Naveed Aman Khan
IN Xinjiang, different religions coexist to promote the harmonious religious relations which is historical experience of the steadiness and prosperity of Xinjiang. The forces of separatists, religious extremists and terrorists, under the name of religion, tied extremism to religion to religious believers, society as a whole, and disseminate a series of reactionary mind to deceive innocent masses, making some of them turn into cruel rioters who kill the innocents at will and become the cannon fodder of the extremists. Since 1990s, the extremists and the terrorists have played into each other’s hands to instigate hundreds of the terrorist incidents in Xinjiang, causing great loss of masses of various ethnic groups. Their crimes are too numerous to record and make people boil with anger. Xinjiang has long been an inseparable part of Chinese territory. In Xinjiang, Islam spread into the region, to great extent, by means of acceptance through cultural conflict or even religious wars, which caused serious damage to the cultures and arts of the various ethnic groups in Xinjiang created in earlier periods when Buddhism was popular in the region. In particular, like Taliban of Afghanistan the orthodox followers of Islam prohibited painting and sculpture of the people. Resultantly this approach brought destruction of many paintings, Buddhist temples and sculpture artistic works in Xinjiang region. In the Kutadgu Bilig (Wisdom of Fortune and Joy), there were descriptions of burning homes and gardens, destroying their Buddhist statues and building mosques on the Buddhist ruins.
In the development of the Uygur culture, the historical record indicates that when multiple languages were used as official languages and when exchanges were frequent in Xinjiang, it witnessed a boom in ethnic cultures and social progress. A comprehensive dictionary of Turkish languages, many Uyghurs in Gaocheng Town were able to write in Chinese. The recent archaeological studies discovered that during the Uyghurs period in Gaochang, there were many religious documents and books. They were carved in a dozen of languages of Uyghurs and Chinese. Along with the enhancement in the comprehensive strength of China, the Chinese culture is more and more closely approaching to the world. The Chinese have become the spirit icon of the Chinese culture, the important support of consolidating culture recognition and cultural confidence. Learning Chinese has become a global developmental trend. To boost a harmonious religious relationship is historical experience for Xinjiang’s stability and prosperity. In terms of religious belief, the forces spread various false viewpoints, such as Islam was the sole belief system of the Uyghurs who never believed in other religions in its history, the Uyghurs realized that Islam is more efficient than Buddhism in activating fight strength and voluntarily converted to Islam’, join the jihad with Qur’an in one hand and sword in the other and that Islamic teachings are more powerful than the laws, and Islamic followers are more primary than citizens. Since the Han Dynasty, the coexistence of five major religions like Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity have gradually taken shape in China. The religions enjoy an equal position and co-exist harmoniously. Religious disputes seldom take place. People with and without religious beliefs respect each other, unite with each other and live in harmony.
In Xinjiang’s religious evolution history, religious battles or sect collisions occurred due to exploitation of the ruling class or struggle between sects, causing drastic social turmoils and bringing tribulations to people of various groups. Such battles or collisions are relatively transient, and will never change the co-existence of multiple religions in Xinjiang nor the assimilation, fusion and peaceful inclusion of them. Primitive religion and Shamanism were practiced by the ancestors of the Uyghurs before Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Manichaeism, Nestorianism and Islam were introduced into the region. Islam, after being introduced to Xinjiang, developed toward localization, and gradually became a part of Chinese culture with regional characteristics and ethnic features through long-term fusion with traditional beliefs and cultures of Xinjiang’s various ethnic groups. Islam does not allow the worship of anyone or anything other than Allah. However, the Muslims in Xinjiang have venerated mazars. Mazar worship is a prominent example of the localization of Islam in Xinjiang. This sort of distortion has damaged Islam very badly. The basic spirit, preachings and teachings of Islam as a religion and complete code of conduct are universally harmonious. But weak believers and brain washed Muslims start crossing their limitations of existence and influence. Every one needs to remain within the limitations of ones own. It is not the business of Muslims, believers of other religions or even non believers to interfere the belief of others around by any ways and means.
Peace, harmony and prosperity are the fundamental components of any successful society. For the last three decades these basic components have been shattered by the extremists and terrorists all over the world especially in our region of China and Pakistan. China and Pakistan have long been targeted by these evil forces for their heinous political gains. Both China and Pakistan have suffered a lot because of extremism. The enemies of both brotherly and friendly countries are the same. These enemies very successfully have been portraying and defaming Islam as anti peace and anti prosperity religion whereas nothing is wrong within the true spirit and teachings of Islam. A few mislead and detracked week believers destroy peace, prosperity and harmony of the societies. Those who manipulate and distort the harmonious teachings of Islam and make it a peace destroying religion, should be crushed mercilessly elsewhere no matter it is China or Pakistan because nothing is wrong within Islam. Similarly, misguided week believers of other religions should also be taken to task mercilessly for the sake of peace, prosperity and harmony of the societies.
— The writer is book ambassador, columnist, political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
