Religious System of Islam in China and the Development of Mosques
As more Hui Huis continued coming in from the west, Islam spread widely to the Chinese interior. The system of Fan Fang (foreign settlement) practiced in the Tang and Song periods became less efficient in administrating religious and ethnic affairs in the Yuan Dynasty. So the Department of Qadi was set up in both central and local governments to be in charge specifically of the interior matters of the Hui Huis and their religious affairs. Wherever the Hui Huis were of large number, a local Department of Qadi was set up to handle religious, civil and penal affairs among Muslims.
Qadi is a word originated from Arabic, meaning executive officer of Islamic Law, who is authorized to judge civil, commercial and penal affairs among Muslims in accordance with Islamic law. During the first half of the Yuan period, Qadi was the supreme religious personnel of Islam, who was preacher, religious leader, judicial and executive officer and commanderof Muslims as well. He enjoyed very high religious and social status, and was respectfully called master by the court.
The Department of Qadi that appeared in the Yuan Dynasty was composed of a certain number of Qadis, whose responsibility was to pray for good fortune for the emperor, deal with religious affair, preach at gathering prayers, judge on religious, civil and penal affairs among the Muslims in accordance with Islamic law, and administrate Islamic internal matters.
Qadis were both government officials and Muslims‘ religious leaders. Therefore, the system of Qadi was a combination of religion with politics and autonomy to some extent. To set up the Department of Qadi for the first time in the Yuan Dynasty, the emperor issued an imperial order to ratify it and specify its functions and powers so as to govern all Muslims in China.
During the mid and late period of the Yuan Dynasty (mid-
14th century), the Department of Qadi was eventually abolished, but Qadis still existed. They were not in charge of praying for good fortune for the country and the emperors any longer, but still functioned as judges to settle judicial matters among Muslims until the end of the Yuan Dynasty.
The establishment of the Department of Qadi was of greatimportance to the further development of Islam in China. What Qadis did in the Yuan Dynasty such as praying for good fortune for the Non-Muslim Mongol emperors and eulogizing their wisdom and bravery, laid the theoretic foundation for the Theory of Double Loyalties (loyal to Allah, and loyal to the supreme ruler as well), a theory advanced by the Hui scholars in Ming and Qing period.
As the Muslim population and the number of the mosques kept increasing, it became increasingly necessary to satisfy the needs of Muslims‘ religious life. Thereupon, the system of Qadi changed, and a new system called “Triple-Party Administration”
came into being.
“Triple-Party Administration” means three parties, namely Imam, Khatib and Mu"adhdhin together administrate Islamic affairs. This system was established in the Ming Dynasty. It was a creation of Chinese Islam and rare in Islamic countries and regions. It was also the result of the development and evolution of Islam in Chinese historical conditions.