Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

The Secretariat of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy has learned of a clash between local villagers and police that resulted in numerous casualties and the destruction of a mosque in Tausha village near Hiksa town, Tongxin county in China’s Ningxia Hue autonomous region. According to sources from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the incident occurred when police attacked a gathering of Muslims celebrating the opening of the mosque, which was renovated after it was destroyed by authorities in 1987. The clashes resulted in a number of deaths, and about 50 people were injured and 100 arrested.

The Secretariat of Academy, while expressing its deep concern and sadness at these bloody and violent incidents, and in view of the excellent relations between the People’s Republic of China and most Muslim countries in all fields, wishes to state the following:

Firstly: The Academy reiterates its firm rejection of the demolition and closure of mosques and the prohibition of worshippers from entering them; because praying in mosques is one of the most important obligatory rituals for Muslims, and it is one of their most fundamental human rights, and is a matter of freedom to practice religious rites that are guaranteed by all laws, regulations and international agreements. In addition, Islam considers these heinous acts as a great injustice and a serious crime, the Almighty said:

« And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strive toward their destruction. It is not for them to enter them except in fear. For them in this world is disgrace, and they will have in the Hereafter a great punishment. » Al-Baqara -114

Accordingly, the Academy calls upon the concerned authorities in China to ensure the religious freedom of its Muslim citizens, protect it from any danger threatening it, preserve it from any form of assimilation and invasion, provide the necessary protection to Muslims within the framework of the principles of human rights, respect their freedoms, protect their religious places and mosques, and not allow anyone to attack them.

Secondly, wherever they are, Muslims are united by the faith of monotheism and are bound by Shariah and the one Qibla. They are one body if one part complained, the whole body would complain as stated by the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the Almighty said: « The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. » At-Tawba -71

. And the Prophet PBUH said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim, he does not oppress him, nor does he betray him, and whoever helps his brother in need, Allah will help him in his need, and whoever relieves a Muslim in distress, Allah will relieve him of one of the distresses of the Day of Resurrection.” [Muslim: 1830]. Thus, the Secretariat of the Academy reaffirms what was mentioned in the recommendation of the Council of the Academy to the Seventh Session of the Conference, in which it “calls upon the Arab and Islamic countries to support Muslims who are subjected to persecution in various parts of the world, to support their causes and to repel aggression against them by all available means. The support is with spiritual, material, moral and political support, etc., in proportion to the capabilities and changing conditions and circumstances.”

And may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.

Prof. Ahmed Khaled Babeker

IIFA Secretary