The right to be secular runs like a thread through religious regulations enacted this year in Xinjiang, the far-western region that is home to 12m Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Under the weight of official policies, the future of Islam appears precarious in Xinjiang, a remote region facing Central Asia in China’s northwest corner. Outside observers say scores of mosques have been demolished, which Beijing denies, and locals say the number of worshippers is on the decline. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) "During Ramadan, the authorities are requiring 1,811 villages [in Xinjiang] to implement a round-the-clock monitoring system, including spot home inspections of Uyghur families," World Uyghur Ramadan is here. Across the world, Muslims will begin fasting during daylight hours as part of this month-long festival. But in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang), Chinese authorities see fasting as a “sign of extremism”. During Ramadan, Chinese authorities have been using a mix of festivals and surveillance to keep the mostly Muslim Uyghurs in the far western region of Xinjiang from fasting, praying and China's communist party has a message for Muslim citizens. It holds their religious freedoms dear—with a special emphasis on the freedom not to believe. The right to be secular runs like a thread through religious regulations enacted this year in Xinjiang, the far-western region that is home to 12m Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Xi Jinping failed to acknowledge Ramadan, one of the most sacred times for Muslims, despite the 11 million-strong mostly Muslim Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples who live in the Xinjiang Senior Chinese officials insist they do not force Muslims in Xinjiang to break the Ramadan fast, citing clauses in the Chinese Constitution that enshrine freedom of religion. During Ramadan, Muslims observe the religious month by fasting and reflecting on their spirituality. Ramadan this year runs from May 27 to June 26. Xinjiang's various ethnic minorities including the Hui, Uygur and Kazakh are taking part. Muslims around the world celebrated Eid-al-Fitr this week, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The month is normally observed through daily fasting, prayer, and community service, CHINA: There will be no Ramadan in Xinjiang as China has banned Muslims from fasting. China has banned civil servants, students, and teachers from fasting during Ramadan. Xinjiang is mainly Muslim a region has been ordered to keep restaurants open during the month of Ramadan. Di Tiongkok, khususnya komunitas Muslim Hui dan Uighur di Xinjiang, Ramadan dirayakan dengan festival khusus yang melibatkan bacaan Al-Qur'an, ceramah agama, dan pertunjukan budaya. Hidangan khas seperti polo (nasi berbumbu daging), samsa (pastry isi daging), dan laghman (mie berbumbu) menjadi menu utama berbuka puasa. The imam leads a prayer as muslims break their fast at Hotan Jiaman Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan in Hotan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, April 29, 2021. Credit: Reuters Chinese authorities in Xinjiang are restricting the number of Muslims allowed to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, drawing heavy criticism from rights groups that see the government Local governments in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) continued in 2010 to impose restrictions on Muslims' observance of Ramadan. The curbs in 2010 follow restrictions on the month-long holiday of daily fasting as documented by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) in previous years (1, 2). The Uyghur in Xinjiang in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) face a dual challenge of domestic curbs in the way they lead their lives and lack of international attention to their plight. As is the norm, the Uyghur also observe Ramadan, but are prevented by State Authorities in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have continued to exert tight controls over the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. Directives from local governments throughout the region indicate that during the month-long period of daily fasting, authorities prohibited students, teachers, and government workers from observing the fast, ordered restaurants to stay open, and increased The Chinese authorities on Wednesday imposed a ban on Muslim students, teachers, and civil servants in the northwestern province of Xinjiang from fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. 1 of 17 | . Uyghurs and other members of the faithful pray during services at the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar in western China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, as seen during a government organized visit for foreign journalists on April 19, 2021. In China, the Ramadan timetable in 2025 is defined as the Chinese Ramadan time which moments at which Muslims in Chinese cities can proceed to start eating i.e. breaking the fast during this holy month which is determined by the Chinese Muslim prayer time through Iftar and Imsak.
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