By SHEEMA KHAN

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA — While Muslim scholars dispute the origin of this narration (or hadith), often attributed to the Prophet Mohammed, they are unanimous about its essence: Muslims (male and female) are obliged to seek knowledge, even if it entails extensive travel. Incredibly, this narration may point toward a successful integration model of Muslim communities in the West.

Recent tensions prompt these questions: Can secular democracies successfully integrate Muslims keen on asserting their religious identity? Can Muslim minorities successfully adapt to their host societies without compromising cherished values? The answers, according to Umar Faruq Abd-Allah of the Nawawi Foundation in Chicago, may be found by seeking knowledge in China.

In his view, the integration of China’s Hui Muslim minority offers a valuable template for Muslim diasporas in the West. For centuries, the Hui enjoyed independence and economic strength, rooted in a confident, indigenous Islamic culture. They have played an important role in their country’s history, while maintaining social solidarity and a deep sense of being simultaneously Muslim and Chinese.

The Hui are culturally distinct from their Uighur co-religionists of western China; their ingenuity lay in their ability to think outside the Semitic Abrahamic box. Armed with deep knowledge of Islamic tradition and ancient Chinese civilization, they found common ground with Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. By doing so, they developed language, cultural paradigms and institutions that bridged the two worlds, thus paving the way for a vibrant culture that was wholly Chinese and Muslim.

Notably, Hui scholars did not deconstruct Chinese ethos; rather, they built on the best of Chinese traditions.

The 16th century saw the emergence of a unique institution: the nusi – mosques for women, run by women. These continue to thrive today, as do the ahong – Muslim female clerics (or imams) who provide spiritual and educational guidance to men and women. The ahong are trained in both Islamic knowledge and Chinese culture.

The evolution of the Hui reflects the cultural diversity of Muslims worldwide. Wherever they went, Muslims formulated distinctive indigenous forms of culture rooted in the teachings of their faith. Some Muslims incorrectly assume that the only authentic form of cultural expression is Middle Eastern.

The example of the Hui should impel Canadian Muslims to reflect on the evolution of their institutions – many of which reflect the mentality of “hislam” and autocracy prevalent in the Arab world and South Asia. There are already signs of an impending collision between gender equity and the authoritarian patriarchy entrenched in many of the country’s Muslim institutions.

Many Muslim women have embraced self-empowerment offered by Canadian society, finding it wholly compatible with Islam. They are not content to be shut out of community affairs. Some women are fighting back with knowledge and research of Islamic tradition to demand a more egalitarian practice. Others are turning away from institutions that are dismissive, if not hostile, to their concerns.

The issue of gender equity is but one cultural value that will play a key role in the establishment of an indigenous Canadian Muslim culture. Freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, critical inquiry and pluralism must be incorporated by Muslims if they are to thrive in Canada. So must a respectful appreciation of the best Canadian traditions. The good news is that classical Islamic thought already provides the foundation to incorporate these fundamental values into a paradigm that is Muslim and Canadian. The question is: Who recognizes the urgency to do so?

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