National

Regional

Taiwan, HK, Macao

Special Coverage

Focus

Society

Profiles

Allah will punish the rioters, says imam

By Mu Qian (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-25 09:22

People who committed crimes in the July 5 riot in Urumqi - especially those who took the lives of others - will be punished not only by the courts but by Allah, said Haji Ibrahim Xue Tianli, president of the Beijing Islamic Association and an imam at the Niujie Mosque of Beijing.

"Homicide is an unforgivable sin. According to the teaching of Islam, killing one innocent person equals killing the whole human race," he told China Daily at the mosque on Friday after the Jum'ah or Friday's congregational prayer.

Some 1,000 Muslims attended Friday's Jum'ah at Beijing's most famous mosque, which dates back more than 1,000 years.

Special coverage:  Riot in Urumqi Related readings:  Ethnic unity most important for regional development  Unity is 'basic benefit' for Xinjiang people: official  People's Daily highlights ethnic unity after NW China unrest  Teacher's saga in riots: ethnic unity prevails  Ismail Amat: Ethinic unity and social stability is key

Xue said that since the July 5 riot in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, more police and police cars have been seen around the mosque.

Wei Chunjie, deputy director of the administration committee of the mosque, said between 100 and 200 Uygurs attend the mosque.

"The Muslims who come to pray at Niujie Mosque are always mixed. They are from various ethnic groups of China and different countries, and the relationship between them is very harmonious," said Wei.

Niujie Mosque is in the heart of Beijing's Muslim community. Approximately 250,000 Muslims live in Beijing, mainly belonging to the Hui ethnic group.