All mosques in China should raise national flag

All mosques in China should raise national flag

Flags should be hung in a “prominent position” in all mosque courtyards for the places of worship to become “a solid platform for the study of the party and the…

 country’s laws and policies,” the China Islamic Association said.

All Chinese mosques should raise the national flag to “promote a spirit of patriotism” among Muslims, the country’s top Islamic regulatory body has declared, as the Communist Party seeks to tighten its grip on religion.

Flags should be hung in a “prominent position” in all mosque courtyards, the China Islamic Association said in a letter published on its website.

This would “further strengthen the understanding of national and civic ideals, and promote a spirit of patriotism among Muslims of all ethnic groups”, it read, according to AFP.

Mosques should also publicly display information on the party’s “core socialist values”, and explain them to devotees via Islamic scripture so that they will be “deeply rooted in people’s hearts”, it said.

The China Islamic Association is a government-affiliated body and has the sole power to accredit imams.

The letter comes on the heels of China’s newly revised Regulations on Religious Affairs, which came into effect in February and prompted rights groups to voice concern for religious freedoms.