History of methodology of Islamic da'wah among the Hui Muslims during the Ming-Qing dynasties and the Republic of China : a comparative analysis

Abstract

This study examines the methodologies of Islamic Da’wah used by the Hui Muslims during the Ming-Qing dynasties and Republic of China. The goal of the study is to provide important insights into suitable methodologies of Da’wah for the Hui Muslim Da’wah practitioners to cope with the current situations in People’s Republic of China (PRC) through exploring and analyzing the historical methodology of Islamic Da’wah in Ming-Qing dynasties and Republic of China. The researcher has employed historical, descriptive, analytical and comparative methods in the entire research to achieve the research objectives. The study has focused on the following topics to answer its research questions: the origin of the Hui Muslims in China and their historical background before the Ming-Qing dynasties, the Hui’s social and political conditions and their methodologies of Islamic Da’wah in Ming-Qing dynasties and Republic of China, the similarities and differences between methodologies of Da’wah in these two periods, and finally, the implications to the present time. The study finds out that the external accommodation policy and adaptive Da’wah methodology were two general Da’wah strategies that were implemented by the Hui Muslims throughout the Ming-Qing dynasties and Republic of China. The Hui Muslims used internal, covert and individual Da’wah approaches to cope with unfavorable social and political conditions in Ming-Qing period. Whereas external, overt and organizational Da’wah approaches were employed in Republic of China when the social and political conditions became generally favorable to Islam and the Hui Muslims. Contrasting to non-technological and national characteristics of methodology of Da’wah in Ming-Qing dynasties, Republic of China period shows technological and transnational characteristics. This study concludes that the strategies and methodologies of Islamic Da’wah implemented by the Hui Muslims during the Ming-Qing dynasties and Republic of China are still applicable in PRC today due to the strong similarities between the Ming-Qing-Republic of China period and PRC in terms of culture, social and political conditions. However, to cope with current situation in PRC the methodology of Islamic Da’wah must take the current social and political conditions into consideration, and should be adaptive to current situation in China.