Routledge The History of Women's Mosques in Chinese Islam

Product Description This is a study of Chinese Hui Muslim women's historic and unrelenting spiritual, educational, political and gendered drive for an institutional presence in Islamic worship and leadership: 'a mosque of one's own' as a unique feature of Chinese Muslim culture. The authors place the historical origin of women's segregated religious institutions in the Chinese Islamic diaspora's fight for survival, and in their crucial contribution to the cause of ethnic/religious minority identity and solidarity. Against the presentation of complex historical developments of women's own site of worship and learning, the authors open out to contemporary problems of sexual politics within the wider society of socialist China and beyond to the history of Islam in all its cultural diversity. Review 'Unique in several ways ... a wonderful and fascinating book.' - Arab Studies Journal'It represents a thoroughly researched treatment of a complex topic and provides a wealth of material for anyone interested in the history of Islam in China. By offering stimulating and thought-provoking viewpoints, it establishes a valuable foundation for future research.' - Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 'Maria Jaschok and Shui Jingjun’s The History of Women’s Mosques in Chinese Islam: A Mosque of Their Own tells the little-known story of one of the most fascinating developments in the history of Muslims in China: mosques run exclusively by women for women, known in Chinese as nüsi...A Mosque of Their Own provides a richly contextualized view of this unique history in which ethnoreligious minority identity and gender issues overlap.' - Religious Studies Review