BEIJING, Jan 10 (APP):China's Northwest Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region recently held training classes for Muslim clerics, which is aimed at guiding them to resist extremism and contribute to regional stability and
prosperity.
The class was recently held in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang, according to a statement
released on the website of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China
Central Committee.Muslim clerics are required to have a comprehensive understanding of Xinjiang's stability and
development, the statement said and added the religion department should strengthen their politics,
law and religious education.
The training sessions require the Muslim clerics to study traditional Chinese, the history of the
country and the Party, especially the modern history of the country and of Xinjiang. They also need
to learn Putonghua.
Xinjiang is home to 24,400 mosques and about 29,000 Muslim clerics. Since 2001, the State
Administration for Religious Affairs has held 12 training sessions for Muslim clerics and has trained
approximately 500 clerics for the region.
"Muslim clerics generally refer to imams, who are respected by Muslims. Trained imams can help
tens of thousands of believers nurture patriotism and national unity," Gao Zhanfu, a vice dean of the
Beijing-based China Islamic Institute, told the Global Times.
The China Islamic Association is about to compile textbooks for Muslim clerics around the country,
which will further standardize their training. Professors who specialize in a certain subject are usually
invited to train the clerics, Gao noted.
