an important stop for Ryukyuan tribute envoys to rest and resupply. In 1793, the fifty-eighth year of the Qianlong reign, Zheng Wenying traveled with a tribute mission from the Ryukyu Kingdom. He fell ill and passed away while passing through the Qingkou Post Station in Wangjiaying, where he was buried.



The site of the Governor-General of Grain Transport Office in the center of Huai'an Prefecture. This location officially became the Governor-General of Grain Transport Office in 1579, the seventh year of the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty. In October 1945, the New Fourth Army captured Huai'an city and dismantled the main hall to transport the wood away. In August 2002, the site was excavated during urban renewal, leading to the construction of the Governor-General of Grain Transport Office Site Park. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Old Cairo travel account walks inside the northern gate of the historic city and follows its mosques, streets, gates, and layered Islamic history. It keeps the original place names, dates, buildings, and travel route without adding outside claims.

The history of Cairo as a city goes back over a thousand years. Back in the ancient Roman era, the Romans built the Babylon Fortress in the south of Cairo. After the Arabs took Cairo in 641 AD, they built the city of Fustat to the northeast of the Babylon Fortress. Over the next 300 years, Muslim rulers from different dynasties built several cities near Cairo, but none of them survived. In 969 AD, the Shia Fatimid dynasty conquered Egypt and spent four years building what is now the old city of Cairo. By this count, the old city of Cairo is now 1,055 years old.

The walls of old Cairo were started in 969 AD. They were first made of brick, then expanded with stone during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir Billah (reigned 1036-1094), and finally finished in 1087. The north gates of the old city, the Gate of Conquest (Bab al-Futuh) and the Gate of Victory (Bab al-Nasr), were both built during this time. In this article, I will take you through the north gate into old Cairo to experience its thousand-year history.

Gate of Conquest and Gate of Conquest: 1087

The Gate of Conquest is 22 meters high and has two round towers. The stone carving details may have been influenced by Syrian or Byzantine craftsmen. Above the arch, the surface is covered in diamond patterns containing rosettes and crosses. The parts of the towers that hang outward are carved with ram heads, which are symbols of Mars in the zodiac. Inside the gate, the dome and the rectangular space connect through a pendentive, which is a typical feature of Byzantine architecture.









The Gate of Victory is on the east side of the Gate of Conquest. Unlike the round towers of the Gate of Conquest, the towers of the Gate of Victory are square and contain guard rooms and living areas. There are shield carvings above the gate, which symbolize protecting the city from invasion. The shield features an Arabic inscription from its 1087 reconstruction, along with a Shia version of the Shahada that mentions Ali as the friend (wali) of Allah.











Al-Hakim Mosque: 1013.

Right next to the northern wall of Old Cairo stands the Al-Hakim Mosque, named after the sixth Fatimid caliph and the 16th imam of the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (reigned 996-1021). The mosque was started in 990 by the fifth Fatimid caliph, al-Aziz Billah (reigned 975-996), and finished in 1013 by Caliph al-Hakim, making it 1,010 years old today.

The Al-Hakim Mosque was originally outside the walls of Cairo, but it was brought inside the city after the walls were rebuilt in 1087. The mosque's architectural style is similar to the Al-Azhar Mosque, but it is twice as large. The most striking features inside are the two minarets built on square brick bases. When the minarets were first built in 1003, they were separate structures, and they were only encased in brick in 1010. Some scholars suggest this might be linked to the ruler of Mecca rejecting Fatimid authority in 1010, which weakened the dynasty's power. The outer wall of the southern brick base has marble Kufic Arabic inscriptions from the Fatimid period, while the Kufic inscriptions on the northern base were moved to the outside of the city wall when it was incorporated into the northern wall of Old Cairo in 1087.

During the Crusades, the mosque was used as a prison by the Franks and later as a stable by Saladin. It was renovated during the Mamluk period in the 14th century but later fell into ruins for a long time. The mosque was renovated in 1808, and a small, colorful marble mihrab added during that time still survives today.

In the 20th century, the mosque served as a school until 1980, when the Dawoodi Bohra branch of Shia Islam carried out a massive reconstruction and renovation using white marble. Inside the main hall after the reconstruction, only the original stucco carvings, wooden beams, and scriptures were preserved. This restoration caused a lack of authenticity that sparked criticism and widespread discussion among scholars. In 2017, the Dawoodi Bohra community and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities launched a new round of restoration, and it did not reopen until February 2023.



















Caravanserai of Qaitbay: 1481

Enter the old city of Cairo through the Gate of Victory (Bab al-Futuh) onto El-Gamaleya Street. The first thing you see is the caravanserai (wikala) of Sultan Qaitbay, which is currently under renovation. It was built in 1481 by Sultan Qaitbay (reigned 1468-1496) of the Mamluk dynasty. Qaitbay was one of the Mamluk sultans who sponsored the most architecture. Although the Mamluk dynasty was in decline, the situation remained relatively stable under his rule, and trade flourished.

Like other Mamluk caravanserais (wikala), this place not only provided short-term housing for passing caravans but also offered long-term rental apartment units (rab). It was used as apartments for hundreds of years until the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities began renovations in 2015. Work is still ongoing, and you can still see the wooden lattice windows (mashrabiya) facing the street.





Gate of the Caravanserai of Qawsun: 1341

Continuing south, you can see the remains of the gate of the caravanserai (wikala) of Emir Qawsun. This inn was built in 1341 by the famous Mamluk Emir Qawsun (1302-1342). It was used by soap and coffee merchants from Palestine in the 17th and 18th centuries, so it is also called the Soap Inn. The inn was demolished in 1960 to be rebuilt as a school, and only the gate remains. Above the gate is a stone carving of a pair of cups, because Emir Qawsun once served as the Sultan's cupbearer (saqi).

Qawsun was born on the Kipchak steppe under the rule of the Golden Horde and started out as a merchant. In 1320, Princess Tulunbay of the Golden Horde married the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt. Qawsun came to Cairo as part of her entourage and stayed in Cairo to sell leather goods. Qawsun was highly valued by the Sultan in Cairo and became his personal attendant. He then rose quickly through the ranks and married the Sultan's daughter. After the old Sultan died in 1341, Qawsun became the regent and held actual power over the Mamluk dynasty. However, he was defeated by political rivals a few months later and was killed in prison.





Continuing south along El-Gamaleya Street, you can see several more historical buildings.









Khanqah of Baybars II: 1310

On the east side of the middle section of El-Gamaleya Street stands the Khanqah of Baybars II, built in 1310. Baybars II was the 12th Sultan of the Mamluk dynasty and reigned for only one year, from 1309 to 1310. Baybars II served as vice-sultan from 1299 to 1309 and led the Mamluk Sultanate against the Ilkhanate in the Battle of Marj al-Saffar in Syria in 1303. This battle resulted in the total defeat of the Mongol army that had marched west into Syria. People say the Sultan led his captives from the Gate of Victory along El-Gamaleya Street into the old city of Cairo. Singers and dancers from all over came to celebrate, and the city was decorated with lights for days of festivities.



















The exquisite Islamic geometric patterns (Girih) on the gate of the Khanqah of Baybars II form complex designs through overlapping and interlacing.



It is very interesting that the threshold of the gate is made of stone blocks carved with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, which is the first time I have ever seen this.



Bayt al-Suhaymi: 1648

Walking west from the Khanqah of Baybars II, you can see the Bayt al-Suhaymi on Darb al-Asfar Street. Built in 1648, it is the best-preserved private residence from the Ottoman period in old Cairo and is now open as a tourist site.

This residence is built around a courtyard (Sahn) with a small garden planted with palm trees in the center. You can see beautiful wooden lattice windows (Mashrabiya) in the courtyard. The south side of the mansion is the original 1648 structure, while the north side was expanded in 1797. It is now named after its last owner, Sheikh Muhammad Amin al-Suhaymi, who was a sheikh at Al-Azhar Mosque. In 1930, King Fuad I of Egypt provided funds to purchase the mansion and placed it under the management of the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Art Monuments.



















The ornate ceiling decorations of Bayt al-Suhaymi.



















The wood-carved furniture and colorful marble floors inside Bayt al-Suhaymi.



















Mosque-Sabil of Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar: 1839

Continuing west back to the main road of old Cairo, Al-Mu'izz Street, the first thing you see is the Mosque-Sabil of Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar, built in 1839. This fountain has a fancy Ottoman Baroque facade with floral patterns from the European Renaissance. The fountain is made of marble and was used to keep the water cool during the summer. Next to the fountain is a primary school (kuttab) that was once used to teach children how to read, write, and recite scripture. Here, we can also enter the huge underground water reservoir of the fountain, which is rarely seen in typical fountains.



















Aqmar Mosque: 1125-6

Walking south along Al-Muizz Street, we stop at the famous Fatimid-era Aqmar Mosque. The Aqmar Mosque was built in 1125-6 by order of the Fatimid vizier Al-Ma'mun al-Bata'ihi. It sits at the northeast corner of the former Eastern Fatimid Palace, right next to the palace grounds.

The Aqmar Mosque holds a groundbreaking place in Egyptian architectural history. It is the first mosque where the entrance is flush with the street rather than aligned with the qibla wall, making it the first mosque planned according to Cairo's street layout. It is also the first mosque to feature complex stone carvings. The facade of the Aqmar Mosque is very luxurious. Above the entrance is a large medallion surrounded by a grille, with the names of the Prophet and Ali in the center and verses written around them. This type of decoration is unique in Cairo.

At the top of the left facade, there are carvings of a door and a window. The window on the left symbolizes the ceremonial grille that the Fatimids took back from the palace of their rivals, the Abbasids in Baghdad, serving as a symbol of victory. Inside the window is a lamp and a six-pointed star, based on the Shia hadith: 'The stars are a promise to the world, and it will not be submerged.' Below the window, there is a carving of a plant growing out of a flower pot, which comes from the Prophet's reference to Hasan and Husayn as 'my two aromatic herbs in the world.' The door in the upper right corner comes from the famous Shia hadith: 'I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is its gate.'

Because it was near the Fatimid palace, the Aqmar Mosque did not originally have a minaret. One was not added until the end of the 14th century by the Mamluk dynasty, and the cylindrical top was rebuilt during the Ottoman era.

In 1993, the Dawoodi Bohra branch of the Shia community carried out a large-scale renovation of the Aqmar Mosque. Most of the historical elements inside the main hall were not preserved, which drew criticism.



















Madrasa of Emir Jamal al-Din al-Ustadar: 1407

Turn back into al-Gamaleya Street along the alley south of the Aqmar Mosque to see the Madrasa of Amir Jamal al-Din al-Ustadar, built in 1407 by the Mamluk general Amir Jamal al-Din al-Ustadar. Jamal al-Din built many structures in Cairo, and al-Gamaleya Street is named after him.

This is a classic cruciform madrasa structure with an open courtyard in the center and an iwan (arched hall) on each of the four sides, each used to teach one of the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence. The decoration inside the main hall is very ornate, as People say Jamal al-Din modeled it after Mamluk palace designs and invested a large amount of money and materials. Jamal al-Din was executed just four years after the mosque was completed. The Sultan wanted to demolish the site, but a judge (Qadi) stopped him, and in the end, only Jamal al-Din's name was removed.

After the Ottoman Empire conquered Istanbul in 1517, many marble slabs from the inner walls of the madrasa were taken to Istanbul. The building was damaged again in the 1992 earthquake and was not fully restored until 2002.



















Dhu al-Fiqar Fountain-Primary School (Sabil-Kuttab): 1673

Opposite the Madrasa of Amir Jamal al-Din al-Ustadar is the Ottoman-era Dhu al-Fiqar Sabil-Kuttab, built in 1673 by Dhu al-Fiqar Katkhuda Mustahfizan and his brother Muhammad. This Sabil-Kuttab consists of two prominent wooden awnings, and the caravanserai (wikala) behind it was once a center for the coffee trade in 18th-century Cairo.





Maq’ad Mamay al-Sayfi Palace: 1496

Continue south to the Maq’ad Mamay al-Sayfi Palace on Beet Al Qadi Street, built in 1496 by the Mamluk general Sayf al-Din Mamay ibn Khadad, who served as a Mamluk diplomat to the Ottoman Empire in the early 1490s.

During the Ottoman period, this place served as a high court and the residence of judges, so it is also called Bayt al-Qadi. In the late 19th century, Egypt's ruler Isma'il Pasha (reigned 1863-79) carried out urban renewal in Cairo, and most of the palace was demolished, leaving only a large house used for summer retreats. The house consists of an upper pavilion and a lower storage room. The lotus capitals of the pavilion are the only example in Islamic architecture in Cairo that directly uses architectural forms from the ancient Egyptian pharaonic era. The interior of the pavilion has complex decorations and calligraphy, but unfortunately, it was not open when we visited.







Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda Sabil-Kuttab: 1744

Walk south from the Aqmar Mosque to see the Sabil-Kuttab of Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda, a fountain-school built in 1744 during the Ottoman era. It is a landmark building on Al-Muizz Street, the main road in Old Cairo. During the Mamluk and Ottoman dynasties, these fountain-schools were very common in Cairo. The ground floor fountain (sabil) provided free drinking water to passersby, while the second floor school (kuttab) taught children how to read and write.

Although this fountain-school was built in the Mamluk style, it incorporates many Ottoman architectural elements. The builder, Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda, was a high-ranking Mamluk emir officer known for his noble lifestyle and patronage of the arts. He renovated or built 33 structures in Cairo.















Across from the Khanqah of Baybars II stands the Qitas Bey fountain-school (sabil-kuttab), built in 1630 during the Ottoman period. In the Mamluk and Ottoman eras, most fountain-schools in the old city of Egypt were built on street corners.





Bashtak Palace: 1334-1339.

Southeast of the Sabil-Kuttab of Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda is the Mamluk-era Bashtak Palace (Qasr Bashtak), built between 1334 and 1339 by the Mamluk emir and general Sayf al-Din Bashtak al-Nasiri. Bashtak was a powerful Mamluk emir who married the daughter of a Mamluk sultan and held important positions in the royal court. He chose a section of the former Fatimid eastern palace to build his own palace and stables, which became a model of Mamluk architecture.

Only a portion of the Bashtak Palace remains today, the most important part being the reception hall (qa'a). The hall features a wooden paneled ceiling, stained glass, and an inlaid marble fountain. The upper level has wooden lattice windows (mashrabiyya), all of which are typical architectural styles of the Mamluk period. view all

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Summary: This second Singapore article continues the walk through Indian Muslim culture, mosque spaces, food streets, and neighborhood history. It preserves the original names, food details, religious terms, and route notes in natural English.





Kampong Glam is also a great place to try ginger tea (teh sarabat), also known as teh halia. Bhai Sarbat on Baghdad Street was started by an Indian Muslim in the 1950s and has been around for 70 years. Bhai means brother in Urdu. Bhai Sarbat started as a street pushcart. It moved into this shophouse on Baghdad Street in the 1970s. Today, they sell hundreds of drinks, but their ginger tea is still the most famous.





In the evening, we went to the most famous Indian halal restaurant in Kampong Glam, Islamic Restaurant. It opened in 1921 and has been in business for over a hundred years. The founder, Abdul Rahiman, was a Tamil Muslim from Tamil Nadu in southern India. After arriving in Singapore, his excellent cooking skills made him the head chef for the Alsagoff family, a wealthy family of Yemeni descent. Abdul Rahiman was best known for his biryani rice, which even the British governors loved.

In 1921, Abdul Rahiman opened Islamic Restaurant on North Bridge Road in Kampong Glam. Singaporean politicians who had tasted his cooking at the Alsagoff family banquets came to visit, as did royalty like the Sultans of Brunei, Johor, and Perak. Today, M. Abdul Rahiman's secret spice recipe for biryani rice is carried on by his grandson, Kalil. After a hundred years, their biryani is still delicious. Besides the biryani, we ordered almond naan, chicken tikka masala, and fenugreek (methi) fish curry. Everything was fantastic. This is a truly great Indian restaurant, not just a tourist trap near a scenic spot.



















Malabar Mosque, also known as the Golden Dome Mosque, is located across from Kampong Glam in Singapore. It is the only mosque in Singapore built by Malabar Muslims from southwestern India. Malabar Muslims live in Kerala and the Lakshadweep Islands in the far southwest of the Indian peninsula. They are an ancient indigenous Muslim community in South Asia and, like the Malays, follow the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence.

In the early 19th century, Malabar Muslims traveled along the Indian Ocean to Singapore to trade textiles and jewelry. After the 20th century, they ran several food businesses in eastern Singapore and Kampong Glam. When they passed away, they were buried in the Muslim cemetery across from Kampong Glam. In 1929, the Malabar Muslims took over the mosque in the Muslim cemetery. It was rebuilt in 1953 and officially opened in 1963. Malabar Mosque was renovated into its current appearance in 1995, with blue and white tiles covering the exterior walls.







Currently, the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore's Little India has a dedicated exhibition hall about Malabar immigrants if you are interested in learning more. The exhibit features a green shawl used for prayer in the 20th century by Abdullah bin Muhammad, on loan from the Malabar Mosque. It also includes old photos of the Malabar Mosque during its reconstruction and a set of traditional Malabar Muslim women's clothing on loan from Muhammad Shafiq, which includes a Kuppayam shirt, a Kachimundu waist cloth, and a Thattam headscarf.













Indian mosques in the Geylang area.

Hajjah Fatimah Mosque is located on Geylang Road in Singapore. It was built in 1920 after Hajjah Fatimah, an Indian-Muslim businesswoman and philanthropist, donated 50,000 dollars for its construction in 1915. The building blends Indian and Neoclassical styles. Because of the diverse ethnic groups in the Geylang area, Hajjah Fatimah Mosque has always been managed by Arab, Indian, and Malay Muslims together. In 1935, Al-Mu'allim Omar Bin Abdullah Bagharib arrived in Singapore from Yemen. He taught at Hajjah Fatimah Mosque for 33 years, and his descendants still live near the mosque today.



















Dawoodi Bohra Shia mosque.

Al-Burhani Mosque is located on Hill Street, a main road in Singapore. It is the only Dawoodi Bohra Shia mosque in Singapore, and it is the second Dawoodi Bohra Shia mosque I have visited, following the one in Bangkok.

The Dawoodi Bohras originated from the Ismaili Shia Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled North Africa from the 10th to the 12th century. In 1067, the Imam of the Fatimid Caliphate sent a man named Abdullah from Yemen to Gujarat, India, to spread the faith, where he was very successful. Since then, the followers in Gujarat have kept in touch with Yemen and continued to grow. In 1589, the community leader Dawood Bin Qutubshah took office. He split from Yemen, and the group has been known as the Dawoodis ever since.

Starting in the 19th century, Dawoodi Bohra members from Gujarat, India, began traveling across the Indian Ocean to do business. They started trading dry goods and spices in Singapore in 1875. After the 1920s, more Dawoodi Bohra merchants came to Singapore from Gujarat to do business, and the Dawoodi Bohra community in Singapore was officially formed.

Al-Burhani Mosque was first built in 1895 and was originally small. The high-rise building you see today is how it looked after being rebuilt in 1997. It is a pity that there was no one inside the mosque when we visited, so we could not talk to anyone.



















Ahmadiyya mosque

Taha Mosque is in Geylang, Singapore, and it is the only Ahmadiyya mosque in the country. Ahmadiyya is a movement that started in northern India in the late 19th century. Its founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908), claimed to be the Mahdi (savior) and officially established the community in Punjab, India, in 1889. The number of Ahmadiyya followers grew from the end of the 19th century, and the movement began spreading overseas after the 20th century.

In 1935, the second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya movement sent Ghulam Hussain Ayyaz to Singapore to preach, which officially established the Ahmadiyya community there. In 1985, the Singapore Ahmadiyya community officially built Taha Mosque, and the fourth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya movement attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

I chatted with a young man at Taha Mosque for a while, and this was my first time meeting followers of the Ahmadiyya movement.











Further reading: Indian Tamil Muslims in Penang, Malaysia view all

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During the October holiday, I took a round-trip flight from Beijing to Istanbul via Almaty on Air Astana, which gave me two full days to spend in Almaty. On the way there, it happened to be Friday Jumu'ah, so we visited an old Hui mosque in the northern suburbs of Almaty. We were warmly welcomed by the elders there and even ate the pilaf (zhua fan) prepared by the mosque, which I wrote about in my post 'Visiting the Hui mosque in Almaty'. In this article, I will mainly introduce our experiences eating and exploring around downtown Almaty.

We flew from Beijing to Almaty in the early morning. After arriving, we took a taxi directly to Navat, a famous restaurant chain in Almaty. The main branch is actually in Bishkek, and they have branches in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Russia. The restaurant's decor features a distinct Central Asian style.

I originally wanted to go to the Navat on the pedestrian street, but I used Yandex Go to set the destination to a different branch. This location didn't have an English menu, so we had to order by looking at the pictures.

We ordered Uyghur milk tea (Atkan Chay) and Turkmen milk tea (Kirma Chay). Atkan Chay is made with brick tea, milk, and salt, while Kirma Chay is made with black tea, milk, oil, roasted wheat flour, and salt.

The classic pairing for milk tea is definitely fried dough (Bauyrsaq), which can be shaped into diamonds or balls. Turkic peoples and Mongols all love eating these fried snacks.

We also ordered a platter of various Kazakh dairy products. One of them, Irimshik, is a semi-cheese made from a mix of cow and sheep milk; it is light brown, sweet, and very chewy. Qurt is a very dry yogurt ball. The word itself comes from the Middle Persian word for 'dry,' so it has a very long shelf life and high nutritional value, making it perfect for winter and long journeys. Gent is a dessert made by mixing dry cheese, roasted wheat, sugar, honey, and raisins, which goes very well with tea.

For the main course, we ordered horse meat five-finger noodles (Beshbarmak). Beshbarmak is a classic delicacy for Kazakh and Kyrgyz herders and is a must-have dish for festivals. When preparing it, one person cuts the meat while another kneads the dough. The meat is sliced and spread over the noodle sheets, then served with potatoes. People usually eat mutton in the summer, and after the winter slaughter, they eat horse meat and horse sausage.

















Almaty is truly the most park-like city I have ever visited. It is full of greenery and gardens, and there is a small park every few steps. The streets are quiet and everyone is very relaxed.







After leaving Navat, we walked through a small park across from the Almaty Museum, which features a statue commemorating the 1931-1933 Kazakhstan famine. This famine caused about 1.5 million deaths, and in the most desperate moments, there were even tragedies of cannibalism. The great famine caused the proportion of Kazakhs in the Kazakh ASSR at the time to drop from 60% to 38%, making them a minority. The sculpture is inscribed with words from Nazarbayev: 'This famine, which caused heavy casualties and brought great suffering to the people, will never be forgotten.'





The park also has a statue of the Kazakh poet Turmagambet Iztleuow (1882-1939). to writing a large amount of Kazakh poetry, he was also the translator of the Persian epic Shahnameh into Kazakh. In 1935, the poet was falsely accused and arrested as an 'enemy of the people,' and he died in a dungeon in 1937. In 2007, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the poet's death, people erected this statue next to the former KGB building.



Buying fermented dairy drinks in the shops on the streets of Almaty. Here, camel milk is called Shubat, horse milk is called Kumuz, and cow milk is called Ayran. We bought a bottle of horse milk, which was much stronger than what we drank at a Kazakh shop in Urumqi before. It was fermented until very sour, with a kick like eating mustard that could send you to the sky after one sip. Interested friends (dosti) can buy a bottle to try.







We took a night flight from Istanbul back to Almaty, and after arriving at Almaty Airport in the morning, we took a Yandex Go directly to Arasan, the most famous Soviet-style public bathhouse in Almaty, for a bath and massage.

The establishment of Arasan dates back to the competition between the Kazakh SSR and the Uzbek SSR at the time. In 1974, the Uzbek SSR took the lead by building a large comprehensive bathhouse in Tashkent. The Kazakh SSR was not to be outdone, so in 1979, many architects participated in the design to rebuild a 1-million-cubic-meter large bathhouse on the original site of the Gogol Street bathhouse built in 1935. It was completed in 1982 and became the largest bathhouse in Central Asia.

Arasan opens at 7:00 AM. It is less crowded in the morning, so you can bathe more freely. It is also quite cool on autumn mornings, so it is the perfect time to go in and warm up. To the right of the main entrance is a shop selling bath supplies. The most unique items are the various felt hats and bath whisks made from birch, oak, or even pine leaves, which are used in Russian saunas (banya). I ended up buying a felt hat embroidered with 'Arasan' as a souvenir.

The Arasan building itself has a very 1980s Soviet feel, with a lobby that is spacious and imposing. The ticket office on the right has a price list in English, and there is a young Kazakh woman there who speaks fluent English. We bought a one-hour entry ticket plus a 45-minute classic massage. We also rented slippers and a bath towel, then took our wristbands and went inside.

Once inside, the men's and women's areas are completely separate. When I entered the men's side, I saw many sturdy Kazakh and Russian men. For someone like me entering a Soviet-style bathhouse for the first time, it was quite a visual shock. After showering, I went to the classic Russian sauna (banya) area. There are both traditional wood-fired saunas and electric saunas with heated stones. I tried the wood-fired sauna first. When I walked in, a big guy was splashing water onto the stove. The temperature rose with every splash, and I couldn't last long. Every time I exhaled, it felt like I was on fire. I truly admired how calm everyone else looked. Most people wear felt hats to keep their heads from getting burned. Many people also use bath whisks soaked in hot water to pat their bodies, which helps improve blood circulation.

After steaming for a while, everyone comes out to splash themselves with cold water. There is a huge wooden barrel you climb steps to reach before jumping straight into the cold water. There is also a small bucket hanging overhead; you pull a rope and all the cold water pours down on you. There is also a circular cold-water pool under a massive dome. Many of the older men just dive straight in, swim a few laps, and then get out. I swam a lap in the pool, too. The water felt much colder than in swimming pools back home. If I hadn't been warmed up by the sauna, I wouldn't have dared to go in. I think this dome is the most beautiful part of the entire bathhouse. It seems to be designed after a Kazakh yurt. Sunlight streams down from above, making it very bright. Around the pool are chairs with mosaic tiles that are heated from underneath, so you can sit and rest.

After the sauna, it was time for a massage. The Russian-style massage here happens on a hard marble bed, performed by a Kazakh guy who is twice my size and has a chest full of hair like a thicket. He started by splashing a few basins of water on me, lathered me up with soap, and then began the massage. His hands were very strong, and he hit every joint perfectly, which felt incredibly satisfying. There was a restaurant after the massage, but I left without eating, so I don't know how the food tastes.

After returning my slippers and towel, I just tapped my VISA card at the exit, which was very convenient. The sun was already out, and I started my city walk through Almaty feeling full of energy.



















After bathing at Arasan, we bought some Turkic honey cake (shek-shek) and milk curd cakes (qurt) at a snack shop downstairs, and we also had some milk tea. Shek-shek is a dessert popular among many Turkic-speaking peoples, including Tatars, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Bashkirs, and Kazakhs. It is usually written as Chak-chak in English, is most famous in Tatarstan, and is a must-have dessert at weddings. The way shek-shek is made is basically the same as Manchu honey cake (saqima). Kazan Tatars usually make it into small balls, while Kazakhs usually make it into strips.



















A short walk north from Arasan Bathhouse, you can see the Kyzyl-Tan store, built by Kazan Tatar merchant Iskhak Gabdulvaliev in 1896. It is one of the few remaining Muslim buildings in Almaty that survived the 1911 earthquake.

This building was designed and built by French architect Paul Gourdet in the New Russian style, featuring beautiful lace-like wooden eaves and fish-scale-shaped roofing. After the October Revolution, the Kyzyl-Tan store was nationalized, and after 1981, it became a fabric store under the Soviet Central Department Store. The Kyzyl-Tan store was severely damaged by a fire in 2009, but it was later restored. Today, it is still a fabric store, and you can see all kinds of beautiful materials inside.



















The Almaty Museum was also built by French architect Paul Gourdet in 1892. It was originally an orphanage, and the Almaty Museum only moved here after 2016. The museum is not very big, but it gives a complete overview of Almaty through different eras. The collection from the 19th to 20th centuries is especially interesting, as you can see the various daily items used by Almaty residents back then.





















A highlight of the Almaty Museum is a suit of armor from the 17th-century Kazakh Khanate, with very fine carvings on the helmet and shield. There are also 19th-century saddles and water jugs.



















Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar) is the oldest and most famous market in Almaty. It was designed and built by architect Jan Kozell-Poklevsky in 1875. At that time, it hosted merchants from all over Central Asia and helped the city of Almaty grow. The current Green Bazaar was built in 1975 by architect Mark Pavlov in the Brutalism architectural style. This architectural style appeared in the UK in the 1950s and was widely used in post-war socialist countries. It focuses on using raw reinforced concrete structures without decoration, emphasizing practicality.

Today, the Green Bazaar is a lively market where different ethnic groups gather. There are Kazakhs selling horse meat, Russians selling pork, Koreans selling kimchi, Dungan people selling small goods, Uyghurs selling fruit, and more. People live in this city for all sorts of reasons, which creates Almaty's unique character.

We bought flaky baked buns (samsa) at the market entrance and met a Dungan uncle who offered to translate for us. Then, we bought fresh-pressed pomegranate and guava juice at a fruit stall inside, and bought long apples downstairs. The market downstairs at the Green Bazaar is more crowded. There is a very popular naan bread shop with a long line of people.



















The streets of Almaty are very quiet and clean. There are almost no motorcycles or electric scooters, but you can see quite a few electric kick scooters. We tried Yandex Go, which you can ride just by scanning a code. Since the old town of Almaty is higher in the south and lower in the north, we didn't need to use the motor when riding from south to north. We just coasted all the way down, passing Soviet-era buildings, playgrounds, and tree-lined paths. It was very pleasant.













On the way, we passed the Jambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic Hall, built between 1933 and 1936. During the Soviet era, it was the largest concert hall in the Kazakh SSR.



We also passed the Almaty Palace of Schoolchildren, built between 1978 and 1983. From a distance, it looks like a large mosque.





For lunch, we ate at Kaganat, which is popular with Almaty's working class and students. It works like a cafeteria where you point at what you want, and then pay at the end, so it is also great for tourists.

Kaganat serves both Russian and Kazakh food. Although the decor is modern, it still has the feel of a large Soviet canteen. The first section has various desserts and breads, including small oil naan (xiao you nang) and croissants. The second section is cold salads, where the Russian-style beetroot herring salad is very popular. The third section is various fruit teas. The jam is at the bottom of the glass, and you can pick up a tea bag at the checkout counter. The fourth section is the main course, with beef stew, lamb stew, chicken wings, and rice. Many people also drink borscht (hongcaitang). We ended up paying over 30 RMB per person, which is great value for money.



















The National Museum of Kazakhstan was founded in 1931, and the current building was constructed in 1985. I highly recommend the shop right at the museum entrance. The various Kazakh handicrafts are beautiful. Zainab bought a felt shoulder bag with Kazakh patterns, and I bought a felt hat with earflaps. Both look very stylish.



















Helmets and shields collected by the National Museum of Kazakhstan.













Religious items collected by the National Museum of Kazakhstan include an imam's robe and turban, prayer rugs, wooden and bone tablets for students (mulla) to study scriptures, pocket-sized Qurans for herdsmen, prayer beads, embroidered bags for scriptures, and passports used for Hajj.



















In the evening, we went to a high-end Kazakh restaurant called SANDYQ near the pedestrian street. The interior features a nomadic style, and the waiters all wear traditional Kazakh clothing. They serve the most traditional Kazakh nomadic dishes, which have not been influenced by Russian cuisine. We ordered horse meat stew (Bal Kuyrdak), cold beef tongue, nomadic grain soup (Nomad Kozhe), and pan-baked bread (Taba nan) with homemade butter and mountain honey. We also ordered fermented camel milk (Shubat) and fermented mare's milk (Kumis). Kozhe soup is what Kazakhs drink when celebrating the Nowruz festival, and it contains milk and dried cheese balls (Qurut). Their fermented mare's milk (Kumis) has a stronger taste than what is sold in supermarkets. Zainab and I took turns drinking a small cup just to finish it. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and in the future, we will stick to drinking camel milk and cow's milk. view all