For the sake of making ample preparation for his long-term goal of recovery, Koxinga selected Taiwan as his base for recovery, and sailed to the island with his troops in 1661. After a difficult expedition, and several battles to take Tainan from the occupying Dutch forces. Koxinga finally succeeded in settling on the island, where he kept alive the dream of returning to the mainland to restore the Ming Dynasty.
The Ming Dynasty was a golden age for Islam in China. Many of the soldiers who followed Koxinga to Taiwan to continue their battles of resistance against the invading Manchus were Mucslims. And many brought their families with them, settling at Lukang, Tamsui, and elsewhere. They adopted the mosque style of Chuanchow, Fukien Province, and before long had built their own mosques in Taiwan; relics from these still exist.
The number of Muslims in Taiwan grew rapidly for several generations, and believers gradually expanded along the west coast of Taiwan. Among them, the Kuo family of Lukang Town in Changhua County is the largest clan. It is said that according to the genealogical tree of the family, they are branch descendants of Kuo Tsu-yi, a noted general of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The local Chinese Muslim Association recently sent delegates to meet with the Kuo family. Some of them have already become Muslim again; others are showing increasing interest in doing so.
But during the fifty years of Japanese occupation, the contact between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan was completely cut off and the imans (the religious leaders of Islam) were stamped out. As a result, Islamic rituals, teachings, and beliefs gradually faded away. But some of the customs of Islamic life remained, such as no pork consumption on Fridays, praying each day of the week, no pork consumption while performing rites in honor of ancestors, no pig-raising, and no cremation of the dead.
The second stage of Muslim history on Taiwan can be traced back to 1949, the year that the Republic of China government moved to Taiwan from the mainland. Approximately 20,000 Muslims, including government employees, soldiers, and professionals, followed the central government to Taiwan the same year. Although their occupations varied and they did not congregate in specific neighborhoods, their Islamic cultural customs, strong belief in Islam, and Islamic way of living remained intact despite their comparatively limited numbers.
According to recent estimates, the Muslim population in Taiwan is roughly 50,000 growing along with the 30 years of natural population growth in Taiwan. Intermarriage has also contributed somewhat to its growth.
Organizations
At present, there are four Muslim organizations in Taiwan:
-The Chinese Muslim Association (CMA) has a 50-year history and represents Muslims throughout China as the highest official organization. It was founded in Hankow by General Omar Pei, a prominent Muslim leader of the time. In 1938, during the early part of the Sino-Japanese War, he was authorized by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-skek to establish the association.
The primary original task of the CMA was to unify Muslims throughout China, particularly those Muslims who inhabited the regions of the Northwest and Southwest, to support the central government of the Republic of China in the fight against the Japanese. The association was also supposed to maintain cordial bonds between China and other Muslim countries, and to obtain the firm support and substantive understanding of the Muslim World for the ROC.
In response to the first challenge, the CMA worked to improve the coordination and unification of all Muslims throughout China. The second task was undertaken by dispatching two Chinese Muslim Good-Will Missions to the Middle East, which visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, and other countries. These nations not only gave great encouragement to Muslims in China's all-out war against Japan, they also established friendly relationships between Chinese Muslims and the Islamic World. These early contacts became the foundation for valuable future exchanges.
After the central government moved to Taiwan in 1949, the religious activities of the CMA were delayed for a time due to a shortage of personnel and difficult economic conditions. Support from the government was needed to breathe new life into religion at the time. By 1958, Islamic religious activities once again started coming to life.
Haj Dawood F.S. Hsu, who is also a representative in the ROC National Assembly, has served as the CMA's fourth chairman since 1977.
- The Chinese Muslim Youth League (CMYL), the second Islamic organization on the island, was founded at Canton in 1949 just before the central government moved its seat to Taiwan. The main objective of CMYL is to unify enthusiastic Muslim youth by reinforcing Islamic religious and cultural activities, by preaching Islam and its concepts, and by maintaining contact with international Muslim youth organizations to enhance cordial bonds throughout the Islamic world.
The present chairman of the CMYL is Haj Ishaq Shiao, who is also a representative in the National Assembly.
- The Islamic Educational Cultural Foundation of the ROC was founded in 1976 by Haj Abdul Rahman Chang and Haj Yousuf Chang, both noted scholars. The two brothers have themselves donated NT$3 million (roughly US$100,000) to the fund administered by the foundation, which has received donations from many other Muslims as well. The main purpose of the fund is to provide scholarships to Muslim youths who are university or college undergraduates in order to assist their studies, and to encourage their service to Islam after graduation.
Because Haj Yousuf Chang, the present chairman of the foundation's board, is over 90 years old, Haj Omar Shih-another prominent figure in Muslim youth circles on Taiwan and currently general manager of Taiwan Television Enterprise, Ltd.—was recently elected to be acting chairman of the board.
- The Islamic Cultural Institute was formally established in January of 1987 by Mohammoud Faltal Marwan, a naturalized Syrian Chinese businessman, who also acts as the institute's director. The major task of the institute is to preach Islam outside the mosques. It teaches Arabic language and religion, and also sponsors regular speeches inviting scholars to discuss various topics concerning Islam. In these activities Muslims and non-Muslims alike take part in an effort both to understand the basic concepts of Islam and to eliminate misunderstanding and prejudices toward Islam. In addition, the institute sponsors various kinds of youth activities.
The latter two organizations mentioned above are under the general guidance of the Chinese Muslim Association, which is regarded by all Muslims as the umbrella organ.
Mosques
In total, there are five mosques in Taiwan: two in Taipei, and one each in Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Lungkang. One of the mosques in Taipei is the Taipei Grand Mosque (Jamia), where the Chinese Muslim Association and the Islamic Educational Cultural Foundation of the ROC maintain their offices; the other is the Cultural Mosque, where the Chinese Muslim Youth League offices are located.
Taipei's Grand Mosque, completed in 1960, is the first Arabian style mosque built on Chinese soil.
Mosques in Taipei are centers for spiritual inspiration and social activities and are used as places of worship, prayer, and meetings. The impressive Grand Mosque replaced an original mosque, which became obsolete after the government policy of expanding friendly relationships with the Islamic countries of the Middle East began bringing large numbers of religious figures and leaders of the Islamic world to Taipei
The imposing Grand Mosque is the first Arabian style (not temple style) mosque ever constructed in Chinese history. Ground breaking work was started in 1958, and it was completed in 1960. On the day of its grand opening, the late ROC Vice President Chen Cheng gave the keynote speech to a wide range of international VIPs. Numerous distinguished high-ranking officials and dignitaries have since come to tour the Taipei Grand Mosque, including the late King of Iran, H.M. Mohammoud Palavi; the King of Jordan, H.M. Hussein; the former Prince Regent of Iraqi, H.P.H. Prince Abdul Ilah; the former Premier of Turkey, H.E. Adnan Miendaris; the former President of the Niger Republic, H.E. Hamani Diari; and the King of Saudi Arabia, H.M. Faisal bin Abdul Aziz. And the visits have not only benefited Muslims in Taiwan, but have also stimulated the traditional friendship between the Chinese and other Islamic countries.
Recently, a "Three-Pronged Major Islamic Construction Project In Taiwan" plan has been implemented, with the goal of building the Taipei Islamic Culture Center and H.M. King Fisal Memorial Library, and mosques in the cities of Taichung and Kaohsiung. Work has already begun on the Taichung Mosque as the first step of the building program.
Sects
There are two sects in Islam, namely, the Sunni (Sunnit) and the Shiah (Shiite). Eighty percent of the Muslim population in the Islamic world are followers of the Sunni, the Orthodox sect of Islam, which evolved into four different schools.
The Hanafi school is dominant throughout mainland China, Taiwan, and Central Asia to Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The Shafia school is found mostly in Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia, and Indonesia. North African Muslims belong to the school of Maliki, while Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Algeria are in the area dominated by the Hambani School.
The Shiah are limited to areas in Iran, Iraq, the Gulf countries, North Yemen, Lebanon, and Central and South Africa. The Shiah sect itself is divided into two schools, the Ikha'asherijyah (Twelve-Imam Section), which is the main stream, and the Ismaelite, which is found mostly in India, Pakistan, and South Africa.
There is also an ascetic sect of Islam called the Sufis. They are spread over the area of Egypt, Turkey, Syria, and various places in Central Asia. Furthermore, in the Northwestern part of mainland China there is a Jehriyite sect, sometimes called the "Headshake Religion."
The Muslims of Taiwan are all Sunnis of one school or another.
Cultural Activities
There are two major publications circulated by local Muslims. "Islam in China" is a quarterly, and is published with the financial support of Muslims at home and aboard. The other is "Islamic Culture," and is published by the Chinese Muslim Youth League. Beyond these endeavors, there is a Religious Doctrine Research Committee, under the direction of the CMA, which is responsible for compiling a bibliography of religious books and a collection of doctrines for reference purposes; these include materials translated from Arabic into Chinese. All are printed and circulated free in order to promote increased knowledge among Muslims. The committee also publishes other valuable issues and reports which are the result of collaboration with Islamic scholars.
The Traditional Religious Life
Islam deals with the personal life of people in a very different way in order to insure spiritual purity and personal cleanliness. Some special customs have been developed to cultivate this lifestyle, such as rules regulating food and drink, marriage, and funeral ceremonies—all of which are strictly regimented in Muslim religious life.
Food and Drink
Beyond a few general principles, there are certain foods and drinks specified by God as forbidden. Among these are: the blood and the flesh of swine, snake, poultry, and that of anything slaughtered with the invocation of any name other than that of God. The reasons behind this are numerous; they are of an intellectual, moral, physical, and spiritual nature, as well as for hygienic reasons.
To form sanitary and good habits, Muslims have to take the things which are pure in themselves, and that which is killed according to Islamic methods. All the things which are impure, bad, or harmful are unlawful to consume under all circumstances. Consequently, Muslims in China are very careful with their food and drink habits while at home and when they are traveling. Muslims have their own butchers and restaurants preparing all the food they take. This phenomenon can be seen in mainland China as well as Taiwan.
Marriage
According to Islam, the bride and groom must be of the same faith before they can marry. This is not a form of discrimination, but is a commitment to purity, cleanliness, and faith. It also helps maintain the harmony of the family. Because in the past Chinese Muslims were quite numerous in mainland China, marriage between Muslims was not a problem; it was relatively easy to find a marriage partner in the same faith. But after moving to Taiwan, Muslims found a different situation-it is much more difficult to find a suitable match among the faithful. Thus, if one of the parties is not a Muslim, the religious leaders (Ahound) admit that one into Islam one or two days before the wedding so both may be of the same faith. Fortunately, most of the Muslims in Taiwan can follow this commitment of Islam to keep their religious beliefs and practices pure.
Funerals
Chinese regard funerals as important because they relate to the everlasting happiness of the dead. To non-Muslims, funeral rites and manners require considerable attention, but ever since Islam was brought to China many of the old superstitious and unreasonable rites were dropped and simplified in order to meet the principles of frugality and simplification.
An Islamic funeral begins with the dead body being gently washed and dried; then it is placed in a coffin and covered. Next a blanket is spread over the coffin which is then placed in the great hall until the funeral service. Finally, according to Islamic customs, the body is taken from the coffin by three or four men, and placed in the grave and buried. Throughout the rites there is no music, no band, and no funeral scroll present. In Islam, cremation is not recommended, but burial at sea is permitted. At present, there are several Muslim cemeteries in Taiwan.
International Relations with the Islamic World
The exchange of contacts between the Muslims of Taiwan and all portions of the Islamic World are infrequent, but there are close and cordial relations with the World Muslim League (Rabitalil Hlamil Islami, RABITA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and with the Regional Islamic Dawah for Southeast Asia & Pacific (RISEAP) in Malaysia.
RISEAP was founded in 1980 by H.E. Tungu Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haji, the former premier of Malaysia known also as Father of his country. The continuing friendly relationship between RISEAP and the CMA has promoted close ties between Muslims in Taiwan and those in Southeast and Northeast Asia.
Despite its limited numbers in the total population of Taiwan, the Muslim community is an active force spiritually and socially across the island, and its members comprise an important segment of the island's pluralistic religious environment. —(Prof. Haj Dawood C.H. Ting is Imam of Taipei Grand Mosque and director of the Arabian Language Department, National Chengchi University).